REACh research team having fun at the escape room for the lab's 2018 Holiday party!
Our team consists of primarily clinical-developmental psychology trainees, including PhD and MA level students. Please contact Dr. Rawana if you are interested in volunteering with our lab or to inquire about graduate student availability.
PhD Students
Rivka Levin
Rivka Levin is currently in her final year of her PhD in Clinical Developmental Psychology set to be completed in 2024. Her research interests include Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Emotion Regulation, Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating eating among young adults. She is also interested in applying this research to create and evaluate evidence-based prevention and intervention programs.
Contact information: rivka@yorku.ca
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rivka-levin-91a90a97
What has helped you succeed? Support from my lab, family, and friends
Samantha Chan
Samantha Chan is completing her PhD in Clinical Developmental Psychology. She completed her Honours BSc in Psychology at Queen’s University, and her MSc in Developmental Psychopathology at Durham University in the U.K. Her research mainly focuses on emotion regulation, emotion regulation flexibility, mental health and relationships among adolescents and emerging adults. She is also interested in applying research to develop evidence-based mental health intervention and prevention programs for children and youth. Samantha is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
MA Students
Kate Lee
Kate Lee is currently her in second year of her PhD in the Clinical Developmental Psychology program. She completed her Honours B.A. in Psychology at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include parent-child dynamics and the role of parenting in the development of emotion regulation among adolescents and emerging adults. She is interested in applying this research to develop effective evidence-based practice and intervention for families.
Paolina Onorato
Paolina Onorato has completed an HBSc and MA in Clinical Developmental Psychology, and is currently completing her PhD (in year 2) with anticipated year of completion 2027. Her research involves investigating the links between emotion regulation in interpersonal contexts, feelings of anxiety in social situations, and well-being. Specifically, she is interested in explaining how emotion regulation and anxiety can influence the well-being of emerging adults. The links between emotion regulation in interpersonal contexts, feelings of anxiety in social situations, and well-being. Additionally, Paolina hopes to apply this research to inform evidence-based programs to promote well-being and positive mental health.
Contact information: onoratop@yorku.ca
What has helped you succeed? Support from supervisors, faculty, classmates, and family/friends.
Research Assistants
Aneeka Black
Aneeka Black is a third year student pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She is an undergraduate research assistant at the REACh lab, as well as a crisis responder at the Distress Centres of Greater Toronto. Aneeka is driven to pursue a career in Counselling Psychology with a focus on providing specialized support to youth from dysfunctional families, where the de-stigmatization of mental health is central to fostering transformative change within individuals and their communities. Her favourite course as a Psychology student is Research Methods
Contact Information: aneeka03@my.yorku.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneeka-black-758a25235/
What has helped you succeed: Support from family, friends, and mentors
Nikita Baxi is pursuing a Specialized Honours Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology, and is an undergraduate research assistant at the REACh lab. Nikita is driven to pursue Clinical Psychology, with an interest in using research to further interventions and support tools for youth, especially immigrants, struggling with anxiety, stress, and trauma. She is passionate about developing a healthy mindset beginning from a young age to create a strong, positive mental health foundation.
Contact information: nikita03@yorku.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-baxi2003/
What has helped you succeed: My support system of kind-hearted family, friends, and professors who keep me optimistic
Lucas Liu completed a Specialized H.B.A. at York University in April 2022. Lucas is interested in researching the processes of well-being from adolescence to emerging adulthood. This includes understanding the influence of technology in inter- and intrapersonal emotion regulation, as well as the factors that support positive youth development, such as attachment and caregiver relationships. He aims to incorporate a trauma-informed and strengths-based perspective in his research. Lucas strives to engage in research that is informed by the lived experiences of those from marginalized groups, including people of colour, women, LGBTQ2S+, and the neurodiverse.
Contact information: lliu041@yorku.ca
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucas-Liu-17/research
What has helped you succeed? His mentors, who have provided unwavering support in fostering his growth as a researcher and served as positive role models in his career.
