Brazilian psychology student in Canada, fascinated by human behavior, art, and the mind. Currently exploring the intersection of psychology, creativity, and how our surroundings shape who we become.
Come get to know me! ⤵01 — nice to meet you!
the person behind the curiosity
Oi! I'm Celine — a 19-year-old from Brazil, currently studying in Nanaimo. I'm in my first year of a BA in Psychology at Vancouver Island University, and honestly? I've been obsessed with understanding people for as long as I can remember. I was also Communications Chair at Frances Kelsey Secondary School during my grad year!
My love for psychology started young, and having been in therapy since I was 11, I've experienced firsthand how transformative understanding the mind can be. I'm especially drawn to TCR (Terapia Comportamental Racional) — the Brazilian approach to behavior analysis — and how our environment shapes who we become.
When I'm not buried in psychology books, you'll find me making art, reading, or thinking about the fascinating ways creativity and the human psyche intertwine. I also have a huge soft spot for kids and dogs — sometimes in that order, sometimes not!
02 — where I've been
education, research & volunteering
2026 – Present · The dream begins!
First year of my BA in Psychology journey! Learning the foundations of psychological research, human development, and behavior analysis. Every class makes me more excited about where this path will lead.
2026 – Present · Where creativity meets the mind
@ Independent Research
Currently exploring the fascinating entanglement between art and politics through a psychological view. Investigating how artistic expression both reflects and shapes political consciousness — combining my two loves!
2026 · Teaching little artists
@ George Bonner Elementary, Mill Bay
Taught painting and drawing to kids in grades 3–6 every Friday as part of a high school initiative through Frances Kelsey Secondary School. Watching children express themselves through art deepened my understanding of child development and creative expression.
Grad Year · Connecting people!
@ Frances Kelsey Secondary School
Served as Communications Chair for student council at Frances Kelsey Secondary School. Managed social media accounts, organized meetings, maintained a shared calendar, coordinated sign changes, and helped plan events with student council — keeping the whole school community connected.
High School · Competitive learning!
Silver Medal — Canguru
Participated in several academic olympiads including Canguru (Mathematics — Silver Medal!), OBB (Biology), and ONHB (History). These experiences taught me discipline, critical thinking, and the joy of intellectual challenges.
03 — things I'm working on
work I'm proud of
Capstone Research
My Capstone project investigating why art is inherently political. Starting from the 1922 Week of Modern Art in Brazil — when "The Five" disrupted European artistic conventions to create a distinctly Brazilian identity — I explore how art has always been entangled with politics. Drawing on Aristotle, Hannah Arendt, Tolstoy, and Morris Weitz, I argue that the very act of defining art involves political judgment.
Research Interest
Exploring how books and reading shape early childhood development. From building empathy and emotional vocabulary to supporting cognitive growth, literature plays a critical role in how young minds learn to understand themselves and the world. I'm interested in how access to books in early years impacts long-term psychological well-being and how storytelling can be used as a therapeutic tool.
04 — a peek into my world
creating is how I make sense of everything
Paintings by me — from lionesses to underwater worlds to watercolor flowers
05 — brain food
things that keep my brain buzzing
Current research focus
My ongoing Capstone research exploring why art is inherently political. Starting from Brazil's 1922 Week of Modern Art, I trace how artistic expression has always been entangled with collective identity, power, and social change — drawing on Aristotle, Tolstoy, Arendt, and Weitz to argue that defining art is itself a political act.
A lifelong passion
From teaching painting and drawing to grades 3–6 at George Bonner Elementary every Friday, to dreaming of researching early childhood development — working with children is at the heart of what I want to do. I'm fascinated by how creative expression supports young minds.
Future research interest
Deeply interested in researching how our early environments shape who we become. I want to explore the impact of surroundings on developing minds and contribute to making childhood experiences better for everyone.
Personal exploration
An ongoing personal exploration of how literature and visual art connect to our psychological experience. Journaling and researching the ways creative works reflect and shape our inner worlds.
06 — dreaming big
dreams, goals & the future I'm working toward
I'm just getting started on this journey, but I've got big dreams! Here's what keeps me motivated and excited for the future:
I dream of conducting meaningful research on how our surroundings impact our lives and brains. Understanding the environmental factors that shape us is endlessly fascinating to me.
I want to dive deeper into TCR (Terapia Comportamental Racional) and contribute to the field. There's so much potential in understanding how we can positively influence behavior.
A master's or PhD in psychology is definitely in my future plans. I want to combine research with practice and become the kind of psychologist who advances the field.
Kids have always held a special place in my heart. I'd love to specialize in child psychology and help young people navigate their developmental journeys.
Being bilingual in Portuguese and English is just the start! I want to learn more languages to connect with more people and access psychology research from around the world.
Psychology shouldn't be locked away in academia. I want to help make mental health knowledge and resources accessible to everyone, regardless of background.
07 — let's be friends!
sempre feliz em conversar
Whether you're interested in collaborating on research, discussing behavior analysis, sharing book recommendations, or just want to connect — I'd love to hear from you! I speak both English and Portuguese.