Concordia Minority Students' Mental Health Research Project

 

Rebeca ('Beca') Bayeh is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at Fordham University, in New York. She is an alumna of the Culture, Health, and Personality Lab, and is currently collaborating on the Student Mental Health project as a co-supervisor of the Neurodivergent team. She completed her MA degree at Concordia University under the supervision of Dr. Ryder, and examined the representation of neurodivergent university students in different demographic and cultural groups and how the overlaps between neurodivergence and other minority statuses impacted mental health, experiences of discrimination, and wellbeing. Beca is passionate about the Neurodiversity paradigm and community-based research, and is currently specializing in neurodiversity-affirming care. Her research currently explores intersections between neurodiversity and cultural psychology, as well as experiences of distress among international students. Her clinical approach is informed by Feminist theory, the Social Model of Disability, and Cultural-Clinical Psychology research.

 

Before becoming a psychologist trainee, Beca worked as a science communicator and as a dance instructor.

 

Yijae is in her final year of undergraduate studies in psychology at McGill University. Her research interests focus on the mental health of cultural minorities or neurodivergent populations, with a passion for promoting equitable access to mental health resources. She is also curious about the experiences of allophones navigating Montreal’s bilingual context and how it relates to their mental health. After graduation, Yijae plans to pursue further research in cultural or clinical psychology.

 

In her free time, she enjoys knitting, learning new languages, and playing the guitar.

 

Phoorani's research interests center on understanding and supporting mental health within neurodivergent communities. She is particularly passionate about exploring cultural, developmental, and clinical psychology, with an emphasis on supporting underrepresented groups. She hopes to complete her undergraduate thesis in the upcoming year.  

 

Outside of school, she enjoys singing, watching new movies/shows, and traveling. 

 

Alex is interested in studying resilience and well-being within queer and transgender populations. Their honours
thesis is exploring transgender and gender diverse student experiences at Concordia University. Additionally, Alex is a member of Concordia’s STRIVE task force, in which they are contributing to research conducted within the transphobia subcommittee. As a trans student, Alex is passionate about advocating for student rights and better access to resources and services for those holding underrepresented identities.

 

In their free time, Alex enjoys reading, playing video games, and jigsaw puzzles.

 

Tinhinane is in her final year of undergraduate studies in psychology at Concordia University. She is interested in exploring the perspectives of underrepresented communities on psychological matters, specifically moving away from universalist Western views. Her involvement in the Minority Mental Health Project started from her desire to better understand and address mental health disparities in communities where such issues are often overlooked. Her interest in neurodivergence, specifically autism, is personal. Her diagnosis opened her eyes to the lack of awareness and understanding surrounding neurodivergence within her cultural community. This experience motivated her to join the neurodivergent focus group to raise awareness and foster conversations about neurodivergence, particularly in cultures where it may not be as widely recognized or understood.

 

Outside of her academic work, Tinhinane enjoys cooking and baking, often experimenting with different cuisines. A fun fact about her is that she always keeps lipsticks in her pocket—just in case of an emergency!

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Izzy is interested in bringing light to important issues regarding minority groups, informed by the groups themselves. Uplifting community voices is important to creating an environment where we can all thrive. She is looking forward to incorporating the findings into her future career as a therapist.