Asking the Right Questions: My TRC Internship Experience

My time as an intern with TRC team has allowed me to appreciate that creating a meaningful and positive change extends beyond direct patient care, that it also involves targeting research efforts towards wellbeing and policy systems.

By Charvi Khanna, Bachelor of Science (Psychology) student, UNSW

As an undergraduate psychology student aspiring to work in the clinical field, my time as an intern with The Resilience Collaborative’s project team has allowed me to appreciate that creating a meaningful and positive change extends beyond direct patient care, that it also involves targeting research efforts towards wellbeing and policy systems.

The project that stood out most to me, and was my greatest piece of learning and challenge during this journey, was defining a “frontline professional”, and particularly how crucial it is to do so as it impacts the support and visibility these demographics get. Through soaking and sprint stage workflows, I was able to absorb large amounts of literature on the topic then analyse and collate the information into final deliverables. I was also given the opportunity to explore creating conceptual diagrams that helped visualise causal links between coping pathways, resilience, individual experiences including those of frontline healthcare workers. I found this particularly meaningful as it allowed me to think beyond isolated factors and appreciate the interconnectedness of resilience, coping and wellbeing.

I was able to dissect my previously rigid thinking and see the importance of returning to the foundations of resilience and coping as the way to develop interventions and understand policy change.

This placement has also allowed me to engage in real-world research and teamwork in a professional setting. With the encouragement from Ashish, I was able to step into informal leadership roles to progress with structured tasks, coordinate communication and support group progress. This journey has strengthened my confidence in being adaptable, honing strong communication, and analytical thinking skills for the future collaborative research environment I hope to contribute in for my postgraduate studies and clinical psychology work.

My overall experience working with the TRC has greatly and for the best changed my way of thinking, research and impact. As an undergraduate psychology student, my studies have focused on understanding individuals, with my work here also showing me the importance of broadening my perspectives to appreciate systems-level research. It showed me that to create meaningful change, not only must we find answers, but also ask the right questions.

About the Author

Charvi Khanna is a third‑year Bachelor of Science (Psychology) student at UNSW with strong analytical and research skills developed through coursework and statistical training in SPSS and Jamovi. She has experience in hospitality and retail, building adaptability and communication under pressure, and has volunteered with Refugees Welcome Australia to advocate for refugee housing. As a Peer Mentor, she has supported first‑year psychology students in navigating academic and wellbeing challenges. Fluent in Hindi and English, Charvi is known for her collaborative style, resilience, and commitment to advancing inclusive mental health research and practice.