Mitchell Gaudry, BSc
Mitchell is a first-year master’s student in Clinical Psychology at The New School for Social Research in New York City, where he is pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. He is a Canadian researcher and clinician-in-training with a strong background in trauma-focused research and clinical care. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with Honours and Distinction, from the University of Victoria in 2025. His undergraduate research was supported by an NSERC Undergraduate Research Award, a nationally competitive award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that supports high-achieving students in conducting independent, faculty-supervised research. His honours thesis examined subjective cognitive functioning in individuals with complex trauma using qualitative, survivor-centered methods.
At the Trauma & Affective Psychophysiology (TAP) Lab, Mitchell’s research interests are actively developing and currently focus on how narrative and parts-based approaches can be integrated into trauma treatment, as well as the role of attachment processes within dyadic relationships when one partner has experienced trauma. He is particularly interested in work that bridges empirical research with clinically meaningful models of healing, identity, and relational repair. In addition to his graduate training, Mitchell works part-time as a Research Coordinator for the TAP Lab, the Trauma Research Foundation and serves as a Mindfulness Counselor at The New School.
In addition to his academic training, Mitchell brings extensive clinical experience from a residential treatment center in Canada, where he worked as a clinical support worker supporting individuals undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.
Outside the lab:
Mitchell enjoys horror films and fiction, exploring New York City with friends, and writing, often drawn to stories that center on memory, fear, and meaning.
Current Projects
Trauma Timing and Brain Responses to Trauma Cues examines how the age at which trauma first occurs influences the way the brain processes trauma-related information later in life. Using functional MRI, participants complete a task in which they view trauma-related and neutral words while brain activity is measured over time. Rather than focusing only on the strength of neural responses, this project investigates how those responses unfold across time, offering insight into the dynamics of emotional processing.
By integrating detailed trauma history data with time-resolved brain measures, this work explores how trauma timing is associated with patterns of engagement in brain networks involved in emotional salience and cognitive control. Understanding these timing-related differences may help explain variability in trauma-related outcomes and support the development of more developmentally informed approaches to assessment and intervention.
Publications
Gaudry, M. L., Hohn, L., Smart, C. M., & Herod, L. (under review). Subjective cognitive functioning in complex PTSD: Lived experiences and clinical implications. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation.
Smart, C., Gaudry, M.L, Marefat, N., Herod, L., Lazar, J., & Gillihan, M. (under review). Minding the gap: Complex relational trauma survivors’ experiences navigating healthcare. Qualitative Health Research.
Poster Presentations
Gaudry, M. L., Herod, L., & Smart, C. M. (2025). Subjective cognitive function in those with complex posttraumatic stress disorder: A qualitative approach [Poster presentation]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Amini, N., Herod, L., Gaudry, M. L., & Smart, C. M. (2025). Rhythms of resilience: A feasibility and pilot study of a neuropsychologically informed dance, movement, and expressive arts intervention for complex trauma survivors [Poster presentation]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Smart, C. M., Babaei, N., & Gaudry, M. L. (2025). Accurate detection of complex PTSD: Sensitivity and specificity in trauma assessment methods [Poster presentation]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, United States.