Follow Stephanie Okpara, Psy.D. on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thethoughtfilledcouch
What series of events led to you becoming a psychologist?
Before deciding to become a psychologist, I chose to pursue medicine, a field that was not forced upon me but was strongly encouraged in my Nigerian household. Medicine was deemed the most prestigious way to care for others. I stumbled upon clinical psychology as an unhappy and dissatisfied undergraduate student, who was failing organic chemistry. I discovered that I could still provide care to others in a way that was not subjected to the same time constraints as a medical doctor and in a way that was more congruent with my personality.
If you could live in any other country, where would you live and why?
If I could live in another country, it would be Nigeria, as so much of my upbringing has been influenced by Nigerian culture. I see the value of the culture as well as the spaces that need improvement. I hope to make an impact on the mental health care system.
I count it a privilege when black men feel free enough to cry and acknowledge areas in which they have been hurt. I get to carry their burdens with them, even if it is just for a little while.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?
In the next five to ten years, I would like to work in an administrative position in a healthcare organization with aim of affecting the system from an administrative and strategic perspective. Additionally, I would like to work with the next generation of clinicians, both in the classroom and the therapy room. I also hope to engage in conversations about social justice, mental health, and faith.
How has your career allowed you to impact your community?
I actually had an emotional reaction reading this question. I feel like I’m unable to do justice to the honor that it is for me to sit with another black person as they are vulnerable, because there are not many spaces in which we can do so. Through therapy, I am able to journey with someone as they identify trauma, including racial trauma, and begin the healing process. I can validate their experiences and if appropriate, even share some of my own. I count it a privilege when black men feel free enough to cry and acknowledge areas in which they have been hurt. I get to carry their burdens with them, even if it is just for a little while. Although there is a tremendous work being done to increase mental health awareness in the Black community, there is so much yet to be done and I’m grateful to play a role in this work through workshops and discussions.
Historically, people of color, more specifically black people, have been treated poorly by the mental health system. They were disproportionately diagnosed with severe mental illnesses, but not provided access to care. Due to mistrust of the healthcare system at large, and rightfully so, people of color are less likely to seek mental health treatment. As such, when they do finally come, their mental health needs are likely to be more chronic.
