The Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment (CMHRT) functions under the “scientist-practitioner model” (also known as the Boulder Model), which aims to ensure that clinical work is grounded in empirical science and that research is informed by clinical practice. The CMHRT supports mental health research that is conducted by faculty within clinical psychology at the University of Waterloo, sometimes in collaboration with other researchers at UW. CMHRT clinicians provide psychological services that are evidence-informed. In addition, our faculty, students, and CMHRT staff prioritize making clinical decisions that are based on the latest available research.
See the diagram below for more information about how research and clinical services are integrated in our clinic.
How is the CMHRT Involved in Research?
See below for information about how the CMHRT contributes to research and advances knowledge in mental health. CMHRT clients are informed about research-related opportunities and provide consent where required for their involvement. All research activities are conducted in accordance with applicable privacy requirements and research ethics approvals.
CMHRT staff collaborate with Clinical Psychology Faculty members and other UW researchers to contribute to advancing knowledge in mental health. For clinical research labs within the University of Waterloo’s Clinical Psychology program, see “Topics and Labs”.
(1) Recruitment of CMHRT Clients for University of Waterloo Research
CMHRT clients may be invited to participate in University of Waterloo clinical research studies investigating mental health, psychological assessment, and treatment.
Examples:
- Anxiety research conducted by Aliya McNeil under the supervision of Dr. Christine Purdon (2026)
- Adolescent Video Game Study by Kristen Gallant under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Nilsen (2025)
- Social Media Study for Teens by Celina Bowman-Smith under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Nilsen (2023)
- Research on adolescent peer relationships by Charlotte Aitken under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Nilsen (2023)
- Research to examine the cognitive and family factors that may impact child low mood by Eleenor Abraham under the supervision of Dr. Tara McAuley (2023)
(2) Research Using De-identified CMHRT Clinical Data
De-identified clinical data may be used in approved research to better understand mental health concerns, treatment outcomes, and factors that influence clinical care.
What is De-identified Clinical Data?
De-identified clinical data is information collected with client consent during CMHRT psychological assessments and therapyservices that has had identifying details removed or modified to help protect individuals’ privacy.
This information may include details about mental health concerns, assessment results, treatment approaches, treatment outcomes, and recordings of therapy sessions that have been de-identified. De-identified clinical data and therapy session recordings may be used in approved research to improve our understanding of mental health, psychological treatments, and factors that contribute to effective clinical care.
At the CMHRT, the use of de-identified clinical data for research supports our commitment to advancing psychological knowledge, improving treatment approaches, and training future clinical psychologists, while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of our clients.
Example:
- Understanding psychotherapy experience research by Alex Milanov and Sarena Daljeet under the supervision of Dr. Jonathan Oakman (2021 to 2024)
(3) CMHRT Staff Collaborations in University of Waterloo Research
CMHRT staff may collaborate with University of Waterloo researchers by contributing clinical expertise, supporting study development, or serving as members of research teams.
Example:
- Client preferences for sensitive medication labels research by Colin Whaley (UW school of pharmacy) with Dr. Marjory Phillips (CMHRT) as co-investigator, supervised by Kelly Gindrod, PharmD, UW School of Pharmacy (2022)
(4) Using Clinical Data to Inform Service Planning and Program Evaluation
The CMHRT uses clinical and administrative information to understand how our services are used, identify what support is needed, and help us plan and improve our programs.
- Example: Modelling data-driven decision making in the clinic: Presentation using CMHRT data on client and clinician cancellations to understand service flow and planning, by Dr. Marjory Phillips at the Association of Psychology Training Clinics annual conference (2025)
How Can CMHRT Clients Contribute to Research?
CMHRT clients can decide whether/how they contribute to advancing knowledge about mental health and its treatment in several ways:
- Contribution of Clinical Data: With appropriate approvals and safeguards, de-identified information collected as part of clinical services may be used for research or program evaluation.
- Participation in Research Studies: Clients may choose to participate in University of Waterloo research studies related to mental health, psychological assessment, or treatment.
- Permission to Be Contacted: Clients may agree to be contacted about future research opportunities. Agreeing to be contacted does not obligate a client to participate in a study.
- Feedback on Services and Treatment: Where opportunities are available, clients may provide feedback on their experiences with CMHRT services to support program evaluation and service improvement.
These contributions help researchers better understand mental health concerns, evaluate treatment approaches, and improve clinical practice.
Participation in research is voluntary and separate from receiving clinical services. Clients may decline research opportunities without affecting their care. Clients have the right to opt-in or opt-out of different forms of research participation. For more information, please read our Consent for Research Participation (PDF) form. All research activities are conducted in accordance with applicable research ethics requirements and privacy protections.
For more information about the CMHRT’s research activities, please contact CMHRT Director, Dr. Marjory Phillips (Marjory.phillips@uwaterloo.ca). For interest in lab specific research studies, please consult our topics and labs webpage to connect to the appropriate faculty members.
Please note that the CMHRT is unable to accommodate volunteers or offer paid research positions. Individuals interested in research-based volunteer or employment opportunities are encouraged to explore opportunities available through other University of Waterloo departments and research labs.
What Has Come Out of This Work?
Peer-Reviewed Publications:
Aitken, C., Van Kessel, K., & Nilsen, E. S. (2026). The Role of Adolescent Mentalizing and Parental Reflective Functioning for Adolescents' Peer Relationships. Journal of Adolescence, 98(2), 355-370. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jad.70066
Bowman-Smith, C. K., & Nilsen, E. S. (2026). Wanting more: adolescents' expectations for social media responses from peers. Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, 4, 1796593. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/developmental-psychology/articles/10.3389/fdpys.2026.1796593/full
Sadeghi, M., Abraham, E., & McAuley, T. (2024). Assessing adherence and clinical utility of modified goal management training for adolescents with ADHD: A pilot study. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/21622965.2024.2353828
Conference Presentations/Posters:
Hicks, K., Robinson, J., Pencer, A., Johnson, S., Phillips, M, & McArthur, BA. (June, 2026). Shared Challenges, Collective Solutions. Panel presentation at Trained in Canada Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Whaley, C. (2022). Including indications on prescriptions and medication labels for sensitive medications: a mixed methods study. CSIM Annual Meeting 2022, Virtual.
Wray, A., Schwartz, J., Johnson, S. & Phillips, M. (March, 2025). Multiple hats, one vision: Clinic directors’ distinct role in bridging the science-practice gap. Paper presented at the Association of Psychology Training Clinics (APTC) Annual Conference, Nashville, USA.
Reports:
Knowledge Translation Resources:
Theses/Dissertations:
Other Research Outputs:
Milovanov, A., Daljeet, S., Oakman, J. & Phillips, M. (2025). Reliability and Validity of Thin Slice Judgments of the Working Alliance with Adults: A Multilevel Investigation. Preprint from PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/msdjg_v1