About Dr. Marilyn Cyr
Founder of Rooted Again London
From Neuroscience Research to Community Building: Understanding What Happens When We’re Uprooted
For over two decades, I’ve been fascinated by one question: What helps us thrive—and what quitely drains us?
As a neuroscientist and psychologist, I spent years studying decision-making, habit formation, and the neural systems that govern how we navigate stress and change. I worked in research labs at Columbia University and McGill, investigating how the brain adapts—or struggles—when life pulls the rug out from under us.
But my most important research didn't happen in a lab. It happened in my own life.
MY STORY
Why I Started Rooted Again London
In September 2025, I moved to London with my family—my third major relocation in as many years. Mont-Tremblant to Montreal. Montreal to New York. New York to London. Each time, I thought I'd be fine. I'm adaptable. I'm resilient. I know the science of stress.
But what I knew intellectually didn't protect me from what I felt: lonely, disconnected, and unmoored.
I had everything I needed on paper—a loving family, meaningful work, a beautiful neighborhood in West London. Yet I felt profoundly isolated. The friendships I'd built over years were gone. The routines that grounded me—my favorite coffee shop, my walking routes, my community—were thousands of miles away.
And I realized something that all my research had hinted at but I'd never fully understood: Burnout isn't just about being too busy. It's about being disconnected from what sustains us.
Relocation doesn't just disrupt your schedule. It severs three critical roots:
🌱 Reconnection — The deep friendships and genuine belonging that make life meaningful
🌱 Reorientation — Your sense of purpose and identity when familiar roles no longer fit
🌱 Regulation — Your ability to manage stress when your support systems are gone
I looked for community. I joined groups. I went to events. But I kept encountering the same surface-level interactions—pleasant, polite, and utterly unsatisfying. Everyone was busy. Everyone was "fine." No one wanted to talk about the quiet ache of starting over in midlife.
So I decided to build what I needed: a space for relocated women to stop pretending we're fine and start rebuilding together.
That's how Rooted Again London was born.
WHO I AM
My Background
I'm a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist who left academia in 2022 to focus on what truly matters: helping people live with clarity, connection, and purpose.
My training:
PhD & PsyD in Psychology from the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) and McGill University
Postdoctoral research at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, studying decision-making, habit formation, and stress
Clinical training at McGill's Allan Memorial Institute, working with people navigating depression, anxiety, burnout, and major life transitions
What I learned:
The research is clear—loneliness impacts health as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Social isolation increases mortality risk by 50%. And yet, we treat it as a personal failing rather than a structural problem.
Adult friendship doesn't happen by accident. Community doesn't form through "networking." Connection requires intention, repetition, and vulnerability—the very things that feel impossible when you're burnt out and starting over.
But here's the good news: You don't have to figure it out alone.
WHAT ROOTED AGAIN IS (AND ISN’T)
What Rooted Again London Offers
Rooted Again isn't a networking group. It's not a book club or a fitness class or another obligation on your calendar.
It's a space where relocated, career-focused women can:
✅ Show up honestly — No pretending you're "fine" when you're not
✅ Build genuine friendships — Through structured connection (not small talk)
✅ Rediscover who you are — Beyond the roles of professional, partner, parent
✅ Regulate your nervous system — Through grounding practices rooted in science
We meet monthly in West London for coffee, conversation, and intentional community building. No sales pitches. No gurus. Just real women supporting each other through the messy, beautiful process of rebuilding.
Because thriving after relocation isn't about "bouncing back." It's about putting down new roots—together.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE 3 ROOTS
Why the 3 Roots Framework?
Rooted Again is built on longevity research showing that three factors predict health and happiness more than diet, exercise, or income:
🌱 Reconnection: Social Connection
Harvard's 85-year study found that close relationships are the #1 predictor of longevity and well-being. Yet relocation systematically severs these connections—leaving us isolated even when we're surrounded by people.
🌱 Reorientation: Purpose & Identity
Research shows that having a sense of purpose extends lifespan by 7+ years and protects against cognitive decline. But when you relocate, familiar roles (your job, your community position, your identity) no longer fit. You have to rebuild who you are.
🌱 Regulation: Nervous System Health
Chronic stress rewires the brain, affecting decision-making, emotional regulation, and physical health. Yet most "stress management" advice doesn't address the root cause: disconnection from what stabilizes us.
These aren't abstract concepts. They're the foundations of human thriving. And they're exactly what relocation disrupts.
Rooted Again helps you strengthen these three roots—so you can thrive, not just survive.
MY LIFE NOW
Where I Am Today
I live in Ealing, West London, with my husband and two young sons. After years of chasing academic success, I've learned that what matters most can't be published or put on a CV: genuine connection, purposeful work, and a life that feels aligned.
Building a life—and a community—in West London
I'm building Rooted Again London because I needed it—and because I know I'm not the only one.
If you're a relocated woman who's doing everything "right" but still feels lonely, burnt out, or disconnected—you're not broken. You just need your people.
Let's rebuild together.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship – 2015-2020
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Doctorate in Psychology (PhD, PsyD) – 2008-2015
University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)
Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University
Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology – 2013-2014
Allan Memorial Institute, McGill University Medical Centre
Master of Science in Psychology (MSc) – 2008-2010
University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)
Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology (BSc) – 2005-2008
University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)
Let’s Connect
Ready to stop feeling lonely and start building genuine community?
Join us at our next monthly meetup, take the free Rooted Again Assessment, or just reach out to say hello.
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