This presentation will explore the inevitable missteps and detours encountered during academic journeys and how these moments of uncertainty can lead to valuable growth and insight. It will highlight the challenges that many face, from choosing the wrong research path to struggling with academic identity and emphasizes that these "wrong turns" are not failures but essential learning experiences. Attendees will gain practical strategies for navigating the complexities of academia, including Embracing setbacks as part of the learning process; Reframing mistakes as opportunities for growth; Developing resilience and adaptability in the face of unexpected challenges; Cultivating a supportive academic community and seeking mentorship; and Finding the right balance between persistence and flexibility. By the end of the session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how to overcome academic obstacles and build a more fulfilling and successful career, no matter where the road leads.
Dr. Sheila Garland is a full professor in the departments of Psychology and Oncology at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and a registered clinical psychologist. She completed her PhD at the University of Calgary, the Calgary Clinical Psychology Residency program, and a 3-year post-doctoral fellowship in behavioral sleep medicine and psycho-oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research is focused on understanding the experience and testing interventions to improve insomnia and other symptoms in people diagnosed with cancer with a special emphasis on adolescents and young adults. She has published 135 peer reviewed research papers, nine book chapters, and regularly presents her research at national and international research meetings. She is a graduate fellow in randomized behavioral clinical trials from the National Institutes of Health in the USA and has led the design and conduct of five very successful clinical trials of behavioural interventions for insomnia. Dr. Garland is currently the Chair of the Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine section of the CPA. She currently the Director of Clinical training for Memorial University's Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program.
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