Mental Health in the Digital Age Lab 

Director, Dr. Jennifer Laffier

Dr. Jennifer Laffier is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Ontario Tech University. She is a licensed and registered Creative Arts Therapist and Psychotherapist with over 25 years experience in the mental health field. She researches and teaches in the areas of human development, mental health across the lifespan, emotional intelligence, bullying, at-risk youth, and creative arts and play. 

Visit her website at: https://jenlaffier.wixsite.com/professional

Research Team 

Aalyia Rehman

MHDA Lab Manager and Research Assistant

Aalyia graduated from the Life Science program at the University of Toronto in 2018, where she had majored in Psychology and Health Studies. She completed her Masters of Arts in Education, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Laffier and Dr. Janette Hughes, and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Education program at Ontario Tech University. Her research interests include child and youth mental health, identity development, digital technologies, art-making, and risk-and-resilience processes.

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Michelle Reiterer

Graduate Student​

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Michelle is a student in Ontario Tech’s Master of Arts, Education program.  She is also a Board Certified assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) and has over a decade of experience implementing, creating and overseeing Applied Behaviour Analytic (ABA) programming for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other exceptionalities.  Michelle is passionate about mental health, education, equity and social justice for individuals living with exceptional circumstances. 

Alexandra Feder

Graduate Student​

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Alexandra is a graduate student in Ontario Tech’s Master of Education program. She is currently working as an OCT-certified elementary school teacher at YRDSB, with intermediate and senior additional qualifications. She is passionate about mental health, trauma outcomes within K-12 students, and exploring school as a context of human development.

Lauren Luchka

Graduate Student​

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Lauren is an early years teacher in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and a graduate student in education at Ontario Tech University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the University of Winnipeg. Lauren has over a decade of experience teaching students from kindergarten through grade four, and is a certified Reading Recovery Teacher. She has a deep interest in mental health and well-being, bullying, literacy, digital technology, popular culture and student engagement.

Heidi Allum

Graduate Student​