Dr. Tara Collins, Program Researcher

After experiencing the positive impact of Can Praxis firsthand, completing both Phase I and Phase II, Dr. Tara Collins chose to stay involved as a researcher. This personal connection is deeply rooted in her experience with the effects of Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs) on her 18-year-old daughter, fueling her strong belief in the program’s vital support.

Tara graduated with her PhD from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary in 2022. Prior to returning for her PhD, Tara came to the project with over 20 years of practice experience in the areas of child welfare, families, addictions, trauma, and mental health services. Tara is also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary where she has taught an array of different course.

Tara has also been a Post Doctoral Scholar on a project focusing on the top 10 threats that children and youth face across Canada. She currently supports with a project on Inuit populations in Nunavut to keep children within their community when they are at risk of apprehension.

Tara began working with the project as the Project Coordinator/Manager in June 2024 for a collaborative project between the Distress Centre Calgary and the University of Calgary to transform crisis response.