Volunteers/Undergraduate Students

she/her

Kaela Brandson is a fourth-year Psychology and Sociology double-major at UBC. Her research interests include sexual well-being/dysfunction, relationship dynamics, sexual trajectories across the lifespan, and religious/LGBTQ+ intersections with sexual well-being. She takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how diverse experiences shape mental and sexual health- and will pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology. In her free time, Kaela contributes to the preservation and celebration of cultural heritage through her role on the Board of Directors for the Icelandic Canadian Club of British Columbia.

he/him

David is a third year undergraduate kinesiology student at UBC. He is passionate about understanding and addressing sexual desire discrepancies in couples and developing evidence based strategies to improve such clinical outcomes. Furthermore, he is committed to making sexual health topics more approachable within culturally diverse households where those conversations can feel sensitive. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, nature, and trying out new food.

she/her

Lara is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Honours Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She will be completing her Honours thesis in collaboration with the lab, contributing to the eSense Cancer Study. Her research interests include the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapies for individuals seeking support related to sexual desire. In her free time she enjoys making jewelry, exercising, and meditating.

she/her

Darya is currently completing the fourth year of her BSc in Biology at the University of British Columbia. Passionate about sexual health and intersectionality, Darya is excited to be involved with the VIVID 2.0 study. In her free time, Darya likes to read and paint portraits of her loved ones (which include her cats).

she/her

Yuki is a second-year undergraduate neuroscience student at UBC. She is passionate about women’s health, particularly relating to female contraceptives, and is deeply interested in how medical advancements can better support women’s reproductive choices in the future. She aspires to pursue an MD, with the goal of becoming a resource for women navigating their healthcare needs and advocating for education on often stigmatized topics related to women’s health and sexual well-being.

she/her

Lauren is completing a second bachelors degree in Psychology at the University of British Columbia. She brings with her a prior BA in Integrated Media from Emily Carr University and 10 years of experience in adult education and training for software companies including Apple and Hootsuite. Lauren also acts as Director of Technology for the Canadian non-denominational charity, Power of Education Africa, and is proud to help provide young women in rural Kenya with scholarships to secondary and post-secondary school. Lauren is delighted to contribute to the incredible work being done in the Brotto lab, and specializes in tech-based treatment applications such as Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy.

she/her

Volunteer

Lareina is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Family Studies at the University of British Columbia. She is passionate about understanding the biases and barriers that women face when it comes to sexual health and coming up with ways to remove these barriers while raising awareness about women’s sexual health problems. She is also interested in looking at how there may not be enough awareness about sexual desire and arousal disorders in women because of social stereotypes. This interests her as she wants to find out if not addressing these disorders can lead to mental health difficulties. She hopes to attend grad school for either clinical psychology or counselling psychology in the future. Lareina is currently working on SHAPE which aims to mobilize knowledge about sexual dysfunction and genito-pelvic pain in women and genderdiverse persons.

she/her

Volunteer

Myah is completing her bachelor’s in psychology at the University of British Columbia. She is passionate about sexual health and exploring the psychological and physiological aspects of sexual wellbeing, as well as working to destigmatize conversations around sex. Myah hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology, and is excited about learning and gaining experience through her role assisting in the e-sense non-binary study.

she/her

Volunteer

Anilā Lacroix is currently pursuing her Psychology Major and Philosophy Honours degree at UBC. She is working towards becoming a trauma-informed counsellor with ongoing research experience in the effectiveness of mindfulness for improving self-concept and self-actualization within or following adverse experiences. Additionally, she designed a 12-week group therapy mindfulness counselling program for women with depression.
Prior to these pursuits, Anilā was an experienced yoga teacher and teacher trainer who taught a wide variety of yoga practices and philosophies for the last 20 years. Her academic focus combines philosophy of mind with behavioural neuroscience and mindfulness behavioural therapy. Anilā has received scholarships for her academic work and personal life experience, as well as been awarded recognition for her work with at-risk women and youth.

she/her

Volunteer

I hold an associates of arts degree in Peace and Conflict studies from Langara college. I’m currently in my 3rd year of studies at UBC, double majoring in Psychology & Gender, Race and Social Justice Studies. I have over 4+ years of experiences in supportive and harm reduction working with a wide range of demographics. I approach all my work with a sense of mindfulness and allyship towards 2SLGBTQA+, Black and Indigenous rights and people living with physical and mental disabilities. 

she/her

Volunteer

Hayal is a third year undergraduate student at UBC completing a BSc in Behavioural Neuroscience. She is passionate about creating a safe spaces for people to express their feelings and partake in a community of vulnerability. Hayal is involved in the eSense study at the lab and hopes to pursue a future in clinical practice. Her research interests include mindfulness based therapy, sex differences in sexual expression, and sexual trauma counselling.

she/her

Volunteer

Zahrah is a third-year behavioural neuroscience student at the University of British Columbia. She is interested in investigating the societal factors that have contributed to the stigma behind sexuality, and is passionate about overcoming those barriers to allow for a more sex-positive outlook. In addition to this, she wants to learn more about clinical psychology and is excited to volunteer as a navigator for the eSense project.