Research Projects
I have a different idea of a universal. It is of a universal rich with all that is particular, rich with all the particulars there are, the deepening of each particular, the coexistence of them all.
- Aimé Césaire (Politician, Poet & Author)
Graduate Studies
My research focuses on mental health equity, race, culture, and culturally integrative approaches to psychotherapy. I am particularly interested in how cultural, relational, communal, and structural contexts shape mental health, healing, and psychological care, especially within Black and African communities.
My work also extends to health-service access, immigration, systemic racism, program development and evaluation, and qualitative research methods.
Doctoral Research
Exploring Black Mental Health Practitioners’ Attitudes and Application of African Healing Traditions with Western Psychotherapy
My doctoral research examines how Black mental health practitioners understand and integrate African Healing Traditions with Western psychotherapy. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, I interviewed 11 practitioners across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom to explore how culturally integrative approaches are understood, negotiated, and enacted in practice.
The study has generated a preliminary mid-level theory of African-centred integrative healing that examines the processes and contextual conditions shaping practitioners’ integration of African-centred and Western approaches to care.
Status: Dissertation manuscript in final stages; doctoral oral examination anticipated in 2026.
Masters Research
Exploring Attitudes Toward Culturally Integrative Psychotherapy Among Canada’s African Community
My master’s research examined how members of Canada’s African community viewed the integration of African Healing Traditions with Western psychotherapy. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, the study explored perceived benefits, concerns, and barriers associated with culturally integrative approaches to mental health care.
This work resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration.
Publication:
Osazuwa, S., & Moodley, R. (2023). “Will there be a willingness to actually engage with it?”: Exploring attitudes toward culturally integrative psychotherapy among Canada’s African community. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 33(1), 68–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/int0000289
Border(ing) Practices: Systemic Racism, Immigration & Child Welfare
This collaborative research project examined how immigration status, bordering practices, and systemic racism shape the experiences of immigrant children, youth, and families involved with the Canadian child welfare system. My contributions included research coordination, ethics and recruitment, trainee support, qualitative and quantitative analysis, knowledge mobilization, and manuscript development.
A Canadian Survey of Social Workers' Attitudes towards Immigrants
This national survey examined Canadian social workers’ attitudes toward immigrants with different legal statuses and how immigration policy may shape social-work practice with precarious-status communities. My contributions included research coordination, recruitment, data management and analysis, and manuscript development.
Project Publications
Bhuyan, R., Osazuwa, S., Hanley, J., Schmidt, C., & Park, Y. (2025). “Unless we are Native, we are all immigrants to Canada”: Tensions between multicultural inclusion and settler-colonial consciousness among Canadian social workers. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 34(2), 69–80.
Bhuyan, R., Osazuwa, S., Schmidt, C., Kwon, I., Rundle, A., & Park, Y. (2024). Canadian social workers’ attitudes toward immigrants with different legal statuses in Canada. Journal of Social Work, 24(4), 571–596.