Research

Dr. Yohani's research examines the mental health and psychosocial adaptation of refugee and immigrants influenced by pre- and post-migration experiences and program/policy implications in education, healthcare, and community settings.  Dr. Yohani’s focus on trauma and adaptation stems from over 20 years of clinical work in private practice and extensive community-based work with refugee and immigrant groups. Her work is integrative and resilience-focused, and guided by a number of theoretical orientations including ecological systems theory, theory (critical) of multicultural counselling and therapy (MCT), feminist and constructivist theories. Her current projects include exploring the mental health and adaptation of survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi of Rwanda; a study examining the psychosocial adaptation and community-based mental health promotion within the Syrian community; and an examination of counselling practices and community-based cultural supports with refugees and immigrants. She is also part of a team of researchers studying the well-being of Africans in Alberta, including parenting practices, gender relations and family resilience.