Mikaela (Mishi) Papich is a PhD student under the supervision of Dr. Natalie Durand-Bush in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa. Her research project will focus on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a sport-secific mental health strategy for a National Sport Organization based on the Mental Health Strategy for High Performance Sport in Canada that was launched in July 2021. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania in 2019. Following that, she completed her Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education (Sport Psychology) at McGill University in 2021 under the supervision of Dr. Gordon Bloom. Her Master’s thesis explored how Tennis Canada coaches develop close, positive coach-athlete relationships with their adolescent athletes, while being mindful of athletes’ affective, behavioural, and safety needs.

Mikaela is currently completing her practical hours to become a Mental Performance Consultant (MPC) and is a student member of the Canadian Sport Psychological Association (CSPA). She is also a certified Level 1 tennis coach and she coaches tennis players (10-20 years old) at Tennis 13 in Laval.

Mikaela is a former Division 1 tennis player. She competed on the varsity women’s tennis team at Bucknell University. In her youth, she was selected to train for the Tennis Quebec team and competed at several national championships. Having experienced her own challenges with depression and a back injury that resulted in surgery, she is empathetic towards the various challenges that student-athletes face. Mikaela is passionate about athlete mental health and is looking forward to promoting mental health in academic and applied settings.