Title:
Associate Professor, Psychology
Principal Investigator, SWell Lab
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
About: Dr. Samantha Dawson is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia and a registered Clinical Psychologist. Since 2009, her research program has focused on identifying mechanisms contributing to sexual function and sexual well-being in individuals and couples, with the goal of using these mechanisms to develop targeted interventions for sexual dysfunction. Her clinical interests include evidence-based interventions for sexual dysfunction.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Title: PhD Student
About: Originally from Nova Scotia, Erin graduated with an Honours degree in Psychology from Dalhousie University in 2020 and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from UBC in 2023. She is now a PhD Candidate in the Clinical Psychology program at UBC. Her MA research in the SWell Lab research used complex dyadic longitudinal and daily experience designs to discover factors (e.g., body image, sexual education, and more) associated with sexual and relationship well-being in couples as they transition to parenthood. Her PhD research uses this ground-work to develop and test the first prevention program designed to promote sexual well-being in couples across pregnancy and the postpartum. Her dissertation is guided by Family Systems Theory and examines whether strengthening new parent couples’ sexual connection can “spillover” to affect their coparenting relationship and infant’s temperament. Outside of the lab, Erin is probably screaming from the rooftops about the importance of work-life balance. You might find her at a local concert, playing bar trivia, sparring at taekwondo class, cooking, or camping with friends!
Title: PhD Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
About: Marta is a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology and member of the Sexuality and Well-Being Lab. She has a particular interest in integrating dyadic and longitudinal methods to better understand individual and relational processes that contribute to sexual function. Her current research examines sexual pleasure (what it is, who experiences it, how it shapes people’s sexual well-being), and sexual function problems that affect individuals and couples (e.g., genito-pelvic dysaesthesias, sexual desire discrepancies). Outside the lab, she is passionate about swimming, spending time at the beach with her partner and their dog, and playing Tears of the Kingdom.
Title: PhD Student
Pronouns: She/They
About: Kiarah is a second-year clinical psychology PhD student in the Sexuality and Well-being (SWell) Laboratory and the Psychology, Health, and Sexual Health (Phase) Laboratory. Their research focuses on identifying modifiable risk and protective factors for the sexual well-being of 2S/LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. This serves an overarching goal of developing and evaluating accessible interventions for bolstering the sexual well-being of 2S/LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. Kiarah’s MA research examined demographic predictors of sexuality myth endorsement and evaluated a novel social media knowledge translation initiative for reducing individuals’ sexuality myth endorsement. Their PhD research will examine daily and longitudinal links between positive gender-related experiences (e.g., gender authenticity, gender euphoria) and sexual well-being among couples. Outside of the lab, Kiarah loves to crochet, attend live music shows with their fiancé, and spend time with their cat Bebop.
Title: PhD Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
About: Simone is a second-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at UBC. Her research examines the role of cognitive-affective processes (e.g., attention) in promoting and interfering with sexual function (i.e., arousal, desire, orgasm, pain). In particular, her dissertation work integrates multiple research methodologies (e.g., eye-tracking, psychophysiology, self-report) to better understanding sexual (dys)function among individuals with ADHD. She aims to identify the biological, psychological and social mechanisms underlying ADHD related sexual dysfunction to inform targeted and evidenced-based interventions. Her additional research interests include the benefits of mindfulness for sexual well-being and persistent genital arousal disorder/genito-pelvic dysesthesia (PGAD/GPD).
Title: MA Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
About: Anuki is a first-year MA student in the Clinical Psychology program at UBC. Her research at the SWell Lab revolves around the sexual experiences of racial and ethnic minorities and the individual, interpersonal, and societal processes that contribute to their sexual well-being. Anuki integrates meta-scientific research into her descriptive qualitative work and variation-enhancing quantitative designs to develop an understanding of sexual well-being that generalizes beyond a single population, measurement model, or statistical procedure while capturing the complexity of real-world phenomena.
Title: Study Coordinator; Former NSERC USRA Student; Former Directed Studies Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
