Five Questions with Chloe Ahluwalia
As part of our “Five Questions” series, we hung out with Chloe Ahluwalia, a Medical Student with our lab from the University of Ottawa to find out what inspires her about mental health research.
Chloe has been working with our lab since 2020 and has provided invaluable support on our ECCOM and First Responder studies. Most recently, she has taken on a major role in a rapid review project designed to assess the impact of opioid-related harm prevention strategies. Check out our conversation with her below!
What brought you to the area of mental health?
I did my undergrad in Psychology and was constantly learning about how underserved the community is for those struggling with mental health concerns - long waitlists, lack of information, and completely unclear guidelines on how to access care. I knew that I needed to do all that I could to lend my support to this community and learn as much as possible to be able to shed some light on mental health resources and services.
What work do you do in the lab and what has been your proudest moment so far?
I work as a Research Assistant on our Eastern Ontario COVID-19 Community Mental Health Cohort (ECCOM) Study which investigates the effects of COVID-19 and the pandemic in general on mental health outcomes. My proudest moment would have to be when a participant thanked me for giving them the opportunity to share their story and for listening supportively. They said it felt very cathartic and healing to be able to speak with me about their trauma in a safe, supportive space.
Would you rather be a tiny elephant or a giant hamster?
Definitely a tiny elephant... Probably because I was obsessed with those “House Hippo” commercials as a kid, was convinced they were real, and was constantly begging my parents to get one. Ironically, the commercial was ACTUALLY about misinformation in advertising, but my little child brain was far too focused on how cute the tiny hippos were to pay attention to that part.
What is the best (or worst) advice you’ve ever been given?
It is both the best and worst advice I’ve been given: “The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time”. It was great advice because I tend to overthink and stress about the future, so it helps ground me in the present moment and focus on what is in front of me. It was the worst advice because, as seen above, I love elephants.
What’s your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
A bubble bath and a good book. Or a basketball game, but only if we’re playing well (Go Raps!).