Anusha
BIO
Mental Health Researcher, Advocate and Mom.
Instagram: @organicbrownmommy
Anusha
“I continue to learn to balance motherhood and my career and I couldn't do it without my small army of people!”
I was always intrigued and inspired by the relationship between brain and behaviour so as a first year Life Sciences student, I knew in my heart of hearts I wanted to work in the field of Mental Health. I specialized in Neuroscience and continued to complete my Masters and PhD with a focus on neuropsychiatry. During my 3rd year as a PhD candidate, I became pregnant with my first child. I worked tirelessly during my pregnancy with the goal of defending before my delivery.
My amazing supervisors and mentors at the time pulled me aside and told me to slow down and to put myself and my pregnancy first and to hold off on defending until after the baby arrived.
I cautiously listened to them. I ended up defending one year after the arrival of my daughter. I couldn't have achieved that without my amazing mother who selflessly quit her job to help take care of my baby while I worked on my dissertation. Some days, I would only leave my home office to come out to nurse the baby. It was definitely a challenging time. Nursing itself was a challenge of its own! I definitely think my stress levels contributed to that. I also experienced PPD to some degree but pulled through with my supports.
Having my daughter attend my PhD convocation and holding her in one arm and my degree in the other, was an incredible feeling and every challenge I had faced to date was worth it.
I now work as a Mental Health Researcher at a leading hospital in Toronto, Canada. My goal is to help improve treatment for psychiatric patients with treatment resistant illness by facilitating new developments of neuromodulation and direct-to-brain interventions.
Although my SciMom journey was challenging and interweaved with personal challenges and growth, it led to where I am today and has shaped me into who I am today and I am forever grateful for that. I continue to learn to balance motherhood and my career and I couldn't do it without my small army of people!