Research Nova Scotia (RNS) recently announced over $2 million in funding for new health researchers in Nova Scotia to help increase capacity in this critical area. The 21 recipients are located at Dalhousie, Acadia, St. Francis Xavier, Saint Mary’s, Mount Saint Vincent, and Cape Breton University as well as Nova Scotia Health and the IWK.

The New Health Investigator Grant supports new health researchers who are engaged in work that aligns with the province’s health research priorities. The grant aims to provide two years of support of up to $100,000 for researchers who are within the first five years of their academic appointment in Nova Scotia or who are new to the field of health research. For the 2020-21 academic year, funding for this grant is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.

At Acadia University, Dr. Tanya Surette, an assistant professor in the School of Education, will explore compassion fatigue among counselling professionals. Her research is called Resilience and impairment: A study of factors supporting counsellor development and career longevity.

“There has never been a greater need to support new health researchers in Nova Scotia to help inform practice, policy and decision making,” said Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia in a release. “We’re pleased to announce funding for these researchers and are confident their work will positively impact the health of Nova Scotians.”

Research projects span a broad range of topics including diabetes, cancer and dementia care, pre- term infant gut health, and food security during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding provided will support the establishment of independent programs of research, support and expand the research productivity necessary for obtaining long term funding from national and external agencies, and expand the potential for early career investigators to make significant contributions in their field.

Acadia Project Overview
Dr. Tanya Surette
Assistant Professor, School of Education
Acadia University

Project: Resilience and impairment: A study of factors supporting counsellor development and career longevity
Nova Scotia has one of the highest lifetime prevalence rates of mental health disorders in the country. Current literature suggests up to 60% of counselling professionals experience occupational health concerns due to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue refers to the significant negative emotional and psychological impacts that stem from supporting others through trauma and emotional distress. High levels of compassion fatigue are associated with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety and can impact a counsellor’s ability to provide the most effective and therapeutic services possible to their clients. There are few studies that investigate factors that promote counsellor resilience. Through her research, Dr. Tanya Surette seeks to address this gap by following counselling graduate students from preservice, through their education, internship, and early careers, capturing their developmental journey through video journal diaries, narrative interviews, artistic exploration, and mental health screening assessments. This comprehensive data generation will provide valuable theoretical and practical direction to clinical supervisors, employers, public health authorities, and individual practitioners including intentional practices and initiatives that enhance the resilience and longevity of counselling professionals. In the face of ever-growing demands on mental health practitioners, compounded by insufficient service capacity and shortages of workers, Nova Scotia will benefit from a deepened understanding of how to support the preparation, education, and sustainability of counsellors.

Funding amount: 99,909.56
Team members: Dr. Micheal Shier, Dr. Kelly Brenton & Dr. Michael Corbett

For a complete list of recipients and projects visit researchns.ca/new-health-investigator-grant-recipients/.