About
Dr. Nancy Lee Heath is a Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (ECP) at McGill University. She leads the Development and Intrapersonal Resilience Research (DAIR) Team and co-founded the Self-Injury Outreach and Support (SiOS) initiative. Her work focuses on mental health resilience in educational settings, particularly in children, adolescents, and young adults. She has pioneered research on non-suicidal self-injury and developed mindfulness-based interventions.
Dr. Heath holds a PhD in Human Development from OISE (University of Toronto) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Ottawa. Her academic positions include Director of Education for Mental Health Resilience (EMHR) and Research Partner at the Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (CEMH).
Her research integrates applied and basic science, emphasizing participatory action research with community partners and individuals with lived experience. Key areas include emotion regulation, stress management, and stigma reduction around self-injury. Over 25 years, she has collaborated extensively with schools and educational institutions.
Dr. Heath has secured grants from major national and international agencies, including CIHR. She is a Past-President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) and has been recognized with awards for mentorship (CAGS, David Thomson Award) and teaching excellence.
Her lab’s outreach includes workshops for educators, web-based resources for students, and training programs for pre-service teachers. Current projects explore mindfulness efficacy, stress management in academic settings, and early intervention for at-risk youth.
