Dr. Marie-Hélène Pennestri is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Associate Dean of Research and Innovation of the Faculty of Education at McGill University. She is also a Regular Researcher at the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre of the Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS NIM). She is the director of the pediatric sleep laboratory, Once Upon a Night. Dr. Pennestri’s research program aims to investigate the development of the sleep-wake cycle in infants, children, and adolescents, from a developmental and family perspective. She also investigates associations between sleep and mental health in vulnerable populations. Dr. Pennestri holds grants across all three Canadian councils (CIHR, SSHRC, and NSERC) and from provincial agencies. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, her projects integrate both physiological and psychological measures. In addition, Dr. Pennestri is a clinical psychologist working with children, adolescents, and their families at the Pediatric Sleep Clinic of Hôpital en santé mentale Rivière-des-Prairies. She is actively involved in her community and in activities that facilitate knowledge transfer. Dr. Pennestri’s research questions are drawn from her experiences as a clinician and a mother.

Marjolaine Chicoine completed a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences (Université de Montréal) in 2013. She then joined Dr. Roger Godbout team as a Research Coordinator in the field of sleep research and child mental health. Together, they created a sleep databank combining PSG recordings and validated questionnaires on children having a psychiatric diagnosis. In 2015, she joined the Once Upon a Night Sleep pediatric sleep laboratory, led by Dr. Marie-Hélène Pennestri, investigating the establishment of the sleep-wake cycle in infants, as well as the association with family dynamics and cultural factors. Marjolaine Chicoine is now the coordinator of these two sleep laboratories, where she is leading several projects, as well as supporting graduate student while overseeing ethic submissions and participating in writing grant proposals, analyzing data and developing activities for knowledge transfer.

Hélène holds a PhD in Neurological Sciences from University of Montreal. She has been interested in sleep and mental health for over 20 years. During her doctoral studies at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Sleep Medicine at the Sacré-Coeur Hospital, Hélène studied various sleep pathologies and the consequences of sleep deprivation during childhood and throughout the aging process. Her research then focused on the effects of prenatal stress and early environment on the development of the sleep-wake cycle and on sleep difficulties in childhood. As a research officer, Hélène contributes to the training and supervision of students, the development of research protocols, and the writing of scientific papers and grant applications.

Rebecca is a PhD Candidate in the Counselling Psychology program at McGill University. She completed her clinical internship at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and is currently conducting her dissertation research on maternal prenatal depression and sleep quality and their relation to infant sleep patterns. Rebecca is the recipient of a doctoral scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a clinician while remaining an active role in research. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys hiking, travelling, and playing board games.

Malka is a doctoral candidate in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Her research interests include the associations between sleep-related parental practices and infant and parental sleep. Malka is the recipient of a doctoral scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Following her doctoral degree, Malka plans to become a licensed psychologist while maintaining collaborations in research projects. Outside of schoolwork, Malka enjoys teaching dance, cooking, and baking.

Samantha is a PhD Candidate in Counselling Psychology. She completed her predoctoral clinical internship and is currently working on her thesis. Her research focuses on investigating the complex relation between sleep and eating disorders. Samantha is the recipient of doctoral scholarships from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et Culture (FRQSC). When she finishes her PhD, she plans to open her own private practice and continue conducting research. In her free time, Samantha enjoys travelling, running and reading. 

Anita is a doctoral student in the Counselling Psychology at McGill University where she also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Human Development. Anita aspires to pursue a clinical and academic career working as a clinician-scientist. Her research interests include the interplay between family dynamics and configurations (e.g., single-mother families, families experiencing parental separation and divorce), sleep health factors, and child and maternal well-being. Anita is the recipient of a doctoral scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). In her free time, Anita enjoys exploring new recipes, cooking, baking, and learning new languages.

Christine is a doctoral candidate in counselling psychology. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Université de Montréal and her Master’s degree at McGill University. Her thesis explores the psychological characteristics associated with sleep disorders in childhood. Her main areas of interest are parasomnias and sleep-related movement disorders. Her academic journey led her to collaborate with sleep medicine experts as a visiting student-researcher at the CHU de Montpellier. She completed her clinical internship at the CHUM in oncology and clinical practica in private practice. Her clinical experiences enhanced her versatility and dedication to promoting mental health. Beyond her studies, she finds joy in board games, gardening, and culinary exploration.

Michelle Ly

Michelle is a second-year Master student in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Her undergraduate project focused on brain oscillation coupling during sleep and its relation to memory across the lifespan. Currently, she is investigating the relationship between infants’ sleep, parental expectation of their infants’ sleep, and parent-child attachments. After her master’s, Michelle is planning to pursue a doctorate and aspires to become a counselling psychologist. In addition to her love of sleep science, her passion is supporting neurodivergent children.

Alicia Martineau

Alicia is a first year Master of Arts student in the Counselling Psychology program at McGill. She has previously worked under the supervision of Dr. Marie-Claude Geoffroy, investigating the mental health disparities among sexually diverse youth. Her research interests include sleep, mental health, and the infant-mother relationship. Alicia plans to pursue a doctorate and become a psychologist. In her free time, Alicia enjoys baking vegan treats, spending time with her sister and friends, reading a great book, or watching an intriguing movie to TV show.

Charlène Thauvin

Charlène is a second-year Master of Arts student in the Counselling Psychology program at McGill University. Her research interests include napping practices in educational settings, cultural influences on sleep behaviour, and the parent-child bond in early childhood. Charlène plans to pursue a doctorate and become a licensed psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, journaling, reading, and backpacking.

Karissa Vallera

Karissa is a first-year Master of Arts student in the School/Applied Child Psychology program at McGill University. Her research interests include investigating the complex associations between sleep disorders and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Following her Master’s, Karissa plans to pursue a doctorate and aspires to become a child psychologist. During her free time, she likes to dance, do pilates/yoga, read, and spend time with her friends and family. 

Adrienne Vandenberg

Adrienne is second-year Master of Arts student in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. She previously completed an undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Pennestri examining the association between infant sleep variability and parental depressive symptoms. Her research interests include infant sleep, parental mental health, sleep during the transition to parenthood, and parent-child attachment. After her Master’s degree, Adrienne intends to complete a doctorate and become a licensed psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, running, and spending time with friends. 

Kaia Watkins-Martin

Kaia is a third-year doctoral student in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Her research examines the immediate and short-term impact of nature walks on the mental health of severely depressed clinical populations as well as young adult university students. Kaia holds a doctoral scholarship through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). After completing her degree, she plans to work as a clinician and continue to contribute to research. She also hopes to eventually work with clinicians-in-training. Kaia enjoys reading, nature walks, and spending time with her family.

Bryan completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology from McGill University and his predoctoral clinical residency at the McGill University Health Centre. His research focused on the relationship between the sleep-wake cycle in infancy and its association with future cognitive development and sleep health. Bryan currently works as a clinician.

Gabrielle has recently completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in research and intervention in Adult Clinical Psychology at the University of Montreal, under the supervision of Dr. Pennestri and Dr. Marie-Julie Béliveau. Gabrielle is interested in infant and child sleep as well as child and parental mental health. She currently works in psychological services at the birthing center at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). Professionally, Gabrielle is interested in the perinatal period. In her free time, Gabrielle enjoys cooking, nature, and travelling..

Christopher completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology from McGill University in 2022. His dissertation focused on investigating sleep patterns and intra-individual variability in both mothers and fathers at 6 months postpartum. Christopher’s research also examined associations between parents’ sleep and family factors and postpartum depressive symptoms. He provides psychotherapy services relying on knowledge acquired through various research, practica, and internship experiences to guide my clinical work.

Flavie completed her Bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Montreal in 2023. Her fields of interest include child development, psychopathology and the access to care for LGBTQ+ populations. She aspires to pursue her doctorate degree in psychology in order to become a clinical psychologist. During her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, motorcycle rides, and cooking. 

Yara is a second-year undergraduate student in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Montreal. Her fields of interest include child development, cognitive functions, and psychopathology. She aspires to pursue her doctorate degree in neuropsychology in order to become a licensed neuropsychologist. During her free time, she loves traveling, swimming, and watching comedy movies.

Bade Kolcuoglu

Bade is an Honours Psychology student minoring in Gender Studies at McGill University under the Faculty of Arts. She is currently completing a research project on maternal sleep, co-parenting, and mental health. She is interested in observing the influence of interpersonal relationships on women’s health; and aspires to work in the field of health promotion. Outside of school, Bade enjoys photography, trying different workout classes, and exploring Montreal.