Who we are

Dr. Karen Milligan, Ph.D., C. Psych.

Lab Director and Full Professor

karen.milligan@torontomu.ca
416-979-5000 ext. 557054

Dr. Karen Milligan is the Lab Director of the Child & Family WISE (Wellness through Integrated Systems and Evaluation) lab and Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Prior to coming to the university in 2012, she worked for close to a decade as a child clinical psychologist and researcher in children’s mental health and addiction treatment sectors. Dr. Milligan received her PhD in school and child clinical psychology from the University of Toronto and is a registered psychologist working with children, adolescents, adults, and families.

Dr. Milligan conducts psychological research and program evaluation in partnership with community organizations serving children, caregivers, and families. Current research studies focus on:

1) Pregnant and parenting people with problematic substance use and their children (aged 0-6 years), with a focus on integrated programs, parenting interventions, and the influences of maternal cognition, emotion regulation, and social and structural determinants of health on parenting.

2) Caregivers of children and transitional aged youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

3) Youth mental health intervention, particularly for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as learning disabilities and ADHD.

4) Training and supervision of youth mental health clinicians, including ethical and safe Generative AI approaches. Across these research themes, Dr. Milligan uses varied methodological designs, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental designs and use of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches.

Dr. Milligan is actively engaged in clinical supervision and mentorship. She is currently the Child Clinical Training Coordinator for the TMU Clinical Psychology Program and a previous Director of Clinical Training. Dr. Milligan is a supervising psychologist at St. Michael’s Hospital, working with the Family Health Team and Paediatrics Clinic.

Dr. Milligan will be reviewing applications for a graduate student for the current application cycle (entry Fall 2027).

Irina Osminin

Graduate Student

Irina is in the final stages of the PhD Clinical Psychology program. She earned her Specialized Honours degree in Psychology from York University and completed her MA in Clinical Psychology at TMU. Her MA thesis examined sensitivity and disrupted caregiving behaviours in mothers with problematic substance use, highlighting that these constructs overlap yet remain distinct. Notably, differences were most pronounced among mothers parenting in the context of poverty and basic need insecurity. Building on this work, her dissertation will examine changes in parenting quality over time in response to intervention, focusing on identifying mediating and moderating factors that influence parenting outcomes. Her graduate studies have been supported by SSHRC, OGS, and a TMU graduate scholarship. Irina will be completing her doctoral residency in child clinical and health psychology at Sick Kids.

Nekeisha Jean-Baptiste

Graduate Student

Nekeisha is completing her MA in TMU’s Clinical Psychology program. Her research interests include resilience and its impact on mental health and well-being in marginalized youth and families, including racialized and neurodiverse populations. She completed a mixed-methods study examining the experiences of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disability accessing healthcare services. She is currently completing her PhD practicum at the Better Behaviour program at CAMH. Nekeisha graduated from the University of Toronto Scarborough with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Psychology. In her free time, Nekeisha enjoys reading and crocheting!

Erica Rodrigues

Graduate Student

Erica is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology. She completed her BSc in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University in 2020 where she conducted research on personality and quality of life in adults with schizophrenia. Her Master’s thesis involved assisting with implementation of a parenting intervention among mothers with problematic substance use, examining the roles maternal emotion regulation and trauma symptoms on intervention outcomes. Erica’s doctoral dissertation investigates how parent and youth emotion regulation and impulse control relate to relationship quality and mental health among neurodivergent youth, with a focus on those with learning differences. Her clinical experience, including her training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and work with families of highly sensitive and emotionally dysregulated youth informs her graduate research. Erica’s graduate studies have been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and a TMU Graduate Fellowship. She completed her Doctoral Internship at Kinark Child and Family Services (CPA accredited). She is now completing a two-year clinical health psychology fellowship at Sick Kids.

Charlie Gryspeerdt

Graduate Student

Charlie is a MA student in the Clinical Psychology program at TMU. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at TMU, where her undergraduate thesis explored the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between mothers’ experience of childhood maltreatment and their current observed emotionally available parenting behaviour. Her MA thesis project is examining the ways distress and its regulation are expressed by pregnant and parenting people when they initially engage in services for people with problematic substance use. Her work will deepen understanding of the intersections of emotion regulation and system-related barriers to care. Charlie’s MA studies were supported by SSHRC, OGS, and TMU graduate fellowships and she recently was awarded the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship for her PhD Studies.

Celia Ambeault

Research Assistant & Past Undergraduate Thesis Student

Celia recently completed her undergraduate thesis in the Child and Family WISE Lab and graduated from TMU with her BA (hons.) in Psychology. Her thesis project examined the influence of parent and adolescent understanding of learning issues on youth mental health, with a focus on youth with learning disabilities and ADHD. Celia plans to pursue a Masters of Social Work and is continuing with our lab as a research assistant.

Florencia Saposnik

Study Coordinator

Florencia is a second-year master’s student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program at the University of Toronto. She completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University in Health Studies, specializing in Mental Health and Addictions, while also minoring in psychology. Florencia’s master’s thesis focuses on examining structural barriers that parents/caregivers face when attempting to access a psychoeducational assessment for youth in their care. Florencia’s graduate studies have been funded by the SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship (2024-2025) and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2025-2026). Currently, Florencia is completing her practicum placement at the Toronto District School Board within the Caring & Safe Schools program and will begin her PhD in the SCCP program in the fall.

Zoe Wade

USRA Summer Research Student and Undergraduate Thesis Student

Zoe Wade is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Psychology at TMU. She is completing her honours thesis in the Child & Family WISE Lab. Her thesis project will be examining Black caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders accessing developmental services and supports. Zoe plans to pursue a Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy after graduation. In her spare time, Zoe likes to draw, watch anime and go out with friends!

Dr. Elizabeth Young, MD, FRCPC

Research Partner (co-PI, Transitional Age Youth with IDD)

Dr. Elizabeth Young, MD, FRCPC is a Developmental pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. She is the Medical Lead for Pediatric Community Outreach and Ambulatory Services at St.Michaels and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. She completed medical school at McMaster University and a Pediatrics residency at Queens University. She worked as a general pediatrician for two years in Toronto and then went on to complete her developmental pediatric sub specialty residency at the University of Toronto. Her dual training and work experience in developmental and general pediatrics provides her a unique perspective in the management of families of children with developmental disorders. Dr. Young’s clinical and research program focuses on supporting families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders from across the lifespan.

Lab Alumni

Previous Graduate Students

Dr. Victoria Ingram, 2025

Dr. Ingram graduated from the Clinical Psychology Program. She completed her MA and PhD in the Child and Family WISE lab. Her PhD research focused on implementation of an attachment-based intervention (Attachment and Biobehavioral Catchup or ABC) with mothers with problematic substance use. Dr. Ingram is working towards registration as a Clinical Psychologist at the CAP centre in Aurora.

Dr. Annabel Sibalis, 2021

Dr. Sibalis graduated from the Psychological Sciences Program at TMU and completed her master’s and doctorate degree in the Child and Family WISE Lab. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH, Dr. Brendan Andrade) and is now a Senior Policy Analyst with Health Canada.

Dr. Tamara Meixner, 2021

Dr. Meixner graduated from the Clinical Psychology Program at TMU. She completed her master’s and doctorate degree in the Child and Family WISE Lab. She now works as a clinical psychologist with the FASD clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital and in private practice at Foundations for Emotional Wellness in Toronto, ON.

Deanna Klymkiw, 2015, MA 2017 (PhD, Supervised by Dr. David Day)

Alex Irwin, 2015-2017 (PhD, Supervised by Dr. Leslie Atkinson)

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

Dr. Lesley A. Tarasoff, 2017-2018 (Healthy Mothers, Healthy Families)

Dr. Tarasoff is now the Research Manager for the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health.

Dr. Amelia Usher, 2015-2016 (Healthy Mothers, Healthy Families)

Dr. Usher is now a Behavioural Scientist with the Ontario Behavioural Insights Unit (Provincial Cabinet Office).

Undergraduate Thesis Students

Patricia Forbes, 2025

Graduate student in Clinical Psychology.

Julia Peak, 2020
Julia completed a MSc in Neuroscience at McMaster University and is currently completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at McMaster University.

Gregory Vukets, 2020
Graduate student in Clinical Psychology.

Laura Daari, 2019
Laura was the Research Coordinator in the Child and Family WISE Lab before starting her graduate studies in clinical psychology at Simon Fraser University in 2021.

Leah Sack, 2018
Completed PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Guelph.

Natalie Besharat, 2016
Completed a Masters of science degree in paediatric psychosocial care at McMaster University.

Melissa Edwards, 2016, former Research Coordinator
Completed a Master’s of Social Work degree at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Madeline (Quinn) Morris, 2016
Completed a PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Memorial University.