People

Dr. Samantha Dawson

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.

Marie-Michèle Paquette

Title: Post-Doctoral Fellow

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

About: Originally from Québec, Dr. Marie-Michèle Paquette joined the SWell Lab as a postdoctoral fellow following her completion of her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Research and Intervention) at the Université de Montréal. Her research seeks to understand factors (e.g., sexual subjectivity, body appreciation, sexual behaviors) associated with heterosexual cisgender (HC) and 2S/LGBTQ+ adolescents’ and adults’ sexual well-being. She is the recipient of an FRQ-SC Postdoctoral fellowship. Her postdoctoral research will extend her doctoral work through examining a positive relationship process—savoring—for sexual well-being among HC and 2S/LGBTQ+ couples. She has a particular interest in scientific outreach and knowledge mobilization, as she had shared her knowledge with adolescents, college and university students, youth centre practitioners, and the general public through courses, training sessions, and a 15-episode podcast called Désextifier. Ultimately, her research interests serve the goal of providing a more nuanced understanding of adolescent and adult sexuality in order to promote sexual well-being and to inform sexual education programs so that they may be more inclusive. Outside of the lab, Marie-Michèle loves to read, attend live music shows, buying books and glassware, and planning her next trip.

Erin Fitzpatrick, MA

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!

Marta Kolbuszewska, MA

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.

Kiarah O’Kane, MA

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.

Simone Goldberg, MA

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).

Anuki Amarakoon, MA

Title: PhD Student

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

About: Anuki is a first-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at UBC. She graduated with an Honours degree in Psychology from University of Toronto in 2023 and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from UBC in 2025. Her research at the SWell Lab revolves around the sexual experiences of racial and ethnic minorities and the individual, interpersonal, and cultural processes that contribute to their sexual well-being.