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In her training experience, Marisol was able to grow and define her identity as a clinician. “I faced systematic issues and was aware of those barriers. And I navigated the barriers and systemic realities. It has been an opportunity to define who I want to be and who I am as a clinician.” Marisol has a particular interest in identity, reflected in her doctoral dissertation research on the intersectionality of spirituality and sexuality in emerging adults in the LGBTQIA+ community. 

During her training at MPIP Marisol also grew to truly appreciate the importance of interconnection and believe in interdisciplinary care. She learned how valuable it is to have other services supporting the well-being of the client and the importance of having different services to address different needs. After graduation, Marisol is looking forward to returning to PR to study for her licensing exam and plan for postdoctoral work. 

When asked what advice she has for the BHN community, Marisol shared, “You are important! If you are really passionate and believe in helping others, there will always be a place to do that. Society may emphasize people with higher degrees... But ALL the people I have worked with, I have seen their passion and skill in working with people. Sometimes we miss that, and it is important for the well-being and healing journey of every person we help.” 

Alex chose Spanish as a second language and psychology as a career to use her voice to bridge the gap between high-quality services and certain groups of people who cannot access those services because they don’t speak English.  She shared, “I come from a family of pastors, so community service and community involvement are what I grew up with; my family prioritizes standing up for other people and being part of community.” 

Alex is certainly living those values. Her dissertation, titled, Green Zones for Redlining: A Liberation Psychology Approach to Using Nature-Based Mental Health Services with Marginalized Urban Populations asserts that the practice of redlining has separated whole groups of people who would benefit from natural and environmental therapeutic sources. Her work shares how clinicians working in urban environments can combat this and leverage natural treatment tools and options. 

Alex shares that training at BHN this past year pushed her to grow as a person and a clinician and to self-reflect and listen so that she can hold what her clients need, and not what she thinks they need. As a white woman coming from an English-speaking background using Spanish to work with Spanish-speaking individuals and individuals with other intersectionality such as autism has brought just the challenge she was seeking. Next Alex is heading to Boston for a bilingual postdoctoral training experience in pediatric neuropsychology. 

Nancy attributes her passion for multicultural psychology to her experience working as a volunteer at a food pantry in Milwaukie during high Ji8¸£ÀûÊÓƵ. There, she saw firsthand the significant mental health and social determinant needs of the visitors. “People had difficulty getting food and paying bills, they had family stressors and mental health challenges.” Nancy saw how beneficial her Spanish language skills were and thought, “How can I use my bilingualism in Spanish to serve my community? That helped me start my journey into mental health.” 

As a first-generation college graduate, Nancy shared that she had to navigate the educational system on her own. She received help and guidance from dedicated mentors along the way, including a Latina research PhD psychologist who encouraged Nancy to pursue her PhD.  Nancy mentioned that working with undocumented Spanish-speaking individuals in Georgia during graduate Ji8¸£ÀûÊÓƵ affirmed what she wanted to do professionally.

Nancy emphasized the significance of having bilingual teaching and supervision in training environments, noting that such spaces are often lacking. Nancy chose MPIP bilingual training to enhance her multicultural competence and skills in working with diverse populations. Reflecting on her experience, Nancy noted the resilience of her clients in the face of adversity and expressed her commitment to supporting them throughout their journeys. 

Nancy shares, “This work has taught me to meet people where they are at, follow their lead, and collaborate with them. I have learned the value of our profession to provide a safe space for individuals. The CBHC has shown me the value of having different programming for the different needs someone might experience.” Nancy shares that the diversity of clinical perspective in MPIP’s faculty and training has “prepared me well to feel confident working with different cases and reminded me that building trust is so important. If it's not there, we won’t see the progress.” 

It is also important to remind ourselves that we are also resilient in this experience. Nancy’s doctoral research has focused on the needs of caregivers of people with a rare genetic disorder, cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome. Nancy’s work reinforces that medical conditions impact not only the individual but also the family system and other people involved in the care. “Caregivers need to be part of the conversation. They experience a lot of burnout and stress, and it is important to have policies in place to support them.” 

The next phase of Nancy’s training will be postdoctoral clinical work and research at Yale University. When asked what advice she has for the BHN community, Nancy shared, “Sometimes we might think we aren’t making a difference. But that small piece does make a big impact on a person’s life. They do carry a lot of the teachings we provide; we plant little seeds, and they blossom into little plants. What we are doing as an organization – there is value to the work we do.” 

Learn more about the Multicultural Psychology Internship Program.