Monica Ghabrial, M.A

Degrees, Title/Position:
PhD Candidate

Bio:

Monica Ghabrial, MA, is a PhD student in the psychology program at the University of Toronto. She is supervised by Dr. Judith P. Andersen and based primarily at the Mississauga campus. She completed her Bachelor of Science at the University of Guelph and her Master of Arts at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include intersectionality, qualitative research, action research, women’s health, and sexual and ethnic minority wellbeing.

Women’s Health:

During her undergraduate education, Monica conducted research on discrimination against newcomer survivors of domestic abuse and the difficulty these women face when searching for permanent housing. This involved interviews administered to landlords across three cities, as well as a telephone audit study. After completing her BSc, she worked for three years on a CIHR-funded study for the prevention of sexual violence on university and college campuses and as a crisis-line operator at the local women’s shelter.

Monica has been involved in HIV prevention research in Cambodia through SiRCHESI (Siem Reap Citizens for Health, Educational, and Social Issues) – a grassroots organization that uses participatory action methodology to educate sex workers and “beer girls” on HIV transmission and condom use and to promote workplace safety – and completed an internship with this organization in Siem Reap in 2013.

She is affiliated with Women’s College Hospital (WCH), where she works in the Mental Health division. Monica is currently completing a practicum, investigating the effect of peer support on the health and wellbeing of women living with HIV. She is also working as a research assistant at WCH, on a program designed to address and reduce sexual distress experienced by survivors of gynecological cancers.

Racialized Sexual and Gender Minority Wellbeing:

As a member of the HART lab, Monica’s research has focused on examining the unique lived experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer people of colour (LGBTQ-POC). This research, informed by intersectionality theory, uses a combination of qualitative interviews and quantitative measures to investigate the contextual discrimination and identity conflicts that this population faces, as well as the great resilience they exhibit.

Check out Monica’s publication in the leading journal in the field of Counseling Psychology:  Ghabrial, M.A., & Andersen, J.P. (2020). Development and initial validation of the Queer People of Color Positive Identity Measure. Journal of Counseling Psychology