I am a first year PhD student in the School and Applied Child Psychology program. Over the next few years of the PhD program my goals are to develop my assessment skills, learn more about complex neurodevelopmental assessment (ASD, FASD etc.), and develop competencies in counselling, including individual, group, and family counselling for children and youth (and their families). I am also interested in culturally responsive assessment and intervention, and hope to gain experience working with diverse communities, including providing services remotely and in person. After my degree, I am hoping to work in a variety of settings as a clinician, including private practice, schools, and hospitals/clinics. I’m from the Toronto area and did my undergraduate degree at Queen’s University in Kingston. My undergraduate degree is arts-based, I studied global development studies and history, and did an honors research project in psychology. I also did my Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University. After teaching abroad for three years, I’d had a lot of experience working in schools, with children and youth, and in communities that were underserved in terms of access to mental health resources and psychoeducational assessment. It was at that point that I decided to take a chance on school psychology, which allowed me to continue my work with children and youth, explore my passion for mental health and diverse learners, and begin to engage with families and school staff in a new capacity. The students of this program are what makes it so special. Their passion, diverse interests, and high quality of work challenge me to work hard and stay committed to this important work. They are always willing to support one another, offer advice and consultation, and work collaboratively. When I take a moment to prioritize self-care, some of my favorite activities are travelling, baking, doing yoga and playing my guitar. Also, finding any excuse I can to go hang out by the beach. My advice is to prioritize what is important to you. We have so many incredible opportunities in this program and at UBC and it is impossible to do everything. Whether you’re passionate about clinical work, research, advocacy, contributing to the department etc., select meaningful activities that move you towards your goals and stick with them.