Kristina Cordeiro, MA

Kristina is a senior PhD student in the Clinical-Developmental Psychology program at York University, in Toronto, Canada. Supervised by Dr. Robert T. Muller, her research has focused on intrafamilial trauma and attachment-based treatments for children and their families. Most recently, she’s been collaborating on a large clinical trial of the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Family Therapy for caregivers supporting children living with mental illness, and she has been studying the clinical benefits of using the Adult Attachment Interview as an add-on to therapy. Her research has been recognized by the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and she has received numerous grants in support of her research and clinical training. Kristina has over 15 years of experience working with children and young families in educational and clinical settings, having held positions at Etobicoke Children’s Centre, the Child and Adolescent Psychology Center, OISE Psychology Clinic, York University Psychology Clinic, and the Hospital for Sick Children. In these positions, Kristina provided individual and group therapy and comprehensive assessments. Kristina also has extensive experience supporting clients with Autism/ASD and their families, providing Intensive Behavioural Therapy and counseling. Most recently, she has trained and worked at Bear Psychology/Trauma Practice, providing trauma therapy to adult clients. Currently a Doctoral Associate at the Family Psychology Centre, Kristina works with youth, adults, and families presenting with a variety of mental health concerns, providing both assessment and treatment services. She is passionate about increasing access to effective and timely mental health services and considers the caregiver-child relationship to be a critical entry point for preventative interventions. She hopes to affect systemic change in how we involve parents in the treatment of their children.

Marlee Salisbury, MA

Marlee holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Manitoba and is currently a Ph.D. student in the Clinical-Developmental Psychology program at York University. Her research has focused on understanding the impact of early experiences, including the parent-child relationship, on children's emotional development and neurobiological markers of stress regulation. More recently, she has been involved in co-developing and evaluating the effectiveness of maternal mental health programs aimed at promoting positive parenting and disrupting the intergenerational transmission of chronic stress. Currently supervised by Dr. Robert T. Muller in the Trauma and Attachment Lab, Marlee’s work has shifted to evaluating attachment-based therapeutic interventions for families with trauma histories, with the goal of promoting effective mental health services, particularly through the caregiver-child relationship. Her research has been supported through numerous grants and fellowships, including a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, and is published in various high-impact journals including Prevention Science and Frontiers in Psychiatry. Marlee is trained in a range of clinical modalities and has worked with children, families, and adults in both intervention and assessment contexts. Her recent clinical work involves facilitating community-based, trauma-focused group programs for promoting stress reduction methods and building emotional strength among adults with PTSD. Additionally, Marlee is passionate about improving the efficacy and accessibility of early preventative interventions for children and families experiencing chronic stress or trauma, and she strives to involve parents actively in the treatment process. Her goal is to create lasting systemic change by strengthening the parent-child bond and improving parent mental health and support.

Cassandra Harmsen, MA

Cassandra Harmsen is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical-Developmental Psychology program at York University, in Toronto, Canada. She obtained her B.Sc. in psychology from McMaster University in 2014, and her M.A. in Clinical-Developmental Psychology from York University in 2021. As a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Robert T Muller, Cassandra’s primary research focus is understanding effective interventions for trauma survivors. In particular, she has spearheaded a project examining the effectiveness of the Trauma Practice Approach, a Cognitive Behavioural Somatic Therapy for adults with trauma symptoms. Her work has been presented at various conferences, including the 40th annual ISSTD conference and she currently has two publications in review on this topic. Cassandra has other published work in the areas of Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, barriers to trauma treatment for LGBTQ+ individuals, and complicated grief during COVID-19. Cassandra has several years of experience working with children and young families in several clinical settings. She has practiced in hospitals, including the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health. She completed her intervention practicum in 2023 at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre (Hamilton Health Science). She has also worked in private practices focusing on assessing and treating youth with various presenting concerns. She uses evidence-based practices, including CBT, ACT, Family Based Therapy for eating disorders, and EFFT most prominently.