Read with care!

Thanks for your interest in working with Dr. Emilie Lacroix and MEAL. Before applying or contacting us, please thoroughly read this page to review answers to commonly asked questions.

Will you be accepting a student for Fall 2025?

No, I will not be interviewing applicants to accept a new clinical or experimental MA/PhD student for Fall 2025 matriculation. Providing adequate supervision to all my students is important to me, and this requires a considerable time commitment. As such, I can’t accept a graduate student every year. You can learn more about UNB programs and other potential supervisors by visiting the UNB-Fredericton Psychology Department website. An application fee waiver is available for Indigenous applicants.

If I’m applying to work with you, do I need to email you?

Nope! There is no need to email me before the admission deadline to confirm whether I will be accepting a graduate student. Emailing will not influence your chances of admission. If you have specific questions about my research or the program that are not answered here or on the program’s website, you are welcome to email me to ask those questions, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. In my experience, it is rare that the materials online do not provide appropriate information for interested students.

In the interest of maintaining fairness to all potential applicants, please keep in mind that I will not review CVs, offer feedback on applications, or meet with students before applications have been received and screened by our admissions committee. Questions about what any student might work on with me will be discussed if that student is invited to interview.

If not by email, how do I ensure that Dr. Lacroix knows I’m interested in working with her?

When you apply to the UNB clinical or experimental psychology program, you will need to identify up to three faculty members who you are interested in working with. Make sure that you list Dr. Emilie Lacroix as one of your three selections. Listing Dr. Lacroix will ensure that your application is submitted to her once it is ranked by the admissions committee.

If you list Dr. Lacroix as a potential faculty supervisor, you should also ensure that a portion of your statement of interest discusses what specifically draws you towards working with MEAL. It is important to clearly communicate the ways in which your interests and experiences align with the lab’s mission, research objectives, and current projects.

What does Dr. Lacroix look for in prospective students?

Application to UNB psychology graduate programs involves a holistic process that considers all parts of the application package. To be given serious consideration, applicants must fulfill the admission criteria set out by our program. Program statistics about previously accepted students can be found here. Your statement of interest and curriculum vitae (CV) should showcase how your past research and clinical experiences have prepared you for doctoral work in the area of clinical psychology. Your academic transcripts should demonstrate your capacity to succeed in rigorous graduate coursework. MEAL focuses on exploring eating disorders and body image; as such, prior research and clinical experiences in these areas are considered strengths but are not required if you have other relevant clinical research experiences. Finally, make sure that the references you provide are people who can speak to your potential as a researcher, and as a clinical psychologist if you are applying to the clinical program.

What is the focus of your current research? What topics will incoming students work on?

My upcoming projects will be focused on three major areas: (1) comorbidity between eating disorders and substance use, and studies that can inform the development of integrated treatments; (2) disordered eating and body image disturbances in transgender and gender-diverse people; and (3) understanding patterns of service use among people with eating disorders in New Brunswick, to inform local capacity-building efforts. Although I have previously conducted research on addictive-like eating (i.e., “food addiction”), this topic is not a focus of current or upcoming work. My research incorporates qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as knowledge synthesis through systematic reviews and meta-analyses. I am open to supervising graduate research on a wide range of topics related to eating disorders and body image.

My own experiences with mental health problems (e.g., my own or those of a loved one) shaped my current interests. Should I mention this in my statement of intent?

Lived experiences shape our career interests, trajectories, and goals in meaningful ways. If you feel inclined to talk about your experiences in your statement of interest, you are welcome to do so. However, the main focus of your statement of interest should be on your research experiences, accomplishments, goals, and ‘fit’ to our lab– those factors will be most strongly considered when reviewing your application.

Resources for Applying to Graduate School in Psychology

• In this video series on applying to psychology graduate programs, I provide suggestions on how to apply and improve your application materials. I encourage applicants to watch those videos to find my suggestions and get a better sense of my interpersonal style.

• Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology is one of the best known and most comprehensive introductions to the clinical psychology application process.

• APA – Careers in Psychology: This resource package by the American Psychological Association provides a comprehensive overview of different types of psychologists, including personal accounts from a diverse group of psychologists currently working in the field. If you are still deciding between pursuing clinical psychology versus other subfields of psychology (social, developmental, forensics, etc.), this is a great guide for you!

• So You’re Applying to Clinical Psychology Graduate Programs: This document has been created by Jasmine Mote, PhD and shares her opinions, experiences and advice regarding clinical psychology graduate programs.

• This Powerpoint presentation is a good briefer on applying to clinical psychology programs.

• This extensive list of real students’ personal statements, as well as this annotated set of personal statements, can help you find your footing when getting started on your own personal statement.

• Students with marginalized identities may want to check out A Guide for Underrepresented Students Applying to Graduate Programs in Clinical Psychology

• Insider’s guide to clinical and counseling psychology is a book that provides detailed information on specializations, admission criteria, financial aid, research, and clinical opportunities of different clinical/counselling programs in the US as well as some programs in Canada. It also offers guidance for prerequisite coursework, gaining experience, and creating strong application materials.

• Finally, if you are interested in conducting graduate research on eating disorders, here is a list of some other eating disorder researchers you might also consider applying to work with!