The HEAL Lab

Home
Canada
Windsor, ON
The HEAL Lab

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The HEAL Lab, Health & Wellness Website, Windsor, ON.

The Health Experiences and Longevity (HEAL) Lab is directed by Dr. Kendall Soucie in the Department of Psychology at Uwindsor - we study women’s health equity and advocacy with a focus on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and related comorbidities.

02/24/2026

🎉🎉🎉 Congratulations to and her team ( and ) on a paper published today in the Journal of Health Psychology (open access)! The topic is on disclosure decisions, conversation pathways, and avenues of social support in women with . It was a labour of love, and is so excited by this work! It moves PCOS into areas of strength, builds connections and collaborations, while also challenging the silence associated with the syndrome. ♥️.

Abstract:
Polycystic O***y Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine syndrome, affecting 8%–13% of women worldwide. It has been described as an isolating and stigmatizing syndrome, complicating avenues for disclosure. In this study, we explored how women with PCOS disclose their diagnosis to others and what factors influence their decision to do so. Through a reflexive thematic analysis of 28 interviews, we found that women first broached PCOS with others, which led to the to building blocks of social support, which then maintained meaningful conversations over time. Supportive interactions were beneficial, while unsupportive ones led to dead ends. Our study is one of the first to capture the decision-making process underlying the disclosure of PCOS within women’s social networks. It extends prior research by highlighting how women decide whether, when, and how to share their diagnosis while weighing the risks of stigma against the benefits of social support.

Link to paper (open access): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13591053261419962.

Thank you to our participants for opening up their lives with us & sharing their experiences living with pcos (we are so grateful to you) & to for supporting this research as well! ♥️

02/03/2026

Congratulations for being recognized as an emerging feminist scholar by ! 🎉🥳. Hio Tong does such incredible work at the nexus of s*xual empowerment, neoliberal ideologies and gender-based violence using multiple methods and theoretical frameworks that amplify lived experiences. She’s nearing the end of her PhD degree but has made such a mark on this field of study and . ♥️.

01/27/2026

Congratulations 🎉 to who was recognized as an emerging feminist scholar by . She is currently conducting arts-based research with and on IPV and help-seeking pathways using visual mapping and storytelling approaches funded by . Way to go Marissa! ♥️.
(She is nearing the end of data collection and will have preliminary results to share at this year’s conference!)!

11/21/2025

A fun day making friendship bracelets and reconnecting. :) Nice way to de-stress before final exam season! Thanks to those who made it, and cheers to the end of the fall term! ♥️.

11/17/2025

Congratulations 🥳 🎉 to Kenzie Tapp () on a successful PhD proposal defense! Her dissertation explores the lived experiences and narratives of gender diverse individuals navigating ( ) in Canada 🇨🇦. Pcos is a highly gendered condition, and Kenzie brings in frameworks of s*x and gender, monitory stress models, and third-wave feminism by amplifying Judith Butlers’ unique contributions to gender/s*x, and their intersections with structural/societal/institutional systems in shaping a diagnosis like PCOS. This critical approach will provide new insights into systemic change. Amazing work, Kenzie, and we can’t wait to see what you learn!! ♥️

11/07/2025

Excellent work by and who presented at the elementary teachers federation of Ontario’s (ETFO)‘s annual women’s health conference in Toronto today on medical gaslighting, resistance, & advocacy! It was a great event, and they did an amazing job! ♥️♥️. Connect with us if you’d like to learn more about this work!

11/04/2025

Dr. Soucie ) is grateful and honoured to have spent time with to talk about with her! She shared info about pcos, our research program , & the research and advocacy by .seasonscollective and . Working together, and breaking down silos and fragmented care is the future of pcos, especially in Canada. Let’s keep this momentum going and continue talking about pcos and raising awareness of this under recognized, underfunded, and misunderstood syndrome!

If you want to learn more, here is the link! ♥️
https://youtu.be/p9EV9ErdqHY?si=_FFLUJP2zmta0Iv-

10/29/2025

‼️ Stay tuned! ‼️We will be launching a new arts-based qualitative research project on service use and supports in women who have experienced IPV led by Nursing faculty, Rachel Elliott (), alongside Marissa Rakus (), Ayah Khanafer, Tess Ogunjinmi, Kylie Pazner (), and Kendall Soucie (). Thank you to for funding this project! We are excited to begin this meaningful work together & build multidisciplinary and multi sector community partnerships to improve the lives of women. ♥️. We are grateful! Pictured is Rachel, Marissa, and Ayah along with two buckets of art supplies and canvases! :)

10/21/2025

Congratulations to ’s Kenzie Tapp () and co-author Jasmine Kobrosli () along with Drs. Kichler, Giannotti and Soucie, on the publication of Kenzie’s Masters thesis! 🎉🎉🎉. This work captures a more holistic and balanced approach to , a dermatological condition that overwhelmingly affects women and significantly impacts quality of life. Wonderful to see a refreshing perspective on coping, care and advocacy and calls to action unique to this population!

Link to open access paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13591053251384387

Abstract:
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin condition that significantly impacts quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of women diagnosed with HS by amplifying a more integrative, strength-based understanding of the condition. We explored the lived experiences of 25 Canadian women with HS, focusing on their challenges with HS and how they overcame them through strategies of resilience and meaning-making. Reflexive thematic analysis techniques, situated with a feminist social constructionist lens, generated four major themes: (1) Developing Agency in Symptom Management, (2) Cultivating Methods to Cope, (3) Harnessing One’s Voice for Advocacy and Change, and (4) Gaining Insight and Growth Through Life-Long Learning. This study provides critical insights into improving care and support for women with HS, emphasizing the importance of patient-centered and holistic approaches to HS care that prioritize resilience and address systemic inequities.

10/03/2025

Congratulations to on the successful defense of her Masters thesis proposal! 🎉🎉. Way to go Jasmine!! ♥️

09/22/2025

Marissa () and Dr. Soucie () talk with on their Looking at Lyme podcast about ’s medical gaslighting study. We are in the process of analyzing data now, but shared some preliminary results.
Have a listen 🎧 here:
https://youtu.be/O8ZBhBFOUaE?si=tCo-keOpjocTWHOa

09/20/2025

If you happen to be in downtown on Sept 29, the TORONTO sign will change colour to TEAL to raise awareness for PCOS in Canada 🇨🇦 !! (In Nathan Phillips square). Please check it out! Congratulations to .seasonscollective for making this happen! Stay tuned for more landmarks lighting up for pcos awareness across the world.

Address

Windsor, ON

Website

https://uwindsor.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5bFxhjNruyRX9kO

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The HEAL Lab posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to The HEAL Lab:

Shortcuts

Featured

Litrosi Day Spa
#3, 515 Riverside Drive W

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Windsor?