Saying goodbye to my group | Clinical Psych PhD Student #shorts #latinatherapist

You may know that I facilitated a domestic violence support group for Spanish-speaking survivors of intimate partner violence as part of my practicum training (if you're new here, I'm a clinical psych phd student).

This was one of the most personally and professionally transformative moments of my doctoral career. I met weekly with Hispanic women of various ages who were recovering from IPV that occurred anywhere from days ago to years ago.

The group was so special to me because of my own connection to this work but also because it was just us & my supervisor gave me the autonomy to design the group. Unlike other support groups at the agency, the Spanish language group had only one student clinician facilitator (me). At times I struggled with this be my colleagues could lean on each other & still offer group even when one of them was sick or busy, etc. Every time I was ill or traveling, it pained me to have to cancel group.
Sometimes I even tried to do it on Zoom last minute.

This was the only safe space for some of the women in the group to process their past, present, and uncertain future and learn ways to move forward with community support. Even before I took over (from the one Spanish speaking trainee the year before), they were a family. Some of them had already known each other for years, and I was nervous to gain their trust and respect being so young and having so little experience.

Over 14 months together, I laughed with them, cried with them, celebrated birthdays and holidays with them; some of the group members were even individual psychotherapy clients of mine.

Every month we picked a theme like boundaries, grief or healing la niña, and I came with worksheets, activities, and discussion topics & they came with ideas, stories, and so much love for one another. Some weeks I helped them build skills or insight re: these themes but some weeks the group just needed un desahogo (a process group). We talked machismo, marianismos, racism, sexism, and more.

It has been my greatest privilege to witness the magic of #latinassupportinglatinas & see them grow lag the roses were their goodbye surprise
Out of space to type; feel free to ask questions below 💜

#shorts #academic #firstgenlatina
#phdstudent #clinicalpsychology #latinatherapist #latinastudenttherapist
#support #safespace #therapy