Hello,
My name is Denise Lynn and I am a Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Depth at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. I need your help to fund The 2025 Each One Teach One Each • Each One Pull One (EOTO EOPO) Doctoral Fellowship, so that I can continue pursuing my degree.
At this moment in history, Black Mental Health is top of mind. Simone Biles, Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington among others – have all made public statements about the importance of mental health. But no one is talking about the pipeline of Black Clinicians.
- Who is going to treat us?
- Who is going to create theory that addresses our experience?
- Who is going to do the research and write the books that make sure that the next generation of practitioners will be sensitive to our needs?
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of Mental Healthcare Practitioners in the United States and an even greater shortage of Black Mental Healthcare Practitioners.
- African-American Psychologists, for example, only make up about 4% of the field.
And yet, the need for culturally competent practitioners is exploding. Collectively, we have begun to understand that mental health is essential and individuals are starting to get help to address their trauma histories.
- That's why I am pursing a degree in Clinical Psychology.
- I want to use my education and training to theorize solutions that address the psychological distress that has plagued the African-American community for too long.
However, it takes many years to become an independently licensed Black Psychologist and there are many barriers to entry. Consequently, I will not be able to complete my degree and achieve this goal without your support.
Other solutions do exist to address these challenges, like creating scholarships and loan forgiveness programs to encourage African-Americans to pursue careers in mental health. But in recent years, race-based educational initiatives, as well as initiatives in higher education have been on the chopping block:
- Affirmative Action has been dismantled;
- The Department of Education is being defunded;
- There is a plan to abolish the Federal Department;
- And transfer jurisdiction to the states.
In this climate, it is not surprising that academic scholarships and funding opportunities have been going away. The Ford Foundation, for example, used to offer competitive fellowships to support under-represented minority groups. After the murder of George Floyd, however, they changed their funding priorities and are no longer offering the $112,500 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship or the $37,500 Dissertation Fellowship.
- That’s what motivated me to create The EOTO EOPO Doctoral Fellowship —
- to address the funding gap and find a concrete solution to this problem.
And with your help, we can tackle this issue. In fact, the beauty of GoFundMe is that anyone can pitch an idea and receive support to manifest their dreams. Instead of feeling discouraged, the GoFundMe community bands together and takes action to create change.
- You can make a difference.
- Please Donate, Share, Tag a Friend & Spread the Word.
The funds raised from this campaign will be used for typical fellowship expenses, i.e.
- Anticipated Academic Expenses ($22,823.65)
- Anticipated Living Expenses ($13,547.68)
- Anticipated Tax Liability ($8,699)
- Anticipated Fees ($1,429.67)
Any amount that you can afford to chip in will be greatly appreciated -- $6, $11, $21, $52, $104, $515, $1,030, $10,291, $20,581, $51,451 or more! I really appreciate your help with this and want to THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
For More Information About This Issue Please Click on the Below Links:
Disclaimers:
1. Supporting this GoFundMe does not create a therapist/patient relationship.
2. The Information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be clinical advice from me to you.
Organizer
