Meet the Team
Jennifer Gordon, PhD, RD Psych
Dr. Jennifer Gordon (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Regina, and director of the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit. She is currently a Tier II Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canada Research Chair in the Biopsychosocial Determinants of Women’s Mental Health.
​
Dr. Gordon is dedicated to advancing the identification, prevention, and treatment of mental health conditions uniquely affecting women. She is published in some of the world’s top mental health journals, including JAMA Psychiatry and the American Journal of Psychiatry. Her research is well-funded by CIHR, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and the Saskatchewan Center for Patient-Oriented Research.
​
As a Clinical Psychologist, she maintains a small private practice focusing on treating postpartum depression and distress related to infertility.
​
Ashley Balsom
Ashley (she/her) has been involved with the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit since September 2018.​
Her current research focuses on exploring evidence-based interventions adapted for women experiencing infertility, exploring women's coping and resiliency when experiencing infertility, and the influence of infertility on sexual function. She is dedicated to exploring the impact of reproductive experiences on genders experiencing marginalization and identifying protective and resiliency factors.
Ashley is particularly interested in reproductive transitions in individuals' lives (e.g., peripartum, infertility, menopause). She is currently a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral fellow. ​
​
Ms. Balsom is always looking out for opportunities to collaborate on projects or mentor undergraduate students interested in clinical psychology or passionate about reproductive research.
Bethany Sander
Bethany (she/her) is currently completing her Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina. In her current research, she aims to uncover the hormonal mechanisms contributing to mood disorders during reproductive transitions. In particular, she is studying the role of several reproductive hormones in the etiology of perimenopausal depression.
She previously completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the U of R and began as an honours student in Dr. Gordon's lab. As an honours student, Bethany researched the correlates of estradiol-related affect change in reproductive-aged women, with a focus on sensitivity to stress, social rejection, and changes in emotion-related perception.
Her studies have been funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR), and the Guiding interdisciplinary Research On Women’s and girl’s health and Well-being (GROWW) program through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
​
Megan Poulter
Megan (she/her) is currently in the first year of her Master's program in Clinical Psychology. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Psychology in May 2022. Her undergraduate thesis examined social cooperation and depression in adolescents assigned female at birth.
In her Master's thesis, Megan is exploring how challenges related to fertility may exacerbate women's already increased risk for depression and the effect short-term cognitive-behavioural interventions can have on mental health outcomes and relationship satisfaction in women experiencing infertility.
If you want to start a conversation with Megan, ask her about her cat (J.R.R. Tolkitten), what book she's reading, or what she's knitting!
Anas Arwin
Anas (he/him) is currently an undergraduate student completing a B.Sc. Honours degree in Psychology under Dr. Gordon. His research thesis explores the factors that influence family planning among women studying clinical psychology, such as mental well-being and perceived support by their social circle and academic institution.
He hopes to pursue medicine at USask and take what he learns from his experience here and apply it in the future. His favourite pastime is reading books (The Count of Monte Cristo is his personal favourite!).