Sarah Victor
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
As an undergraduate at Stanford University, I worked as a research assistant in a laboratory studying mood and anxiety disorders. My experience with research was fascinating; it was incredibly exciting to see the field moving forward and to be able to contribute to that progress. I knew that I wanted to continue in the field of research; pursuing a graduate degree was an essential step to pursue a career in research.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
Pursuing a graduate degree at UBC allowed me to work with leaders in my area (clinical psychology) as well as my field (non-suicidal self-injury). The expertise and mentorship of my supervisor, Dr. Klonsky, was a large factor in my choice to attend graduate school at UBC; this decision was supported by the fact that UBC has an internationally-known psychology graduate program in which students and faculty form friendly and collaborative relationships.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
As an international student, I was worried about meeting new people and making friends in not only a new city, but also a new country! I was lucky to be surrounded by a group of amazing graduate students who entered my program when I did, and they have been a very important part of my graduate school experience.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
As a graduate student, it is easy to be focused only on activities, events, and opportunities within your department. I think it's very important to seek out opportunities outside of your program; this could be volunteer opportunities, student groups, or research collaborations, but I think it is important to be able to meet people in a variety of settings when you're new to a place as large as UBC!
Learn more about Sarah's research
My research focuses on non-suicidal self-injury, such as cutting or burning, and the psychological experiences that go along with these behaviours. I am interested in how and why some individuals begin to self-harm, while others do not, and what factors influence those who continue to engage in non-suicidal self-injury while others stop. To date, my research has focused on the emotional experiences of individuals who self-harm, in order to investigate how these experiences might be different from those of people who do not have a history of non-suicidal self-injury. I hope to continue my work on emotional experiences in non-suicidal self-injury, as well as conduct additional research investigating how personality influences whether an individual starts or stops self-harm. I am also interested in the functions of non-suicidal self-injury (that is, why people engage in self-harm) and how these functions might change over time.
