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Beyond the Application: Nardeen’s Path to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
Meet Nardeen Meet Nardeen Meet Nardeen Yalda, a first-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at York University in the Neuropsychology stream. Nardeen’s path into clinical psychology was not always straightforward. She entered Western University in Health Sciences with plans of becoming a neurologist, having long been fascinated by the brain and human behaviour. It was not until taking introductory psychology that she discovered cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and wha
John Lee
2 days ago
Finding Your Fit in Clinical Psychology: Ashley Rodrigues’ Journey to Graduate School
Meet Ashley Our latest guest in the Inside Clinical blog series is Ashley Rodrigues, a second-year Master’s student in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at Western University. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Ashley completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber before moving to London, Ontario to begin her graduate training. Ashley’s interests in understanding people’s thoughts and behaviours started well before university
John Lee
Oct 27
Persistence Meets Passion: Acadia’s Journey to Clinical Psychology
Meet Acadia Our latest guest in the Inside Clinical blog series is Acadia Bunin. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University under the supervision of Dr. Tara MacDonald. A “Maritime girl through and through,” Acadia grew up in Nova Scotia before moving to New Brunswick to complete her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Mount Allison University. She later made the move to Kingston, Ontario, where she completed her MSc in Clinical Psycholog
John Lee
Oct 13
Neuroscience Meets Clinical Psychology: How Arij Found Her Passion
Meet Arij Meet Arij, our most recent guest on the Inside Clinical Blog Series. She is currently in her 4th year of the PhD in Clinical Psychology program at McMaster University, and she is beginning residency at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic in the fall. Arij’s research focuses on anxiety and ADHD, as well as studying real world clinical populations to make research more clinically useful such as through identifying barriers to care in marginalized communities.
John Lee
Aug 25
When Chance Meets Preparation: Hemanshi’s Journey into Clinical Psychology
Meet Hemanshi Our latest guest in the Inside Clinical blog series is Hemanshi Bhandari, a first-year Master’s student in the Clinical Psychology (Child Track) program at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Originally from Mississauga, Ontario, Hemanshi completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB) at McMaster University before moving across the country to begin graduate training. Throughout our conversation, Hemanshi shared an honest and encour
John Lee
Aug 11
When the ‘Fairy Dust’ Aligns: Sydney’s Journey into Clinical Psychology
Meet Sydney Our latest guest on the Inside Clinical blog series features Sydney Parkinson, a 4th year clinical psychology PhD student at McMaster University and member of the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic. Sydney completed her undergraduate degree at MacEwan University, where she developed a strong foundation in anxiety and worry research under the mentorship of Dr. Alex Penney. Throughout our conversation, Sydney shared how intentional self-reflection, strategic res
John Lee
Jul 21
Against All Odds: Amanda’s Journey From Brazil to Clinical Psychology in Canada
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 15 Written by: Shay Sadat Interview with Amanda, MA Clinical Psychology Student at the University of Regina, Bella Chang, Hons. Bachelor of Science, and Shay Sadat Meet Amanda Amanda Lima Barros Feitosa is our latest guest on the Inside Clinical blog series. She is a clinical psychology graduate student at the University of Regina whose journey from Brazil to Canada is defined by resilience, determination, and an unwavering passion for resea
John Lee
Jul 7
The Power of Persistence: Alzena Ilie’s Story
“Inside Clinical” Series By Ella Muraca and Dr. John Lee, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology (University of Waterloo) With Alzena Ilie, fourth-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University Meet Alzena Our most recent guest on the Inside Clinical Series is Alzena Ilie, a fourth year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Dalhousie University. Alzena’s research interests lie in pediatric insomnia, co-occurring sleep disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders, and healthca
John Lee
Jun 23
From Connection to Calling: Tulip's Path to Clinical Psychology
Meet Tulip Our latest guest on the Inside Clinical blog series features Tulip Marawi, a 2nd year clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Toronto Scarborough. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Tulip discovered a passion for psychology, aging, and cognition that ultimately shaped her academic and professional journey. Based at Sunnybrook Hospital, her current research explores the relationship between mental health,
John Lee
Jun 9
Finding your Fit: Ida’s Journey to Clinical Psychology
Written by: Cameryn Hauck Meet Ida Our latest guest on the Inside Clinical blog series is Ida Demair, an incoming SSHRC-funded graduate student in the Clinical and Counselling Psychology program at the University of Toronto (OISE). Ida completed a BA in Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Studies at the University of Guelph, during which she spent time building extensive research and clinical experience that helped shape her path to graduate school. Ida’s journey refl
John Lee
May 19
Finding Your Fit: Navigating the Journey to Clinical Psychology with Melanie
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 14 By Cameryn Hauck With Melanie Mascarenhas, fifth-year student MA/PhD Clinical Psychology at University of Toronto Scarborough Meet Melanie Our latest guest on the Inside Clinical blog series is Melanie Mascarenhas, a 3rd year clinical psychology PhD student and instructor at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Based in Toronto, Melanie completed both her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Cognitive Science and her master’s in clinica
John Lee
Apr 21
Choosing the Right Path, Not the Fast One: Tolu's Road to Success
Meet Tolu Our 11th guest on the Inside Clinical Series is Tolu Faromika, a first year Clinical Psychology PhD student in the neuropsychology stream at York University. Tolu completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Originally from Nigeria, Tolu moved to Prince Edward Island when she was 10 years old, and then later moved to Toronto for university. Her early experiences, particularly in forming a strong connection with an
John Lee
Mar 31
Curiosity Meets Care: How Maya Found Her Passion for Child Clinical Psychology
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 10 Meet Maya Our 10th guest on our Inside Clinical series is Maya Mammon, a graduate student in the Child Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Toronto (OISE). With an undergraduate background rooted in a research-intensive lab and hands-on experience working with children and adolescents, Maya offers a thoughtful perspective on the path to graduate studies in clinical psychology. Her journey reflects curiosity, resilience, and
John Lee
Mar 10
Persistence as Practice: Sarah's Story of Perseverance
Meet Sarah Our 9th guest in our Inside Clinical series is Sarah Kowall, a first-year Clinical Psychology graduate student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Sarah completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Winnipeg, a small institution with limited formal resources in clinical psychology. Despite these limitations, Sarah was able to carve her own path, seeking external research opportunities, advocating for herself, and building an impressive foundation a
John Lee
Feb 17
Perseverance, Courage, and Determination: How Lindsey Turned No Interviews Into 11
Inside Clinical: Lindsey Snaychuk Inside Clinical: Episode 7 Competitive applications, high expectations, and the drive to succeed, getting into a clinical psychology program today is anything but easy. That’s why the Inside Clinical blog series highlights real stories from students who kept moving forward and ultimately succeeded. Here, we will reveal not just their achievements, but the twists, turns, and challenges along the way. In this episode, we meet Lindsey Snaychuk,
John Lee
Jan 20
A Leap of Faith: Andreas' Academic Path Stateside
Inside Clinical: Introducing Andreas Dimopoulos Inside Clinical: Episode 6 Meet Andreas Meet Andreas and follow his journey from doing BA and MA in Ontario, to pursuing a PsyD in the USA Our 6th guest in the Inside Clinical Series is Andreas Dimopoulos, a first-year PsyD candidate at the University of Indianapolis. Andreas has come a long way; from finishing his undergrad and masters in Ontario, to packing his life up and moving to the United States for his PsyD program. And
John Lee
Dec 31, 2025
From Setbacks to Success: Josh’s Journey into Clinical Psychology
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 5 By Elena Flores, B.A. Psychology Alumni from Loyola Marymount University With Joshua Budge, MSc/ Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology (Western University) Meet Josh Our fifth guest on the Inside Clinical series is Josh Budge , a first-year master’s student in Western University's MSc/PhD clinical psychology program. Having attended Waterloo for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in psychology, Josh d
John Lee
Dec 2, 2025
One Application, One Vision: Joseph's Path from Beirut to McGill
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 4 By Dr. John Lee, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology (University of Waterloo) With Joseph Ghanem, fourth-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at McGill University Meet Joseph Our fourth guest in our Inside Clinical series is Joseph Ghanem , a 4th-year PhD student in clinical psychology at McGill University in Montreal. Once an eager grad school applicant, Joseph has come a long way. If you're stressed about applying, his story might be just what
John Lee
Nov 4, 2025
20 Applications, 1 Perfect Fit: Autumn's Journey to Regina
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 3 By Tushinka Pereira, Undergraduate Psychology Student (University of Waterloo) & Dr. John Lee, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology (University of Waterloo) With Autumn Brambell, M.Sc. Candidate in Clinical Psychology (University of Regina) Getting into a clinical psychology program today is not an easy task. Applications are competitive, expectations are high, and the journey can feel pretty overwhelming to students planning on applying to this pro
John Lee
Oct 21, 2025
Mindset and Resilience: Yash's Road to Acceptance
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 2 By Dr. John W. Lee (Clinical Psychologist; University of Waterloo alum) With Yash Joshi, M.A. Candidate in Clinical Psychology (University of British Columbia) I first came across Yash Joshi when he announced that he’d been accepted into the Clinical Psychology MA+PhD program at UBC. His post stopped me mid-scroll. Even though I didn’t know him personally, I felt this wave of vicarious happiness– the kind you get when you see someone break
John Lee
Sep 30, 2025
From Detours to Doctorate: Ruthie's Path at Queen's
“Inside Clinical” Series, Episode 1 By Dr. John W. Lee (Clinical Psychologist; University of Waterloo alum) With Ruthie Stanley-Blackwell, Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology (Queens University) Breaking into a Clinical Psychology PhD is no small feat- and it’s only gotten tougher. When I applied back in 1999, while in the midst of my Honours Thesis at the University of Waterloo, the path looked very different. I applied to five schools, wrote the Psychology and General GR
John Lee
Sep 9, 2025
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