
Becoming a Therapist as a First Generation Immigrant – Special Series Becoming a Therapist: An interview with Marvin Vasquez
In this new series, Curt and Katie interview graduate students and will follow them on their journey to becoming a therapist. Our third interview is with Marvin Vasquez, a first-year Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) student at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), which is an all in-person program. Marvin shares his journey into therapy, shaped by his immigrant background and personal struggles, as well as his passion for serving underserved communities. He opens up about the unexpected sense of community within his cohort, the financial challenges of grad school, and his concerns about the future of therapy in an increasingly technological world.
Click here to scroll to the podcast transcript.Transcript
(Show notes provided in collaboration with Otter.ai and ChatGPT.)
An Interview with Marvin Vasquez
Marvin Vasquez is a first-generation Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) student at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), committed to supporting underserved communities. Born to Latin immigrant parents, Marvin brings a unique perspective shaped by lived experiences with intergenerational issues and resilience-focused strengths. Having faced systemic challenges encountered by many first-generation families, Marvin hopes to support these families by providing equitable mental health care. Dedicated to offering culturally sensitive therapy, Marvin addresses the unique needs of families, individuals, and communities in Los Angeles. Through this work, Marvin aspires to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in the LA community by empowering clients facing cultural and socioeconomic barriers and advocating for lasting change within the mental health field.
In this podcast episode, we meet Marvin Vasquez, an aspiring therapist
We continue our new series on becoming a therapist, with Marvin Vasquez.
Marvin’s Background and Motivation for Becoming a Therapist
- Marvin reflects on his upbringing in a large immigrant family and how his experiences inspired his desire to help others.
- He explains how his personal struggles and a passion for underserved communities led him to pursue a career in therapy.
- His goal is to use his background and understanding to make therapy more accessible and impactful for marginalized groups.
“I decided to pursue therapy after reflecting on my own life experience, particularly my upbringing. I come from a large family with immigrant parents who faced a lot of challenges. I’ve always been drawn to helping. I think it’s part of our community…and through those experiences and emotional and psychological struggles that I dealt with growing up, especially coming from that type of collectivistic background, I really felt that it was a duty to serve this underserved community.” – Marvin Vasquez
The First Semester of his MFT Program: Expectations vs. Reality
- Marvin discusses his expectations of a theory-heavy and clinical program, contrasting it with the surprising sense of community within his cohort.
- He highlights the supportive environment, where vulnerability and shared resilience among students foster personal and professional growth.
- Marvin appreciates the program’s emphasis on creating a safe space for learning and self-awareness.
Community and Support in an In-Person Therapy Grad School
- Marvin contrasts his undergrad experience, which lacked connection, with his current program’s close-knit and empathetic cohort.
- The program’s in-person setup has created a unique intensity and camaraderie among students, helping Marvin grow as both a person and a therapist.
- He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in building strong connections within the cohort.
Navigating Family Dynamics and Self-Awareness
- Marvin shares how the program has deepened his empathy for his parents, particularly their struggles as first-generation immigrants.
- He reflects on how their survival strategies shaped his upbringing and his understanding of family dynamics.
- The program has helped Marvin foster greater authenticity and emotional awareness in both his personal and professional life.
Balancing Academics, Work, and Relationships during his MFT Masters Program
- Marvin explains the challenges of balancing his academic workload, job responsibilities, and personal relationships.
- He discusses the financial stress of grad school, including student loans, and the sacrifices involved in pursuing his degree.
- Marvin acknowledges the importance of maintaining connections with friends and family to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Financial Concerns and Career Aspirations as an MFT
- Marvin shares his worries about student debt and the economic realities of being a therapist.
- He expresses gratitude for his supportive employer, who provides flexibility to balance work and school.
- Marvin is exploring career options, including the importance of finding fieldwork opportunities that align with his values and schedule.
Technology and the Future of Therapy
- Marvin discusses the integration of AI into therapy and its potential to make mental health services more accessible.
- He shares concerns about AI potentially limiting in-depth, personalized therapy to affluent clients.
- Marvin reflects on the importance of staying informed about technological advancements and their ethical implications in therapy.
Seeking Guidance and Learning the Business of Therapy
- Marvin seeks career guidance from professors, particularly those with recent experience navigating the business side of therapy.
- He values the insights of professors who share their personal experiences in private practice and organizational settings.
- Marvin is focused on learning the legal, ethical, and financial aspects of running a therapy practice.
Navigating Global Political Events in Therapy
- Marvin discusses the impact of global political events on mental health and the need to remain objective while validating clients’ feelings.
- He reflects on the challenges of addressing sensitive issues in therapy without justifying harmful behaviors.
- The broader world context has deepened his understanding of the complex factors affecting clients’ mental health.
Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:
We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!
Instagram: Marvy_marvv
Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:
Therapy with an Accent, An interview with Namrata Rindani, LMFT
I Just Graduated, Now What? – Career Advice for New Mental Health Clinicians
Career Trekking with MTSG: Interview with Marissa Esquibel, LMFT
Welcome to Therapist Grad School!
Why Therapists Shouldn’t Be Taught Business in Grad School
The Clinical Supervision Crisis for Early Career Therapists: An Interview with Dr. Amy Parks
3 Things I Wish I Knew Starting Out (blog post)
Who we are:
Curt Widhalm, LMFT
Curt Widhalm is in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is the cofounder of the Therapy Reimagined conference, an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and CSUN, a former Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, former CFO of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making “dad jokes” and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: http://www.curtwidhalm.com
Katie Vernoy, LMFT
Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant supporting leaders, visionaries, executives, and helping professionals to create sustainable careers. Katie, with Curt, has developed workshops and a conference, Therapy Reimagined, to support therapists navigating through the modern challenges of this profession. Katie is also a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt’s youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: http://www.katievernoy.com
A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.
Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:
Consultation services with Curt Widhalm or Katie Vernoy:
Connect with the Modern Therapist Community:
Our Facebook Group – The Modern Therapists Group
Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:
Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/
Transcript for this episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide podcast (Autogenerated):
Transcripts do not include advertisements just a reference to the advertising break (as such timing does not account for advertisements).
… 0:00
(Opening Advertisement)
Announcer 0:00
You’re listening to the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide, where therapists live, breathe and practice as human beings. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, here are your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy.
Curt Widhalm 0:15
Welcome back, modern therapists. This is the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide. I’m Curt Widhalm with Katie Vernoy, and this is the podcast for therapists about the things that go on in our profession, things that go on in our lives, the people who are in it. And we are doing this very awesome series where we are talking with current grad students and hopefully following up with all of them on kind of a year by year basis, just to get a pulse for what is going on in grad school world. It’s been about 20 years since I was in grad school, and it’s easy to get out of touch, and even with my role in having been an educator before. So we are joined by Marvin Vasquez. He’s agreed to come in and talk with us about his experiences so far, getting a snapshot of where he’s at in his life. So thank you very much for joining us in this journey.
Katie Vernoy 1:09
So Marvin, we’re gonna ask you the question we’ve made up for this series, which is, who are you and why did you decide to become a therapist?
Marvin Vasquez 1:17
Well, my name is Marvin. I’m a first year marriage and family therapist at CSUN, California State Northridge. The who am I is I’m still figuring that out, and I think this program is really asking that existential question and really pushing that that really pushing me to find who I really am. I decided to pursue therapy after reflecting on my own life, experience, particularly my upbringing. I come from a large family with immigrant parents who faced a lot of challenges. I’ve always been drawn to helping. I think it’s part of our community. It’s something that we grew up with, helping our family, helping others, helping our community, and through those experiences and emotional and psychological struggles that I dealt with growing up, especially coming from that type of collectivistic background, I really felt that it was a duty to serve this underserved community, and because of all those impacts of my past and the intergenerational trauma that I’m currently learning, and all the mental stigma that comes with just being part, by the way, I’m Latinx, Hispanic, all those things that come with this culture. I wanted to use my personal experience and my struggles to support others in like similar situations, and hopefully I can do that by being a therapist. It’s something that growing up wasn’t a possibility for me and my parents, and I hope to help other individuals in similar positions have that opportunity. So that’s I want to seek this profession.
Curt Widhalm 2:50
So at the time of recording, you are wrapping up your first semester here, and I want to explore a little bit around what were your expectations five months ago, as you were about to start into grad school, I remember everybody on the first days of when I was in grad school, we were all bright eyed, bushy tailed, and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna save people’s mental health. And then the follow up to this is, what has your experience actually been like through this first semester?
Marvin Vasquez 3:20
Yeah. I think my first semester, well, what we all expected was obviously a heavily focused curriculum, just learning about the theories, clinical techniques we wanted to save the world. We were super excited. I think everyone still is remaining excited, but I definitely expected it to be rigorous, and I was expecting myself to just put my head down, do the work, get all the clinical skills that I need to be an effective therapist. All this is integrated, but there’s more that the program actually gave me. My experience has been a really rewarding experience. I’ve met people who are just amazing. They’re so empathetic. I don’t know who chose for this program, but my cohort is are people who I feel like I can lean on. And it was surprising to have that kind of community built in already. The process of getting all these potential students together in one room. It was like one in a million. And honestly, I think it happens all the time, but I expected a program to be challenging, which it is, and I didn’t see the community and the development of like, the peers around me and the support from my professors. I’ve also, you know, I wanted to put my head down, but it’s really a program where you need to build these communities and support systems, and I think students and faculty have really been a valuable source in building that. So I really appreciate how close we’ve all gotten. We’ve all shared our stories. Everyone’s such a strong individual, and I really am surrounded by people who are trying to make the world a better place or better versions of themselves, which is making me a better version of myself. I’ve become like more self aware. I’m reflecting more. I, I’m seeing everybody else’s resilience, which is highlighting the resilience that I’ve had. It’s really incredible. The cohort that I have is amazing. I can’t speak for everyone, but I feel that we have connected in ways that I didn’t feel like I was going to connect before this program.
Curt Widhalm 5:27
I have a little bit of experience. I taught at CSUN here, and we were ships passing in the night, as far as my time and when you joined here. So CSUN is compared to some of the other interviews that we’re doing, part of this is entirely in person, and is a program that you go to, you go to campus, you spend your time around these people every day. Is that a different experience than the connection that you’re talking about from what you experienced in your undergrad?
Marvin Vasquez 5:59
So in my undergrad, I still went in person, the community building wasn’t as prominent as it is now, and I think it’s because of what we’re all trying to do. I think it’s putting us in a vulnerable position. And if you’re not allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you kind of impact the what you’re learning, or you can’t really reflect on the things that are being taught to you, because it requires a sense of vulnerability. You don’t necessarily need to share that with people, but I think with people going through the same thing, we all empathize, and it makes a safe place to have that those sharing abilities, I do say sometimes we do have zoom classes, and it does feel like we’re a little bit further apart. And when we’re in person, I feel that we’re a little bit closer, and those feelings are magnified. There’s an intensity in the room. There’s something in this room where everyone just feels safe and at home. I don’t know what that feeling is, but we’ve created, we’ve cultivated and created this feeling in these classrooms with my cohort. And it’s a it’s a beautiful thing. I can’t really explain it. It’s like an awe moment, or it’s serenity. It’s, it’s, it’s, whatever you want to call it, but it’s, it’s a super high, highly focused place where we’re all trying to learn and really care for each other.
Katie Vernoy 7:30
I love that. It sounds like you’re really gaining a lot from the experience, and I love hearing that positive, you know, energy from the very beginning of of grad school. The question I have, and this is the therapist in me, I think, is you’re talking about a lot of this self awareness and this insight. Granted, this is a podcast. So with that in mind, are there any insights you’ve had that you would want to share that helped to shape who you are becoming as a therapist?
Marvin Vasquez 8:00
Well, we’re learning a lot about Bowen. We’re learning a lot about Satir, all these theoretical models, and it’s really hard to not think about your family and not think about oh you know that, at least with Bowen, like interracial patterns of like trauma that’s happening and what’s being passed down. So there are a lot of things that I look back, especially with my parents and and I become more empathetic, I think. They are, they’re first generation immigrants, so they’ve, you know, they’ve never told me their story, and I’ve realized it’s kind of like a survival stance. They they want to be strong. They want to say face. When I was younger, I didn’t understand this, and I think that that’s something that I’ve always like been upset. I’ve always growing up in, like, American culture. I want to express myself. I want to I want to bid in. I never really thought about their journey. I never considered what they’ve gone through. I’ve never, I never realized their secrets and what they are, what they did, their sacrifices. I’ve always appreciated their sacrifices, but I’ve never saw them as human, as a person living in this world with flaws. And I think this program kind of highlighted those things that they’re they’re just people, and they went through some stuff and they dealt with it that the best that they could, and they never had the opportunity or support to express those things. And it’s not my story to tell. Well, it is, but it’s not. They’re going through life still without that support, and I’m not, I feel kind of helpless at times because I’m trying to push them to change, but you can’t make them change. And I think it’s because they’ve, they’ve always, they’ve always used this and I keep using coping mechanism, which is like they’ve always used this behavior in order to survive this world, and that’s what I’ve been kind of, I’ve just been more empathetic. I see them, like, as people who just need help, or just need someone to talk to or support, and I’m just trying to be and this is just something I did, like, it’s hard because I don’t we’re not over shares, right? And I’m really talking and and like this vagueness, and I really want to say more details, but I really can’t, because it’s, it’s instilled within me, right, like I grew up in this environment. So it’s so hard for me to open up, and it’s so hard for me to, you know, talk about my business and and I have, and I have in this cohort, because I feel so safe. And I’m not saying that, Curt and Katie, I’m not saying you guys don’t feel safe.
Katie Vernoy 10:45
We’re a podcast people are listening that you have no idea who they are. Don’t think it’s safe.
Marvin Vasquez 10:50
No, absolutely, it’s, it’s, it’s not a safety thing. It’s just how I grew up. So it’s just to get to that comfort level where I’m like, This is my story. This is what happened. All this stuff is, this all makes sense. This is why I am the way I am. But that’s all true. It’s just very hard for where I come from to express that. So when I do end up expressing that, I feel liberated. That’s why I said I got so close with my cohort, because I was able to kind of show them a piece of me without judgment. And that’s such a very Satir, but it’s so authentic to who I am, and it just feels like, Oh, I’ve been carrying this, like anxious trauma or this, this story that I felt like nobody cares. Or if I do say this, it’s not going to be treated in a gentle way, or it’s going to be, I don’t know, destroyed in some way, and that’s just how I grew up. And I’m not going, I’m not sure if I’m going on a tangent, but I think that that’s as far as I can share with that. I think that that’s kind of what I’ve shared in class, and people have shared their stories too, that have really they’ve been authentic, which allowed me to be authentic. I think that’s what I’m trying to say. Their authenticity of my cohort has influenced me to be authentic, because I felt like it’s a disservice to them, it’s a disservice to myself if I, if I’m not authentic to somebody who’s being vulnerable, who’s being so open, and that’s what I’m here for, right? Like, that’s, that’s one of the reasons I want to be a therapist too, right? I want people to be real and feel that uplifting that I felt once I gave my story, I felt like a weight was lifted off of me. And you do feel vulnerable. I felt like a vulnerable hangover. I felt I felt kind of scared, and I think I told someone, like, I’ve never done this. And I just feel like seen in a weird way that I don’t want to be seen right now, and I want to go home. I just want to not talk to anybody. Please don’t hug me. Please don’t say anything like it’s not something I’m used to. So, yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s a beautiful, beautiful thing that’s, I think that’s as much as I want to share.
… 13:16
(Advertisement Break)
Curt Widhalm 13:16
And what’s really cool about this for me is I had done some pre interviews with people who wanted to come on to this, and had spoken to Marvin about a month ago, and even just seeing the transformation from where you were in the pre interview to today, and you had expressed some thoughts around coming from the community that you do, which I think resonates with a lot of first generation people in this field, that I’ve heard from is it’s really scary to be talking about this in ways that you didn’t have a model for before, and even in some of the ways that family support ends up showing up around, not only the the kinds of people who go to therapy, but also just the ideas of what it is to work in mental health as a first generation person dealing with a lot of this personal here as well. And I’m wondering if you’re open to sharing anything just around. How does your family support, what does that look like, as far as, hey, you’re you want to be a therapist to now you’re in therapy school. What is, what does the family conversations look like for you right now?
Marvin Vasquez 14:35
Well, my immediate family, like my my my dad and my mom, don’t really know, actually, what what I do. I think they don’t really ask questions, and I’m not, I don’t want to tell them, hey, I’m being a therapist, because I want to help you. No, it’s more of like they play us a role as some as motivators. I think that’s kind of they motivate me to be a better person and to, to help people in similar positions like them. And they do support me in ways of, like, how are you doing? And how is everything? Like, I haven’t seen you in a while, so when I visit them pretty weekly, like periodically, like weekly, and they’re they’re always happy to see me, and they’re always happy to ask me about about my life, but not really work. They don’t really want to talk about work. They want to talk about who, how I’m doing, how, if I’m eating. That’s like the very first question I get if I’m eating, if, if my finances are okay. And usually I just say yes, because I don’t want them to worry. But you know, as as a first generation student, the financial stress is really a constant thing. Obviously, I have another job. I also get this emotional support from my family. It’s hard with friends, because I really want to be, I really want to excel academically, but something that I’ve been doing is kind of neglecting my friends a lot and neglecting time spent with them. I’ve spent, maybe, I don’t know, through this whole semester, I spent maybe two days with my friends, and it’s a really tough position, because I’ve had this conversation letting them know that I wasn’t going to be around I wasn’t going to spend as much time with them. I haven’t spent as much time with my family, either, and they’ve seen the differences. I’ve seen their their expressions and and their behavior change a little bit, and it’s tough because it’s like they were used to just hanging out with me, calling me, doing whatever, like I had so much free time before this that it’s really hard to nurture those personal relationships when you’re trying to excel academically, and that’s something that I’m trying to balance. It’s tough. It’s tough. It’s tough because you want to be we’re learning about relationships and how that is important for an individual. And I’m not doing that in my life, and I’m neglecting those things. So it’s it will cause more burnout, and I think that that’s something that we talk about a lot in self care. It’s hard to practice, especially when you want to be really good at what you want to do. And that that stems from its own thing. I think, like, I think I need to work on that. I don’t know what that is, but that’s something I’m still trying to figure out.
Katie Vernoy 17:33
It sounds like from what you’re describing this is a really intense program. It’s very positive. You have a wonderful cohort. It’s something that you feel very passionate about, and there’s a lot of sacrifice that comes into that, especially given that your parents don’t really understand what it is that you’re doing. Don’t really want to talk about it. I’m assuming this is related to kind of mental health is taboo. We don’t talk about it. It’s nervous, it’s it’s something else. It’s not a whole field of study slash profession that someone goes into. And so to me, it seems like there’s, there’s layers of sacrifice that you’re making to do this work, you know, sacrificing time with friends, sacrificing time with family, doing something your parents don’t understand, and just the really hard work of becoming a therapist. I really like this conversation, because it’s pointing out how transformative and sacrifice inducing the whole process is. Does it feel worth it?
Marvin Vasquez 18:31
Um, I don’t know yet.
Katie Vernoy 18:35
That’s a very good answer. That’s a better answer than my question was. I’ll let you continue, but that’s, that’s a perfect answer.
Marvin Vasquez 18:42
Yeah, I don’t know if it’s worth it yet. I think that it feels like it’s worth it, but, but it may not be worth it, because if I keep going down this track, I could lose these friendships, I could potentially hurt, you know, my family dynamics that I have right now. And you brought up a really good point. I didn’t really see it that way, but yeah, that me not expressing that I’m a that I’m in mental health is a scary thing to tell them. It’s scary because they didn’t want to deal with that. And for context is my parents don’t like medicine. They don’t like medicine. They’re very holistic. They have a huge mistrust in like government support medicine, and rightfully so. They’ve gone through a lot of things that have made them very suspicious of the world, very anti medicine, anti government. So if they hear that I am in this field, they they would, they would freak out a little bit. They they would be a little scared, maybe of me. I’m not really sure how they would react to that, and maybe that’s why I haven’t brought it up. But I also think that, I think that they see that I that I’m happy, and I just don’t think that we have that kind of relationship where we ask him a lot, you know, they’re just like, okay, he’s happy, he’s fine, as long as he’s eating in his life. I think they’re very survival stats, like, he’s eating, he has a home, he’s paying his rent, he’s not financially struggling. Okay, I’m good, you know? And that’s mostly my dad, right? Because that’s, that’s the way I think he shows love. So that’s, that’s great. You know, he’s like, worried about me, financially, worried about me, if I’m eating. Emotionally, you know, those things don’t really resonate. I think that’s more my my mom, yeah, it’s a very it’s super scary. And back to the question, I don’t know if it will be worth it. I don’t know. It feels like it’s worth it at the moment, I don’t know.
Curt Widhalm 20:43
You’ve brought up that you’re working. You just said that your parents are are not concerned that you’re, you know, financially struggling at the time. But I do want to, through this series, kind of talk about the role that money plays and Katie and I have long been advocates for paying people for the work that they do, and knowing that you are going through practicum interviews and being able to balance your schedule out. Can you talk about how that’s affecting your decision making process as you’re looking at being able to continue to support yourself with this being added onto your education requirements right now?
Marvin Vasquez 21:25
Yeah, so I’m working right now, and it is a struggle to pay for classes. I’ve obviously taken out a couple of loans, but that’s always in the back of your head, and how am I going to pay back these loans? And luckily, I do have a very, very supportive employer. She’s amazing. She’s like a mentor. She’s she’s, she supported me through this whole process, and has given me flexibility with work, and has allowed me to keep a job which is really within itself, like an amazing thing. I was actually thinking I had to quit my job before I joined this program and commit another sacrifice to this right, like financial struggles and stuff. I’m like, I don’t know how I’m gonna do it, but I’m gonna, I’m gonna do this. So because I have such a flexible job, I and I’m very lucky to have that, I don’t know if it will remain flexible. I want to get a field work site or a position that kind of works with that schedule. So yeah, that’s gonna affect the amount of work I can take, and it’s also gonna affect where I can go. So I’m like, really interested in like Strength United, which provides like counseling and the community service that I want to ply in the community I want to work with. They’re very like, abuse, trauma, mental health issues, all that stuff. And I really want to work with this organization, but I don’t know if my schedule will align. So there are a lot of like entities that I’m that I want to work with. I just don’t know that I have the flexibility to work with them. So I’m it’s going to be a struggle to, like, I haven’t done the research yet, which is because I’m in the midst of finals, so I’m really stressed about that, but, but once I do that research, it will have to align with a lot of, like, my current job, my academic world, obviously. And you know, CSUN does a good job of vetting all these places, so they have to work with the with the schedule that CSUN gives, like the academic schedule that that they give the students. So these places are already aware of that. These organizations that they, that they gave us, are aware that they need to work with our school schedule, but they don’t need to work with our work schedule. So that’s going to be a big, big, big thing. So as much as they’re like, they’re interviewing me to, like, be part of their organization, I’m really interviewing them to see if it fits with me, if it fits with the things that I can do. Because I, I don’t come from a lot of money, and that is a very it might take a hit, like my, my my education might take a hit. I don’t want, I don’t want it to. I think that there is a place that could potentially work for me, and I’m hoping. I’m more hoping than than that that being a possibility, but then I also would have to have that conversation with my employer and ask for a little bit more lenience. And I was already planning, you know, months ago, I was planning to probably not work, work that that position anymore. So that’s something maybe I would have to consider if, if the opportunity of working in these organizations is just too good, too good of an opportunity to pass out, pass pass down, yeah, if they offer, like, amazing training, amazing supervision and and it’s something that will make me a better therapist, make me a better person, and it’s a risk that I have to take. And you know, my family has been taking risks since, since my since I was born. So. Uh, before I was born, they’ve been taking risks their whole lives. And you know what? We’re survivors. We’re resilient, and we’ll figure it out.
Katie Vernoy 25:07
Looking ahead, when you’re finished, when you’re moving into whatever type of clinical placement that you end up in, there’s a lot that’s changing in the world, there’s a lot that is important to be able to understand. And so Curt, and I talk about all the things that we weren’t taught in grad school. And so this is the question is, really, what is being taught in grad school about the current world of therapy, the technological advances, the social justice, self care, the job market, like, what are you learning about as far as what, what is in the future for you, once you graduate and start into this profession in earnest?
Marvin Vasquez 25:47
Wow. Okay, so this, this topic of technology being integrated into therapy, was actually super interesting. And I heard your, I was actually listening to your podcast with Dr Ben Caldwell, and I was like, my job is in jeopardy right now. AI is taking over. I don’t know what to do. You know, it’s scary. We’re not really talking about this. I think that there’s maybe one class that we had a conversation, and that was in my law and ethics class, which Dr Ben Caldwell, you know, teaches. I don’t have him as a professor, but I have a different professor. But brought up the brought up the rise of AI telehealth, you know, we learn about these online platforms, because since COVID, it’s been, it’s been, you know, growing as an industry, telehealth, online platforms, more people are doing that. It’s more accessible to people. AI is also beginning to shape the field, and there are discussions on how it could support therapy, these tools or virtual assistants, or whatever the AI, I don’t know AI programs are trying to do, are trying to help mental health. I can see how, like, you know, AI could streamline a lot of the mental health ideas to people, and make it more accessible to low income families, underserved communities, all these things. It’s, it’s a it’s a little bit scary, because it feels like our our field, is not becoming obsolete, but it’s becoming it’s becoming easier to distribute, and AI, could make this easier for other populations, but the in person therapy, the one on one therapy, it feels like it’s going to be such a niche thing that is only going to be available to a certain population and the population that can afford it. I think it’s just going to be only for individuals who have that luxury to get this, this type of therapy, that one on one that, yeah, that one on one therapy, that that feeling that I felt with my cohort, that feeling of connection, all that is isn’t going to be available to the population that I want to work with. I think that there that that is moving towards that direction. I don’t want it to and I think that we’ve had the discussion in in our class that I’m a pessimistic and I feel that there are people in positions, in administrative positions in our government that are looking at the most cost effective thing to do for mental health, and if AI can provide that, they will most certainly do that in our administration and make that widely available to underserved communities to help them get better in a sense of making them productive members of society. And the the therapy that I’m learning that they’re that what that one on one really figuring out with who this person is, all these, you know, patterns, all this other stuff, is going to be exclusive to a higher social economic status, individual, somebody who has the money and resources to spend. And it’s a really, it’s a really, like, sucky feeling, and I don’t want, I don’t think it’s going to happen in my lifetime, but AI moves really, really fast. It’s insane. I don’t even, we don’t even have regulations for AI right now, and I think that there are some organizations that are currently making regulations for them, but it’s like we’re making regulations for the AI that we have now, but AI is moving so fast that once we catch up to that, it’s like another thing and then another thing, and it’s just it’s evolving so much faster than we think.
… 29:57
(Advertisement Break)
Curt Widhalm 29:59
Where are you turning for advice on what to do next, whether it’s in additional trainings, whether it’s thinking about the next steps of your career, you’re obviously a listener of the podcast, so thank you for that. But where are you finding yourself gravitating towards, as far as looking at a career path.
Marvin Vasquez 30:21
I’m asking my professors. I’m asking what they did and what worked for them. And luckily, CSUN hires a diverse population. So you get a little bit of everything. You get people who are in private practice, people who work for organizations. And again, I don’t want to, I want to talk about my law and ethics professor, because she’s been the most helpful person in this in this journey, really tells you how it is, what organizations she’s worked for, and what you can get from these organizations, whether it’s experience but not not good pay or good pay, but not good experience. And maybe you’ll find that golden nugget where you get both, but it’s very hard to find, and very competitive, of course. But yeah, I’m getting guidance from the professors who are willing to share, and I think the the professors who are established, but are new to the field, newly licensed, I think. And by newly licensed, they probably have, like, five years in the field. So they’re not new, but they their practice is relatively new. So I think that they give the best advice, because it’s nobody tells you how to run your business. Nobody tells you how to be a Licensed Marriage Family Therapy in private practice. They don’t allow, they don’t tell you how to run a business, how to be it, how to be, I don’t know, cost effective. We’re here to help. We’re not here to, you know, be accountants or trying to advertise or something, but it’s really part of the business. I think that you need to have that kind of mindset in order to be successful in a private practice. And then you can work for organizations too. But, you know, it comes with its own pros and cons, but leaning on them and kind of learning their story. And I know things change a lot, but, but having some form of, like, a foundation of what will happen after you graduate and what happens after your license. And you know, can you take your clients from a certain organization? Yes, you can, but you can’t. You know, the records really don’t belong to you. So all these things are things that we’re being taught in this law and ethics course, and I’m learning from our professor, our professors, but like has you know, has used her own personal experience and say, This is what’s happened to me. It might not happen to you, but, but just be aware that this is a possibility in in your journey to license, to get your license. So it’s very it’s very nice to lean on them. I’m not sure, and everyone’s open. I’m not sure that everyone will be, but I want to lean on them for that. I don’t think that there’s any online sources that really provide like, guidance for marriage and family therapy businesses you know, like how to start your marriage and family therapist business, and if there is, I mean, I’m sure they’ll they’re making a lot of money because there’s so many therapists that want to there’s so many people who want to be therapists that have a business, you know. So if they have, like, a blueprint, or, you know, something that that could help someone, I’m sure they’re not giving that out for free.
Katie Vernoy 33:38
So before we finish up, I know that one of the questions we’ve asked other folks is what have been the biggest surprises for you in this new grad school experience?
Marvin Vasquez 33:50
One of the biggest surprises has been, I guess, the broader world context, and how that has influenced my learning experience with the election cycle, the ongoing Gaza war and other global political events, it’s I found it increasingly challenging to navigate the way these issues are affecting people, especially in our cohort, their mental health, our mental health, the worldview, the uncertainty of the of the new administration. So it’s been really eye opening to realize that these global conflicts can impact individuals on a personal level, especially when people bring these concerns up during class, or we brought them up during our classes, framing it in a way. What if somebody brings this concern into therapy, you know, and these things don’t align with the way you think or the way you feel? How do we navigate that? How do we how do we navigate our own feelings about these world events. And how can we stay objective? Because these things really impact us, and we do see these things through that lens, and it’s hard not to, it’s hard not to, to try to, I guess, influence your client into a way that you think it’s more reasonable, you know, the way that you think? It’s hard to deal with those kind of things. So our trainings really emphasize on being empathetic, validating these feelings, and while we have to recognize those things, we really can’t justify the negative actions that come from those complex issues, right? So, so it’s one thing, I think that we were learning it’s one thing to really empathize and validate the feelings that they’re feeling, but it’s not good to justify those actions. It’s the justification nothing harmful or harmful behavior is never justified. We’re only validating the feeling that they felt. So that’s something that I I’m kind of trying to keep I’m trying to validate people making certain decisions or thinking a certain way. I’m validating how they’re feeling because they’re feeling that for a reason. But I’m not excusing harmful behavior. And I think that that’s really keeping me, that’s keeping my thoughts, or that’s keeping me more objective than than than I’ve realized. So I really liked whoever, whatever Professor frame framed it that way. I really enjoy that framing, because it really put me in a position where, like, I’m not trying to change this person, I’m trying to understand them, but I’m not excusing their behavior, and I think that that’s beautifully said and put and I’m still trying to learn and navigate those sensitive topics and really understand like, how this larger social and political environment really influences individuals and myself. So I need to really humble myself and really expect the unexpected. And hopefully, you know, I’m not done with this program, so I’m just started. So hopefully next time you have me Curt and Katie, you’ll see that I’m changed, I’m enlightened. I figured this out, and I’ll bring that, I’ll talk more about that then.
Katie Vernoy 37:18
I think that’s a lot to ask for a year, but it’ll be interesting to see how far you’ve come.
Marvin Vasquez 37:23
Yeah, thank you.
Curt Widhalm 37:24
Thank you very much for joining us and to stay up with our content, and if you’re interested in this and checking out Marvin and our other grad student stories, make sure that you follow us on our social media, join our Facebook group, the Modern Therapist Group to continue on with the conversations, and until next time, I’m Curt Widhalm with Katie Vernoy and Marvin Vasquez.
… 37:47
(Advertisement Break)
Announcer 37:48
Thank you for listening to the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide. Learn more about who we are and what we do at mtsgpodcast.com. You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter, and please don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any of our episodes.
SPEAK YOUR MIND