On this Giving Joy Day, we would like to announce the creation of a new scholarship to support students going into the behavioral health field. The Jeff Thomas Behavioral Health Scholarship was established to honor the legacy of EWU alumnus, Jeff Thomas, former CEO of Frontier Behavioral Health, by Coordinated Care. Coordinated Care aims to improve access to higher education for underrepresented populations in health care related fields.

Recipients must:

• Be undergraduate or graduate students majoring in behavioral health programs including Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Addiction Studies, or earning a Behavioral Health Support Certificate.
• Recipients must also meet at least one of these following requirements:
  • Demonstrated financial need, with preference to those with financial need outside of Pell Grant eligibility
  • First-generation college student
  • Non-traditional student
  • Come from an underserved or underrepresented community

On Wednesday April 3rd, 2024, EWU will be celebrating Giving Joy Day!  This annual event is an opportunity for new and returning gifters to give to programmatic and scholarships funds at any financial level, supporting student success and providing opportunities for current and future Eagles!

• In 2023-2024, 103 CPP students received EWU scholarships totaling nearly $312,000.

Here are testimonial videos from our students on the impact of receiving scholarship funds:

Explore funding opportunities by scholarship or program by clicking the button below.

]]> https://www.ewu.edu/cpp/news/psychology-hosts-student-research-conference-in-may/ Tue, 19 Mar 2024 21:19:52 +0000 https://www.ewu.edu/cpp/?post_type=stories&p=19980 The School of Psychology will be hosting a Student Psychology Research Conference on Thursday, May 16th from 5 to 8 p.m., in collaboration with Bellevue College. Location: Bellevue College, U-Building Ballroom U301 This conference invites undergraduate and graduate students to present on psychology-related topics. Research reviews and proposals are acceptable and advisor endorsement is required....]]>

The School of Psychology will be hosting a Student Psychology Research Conference on Thursday, May 16th from 5 to 8 p.m., in collaboration with Bellevue College.

Location: Bellevue College, U-Building Ballroom U301

This conference invites undergraduate and graduate students to present on psychology-related topics. Research reviews and proposals are acceptable and advisor endorsement is required.

For more information at ewu.edu/cpp/psychology/conference

• Location: U-Building Ballroom U301 (Map: letter U)
• Abstracts: Undergraduate and graduate students can submit abstracts through Thurs April 25th using this online form: https://www.ewu.edu/cpp/psychology/conference/
• Questions? Email psycconference@ewu.edu

Those needing accommodations should email psycconference@ewu.edu by May 9, 2024.

Congratulations to Education Specialist (EdS) in School Psychology students Monica Garcia Ramirez and Maria Anguiano-rivera for receiving the Diversity Scholarship from the Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP)! Four students statewide were recognized as recipients at the fall conference in October.  WSASP writes in their Diversity Scholarship description that they are “…aware of the need for a more aggressive approach to relieve financial pressures faced by students of diverse backgrounds pursuing careers in school psychology. The WSASP Diversity Scholarship Program was established to address this need in our state’s schools.”

On the impact of receiving the scholarship, both Monica and Maria shared their thoughts:

Monica: I find myself in a unique position as I am a first-generation immigrant, first generation student and a Mexican raised in the United States. I was brought to the United States by my parents at the age of 4. They emigrated here to accomplish el sueño Americano. The American dream that led to their first born successfully graduating with a bachelor’s in psychology nearly 20 years later and now working towards her Educational Specialist Certificate In School Psychology. It wasn’t easy navigating school as a first-generation student who had no idea about course planning or even financial support available. And now in this graduate journey it has been twice more difficult because no one else around me has gotten this far. I also have two little girls that depend on me and look up at me that keep me going. Due to my DACA status I have not been able to receive any financial support, so I been paying out of pocket for all my tuition and books. This scholarship will truly alleviate a financial burden on my little family. And despite all the difficulties I keep on dreaming because my dreams are not illegal. #DACA DREAMERS

Maria: I’m the oldest in my family, I have two younger brothers and they have become one of my biggest motivations in life. My parents have been such an immense support. I’m very grateful for this scholarship. To me, this scholarship reflects on me being “seen” finally for all my hard work and even just as a student. For as long as I can remember I had to figure out school on my own, from learning English when I was in elementary school to learning what college is in high school. Again, I am very grateful to have won this scholarship, words aren’t able to describe how much this means to me.

Thank you Dr. Briley Proctor, Assistant Professor in the School Psychology Program for sharing the good news!

by Mya Brossoit

The College of Professional Programs is excited to highlight Dr. Kevin Criswell for his impressive involvement in the passing of Senate Bill 5189.

Dr. Kevin Criswell, a Bellevue-based Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology, recently worked alongside Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart in providing testimony on Capitol Hill in Olympia in support of passing Senate Bill 5189, which allows for the credentialing of  behavioral health support specialists.

A Behavior Health Support Specialist (BHSS) may work in positions under supervision including crisis services, integrated care, or specialty behavioral health care. The bachelor level provider works through a scope of evidence-based behavioral health interventions that is now credentialed and available in Washington State.

While testifying during the bill hearings, Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart and Dr. Kevin Criswell described the various benefits graduates would attain from this credential as they participate in the applied skills training at EWU for behavioral health support specialists.  Criswell also described the influential contributions this credential would provide the community as a whole:

We also testified on the benefits for the public at large to increase access to behavioral health interventions for depression, anxiety and other common behavioral health conditions.

With the increase in mental health issues and expanding need for mental health services across the state, the state credential for a BHSS introduces a creative solution for Washington state’s limited mental health workforce.

When asked about its impact on EWU’s Psychology programs, Criswell shares the increase in interest students may express in Eastern’s Psychology majors, or interest from other majors regarding health profession support. The new opportunity provides bachelor level students with a path to earn paid experience as a BHSS in the absence of doctorate or masters level clinical training programs.

EWU will continue to contribute to the work on solidifying clinical program guidelines to prepare higher education and clinical training sites statewide.

Criswell states that the new apprenticeship now opens up “alternate pathways to becoming a BHSS” that will benefit not only students, but the community as a whole. He foresees a growing number of mental health service clinics including the BHSS position as a vital part of their interdisciplinary teams in healthcare. This also would allow individuals in the BHSS position to “expand their impact on addressing their communities’ mental health service needs through focused management of mental health symptoms.”

With the help of faculty from the University of Washington, EWU has had the privilege of launching the very first Behavioral Health Support Specialist Certificate Program within the Psychology department, and d

…I hope our BHSS Certificate program can serve as a model for similar programs in our state.

The College of Professional Programs applauds Dr. Kevin Criswell and Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart for their work in supporting this bill and making it a reality, improving community behavioral health options, and bettering the EWU community!

by Mya Brossoit

Nicholas “Nick” Mehrnoosh, MS Psychology ‘22, an adjunct faculty member for the School of  Psychology, participated in a guest presentation for Stroke Community Day at Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute on May 18th. His presentation was titled, “Cultivating Self-Compassion and Resilience Post-Stroke.”  Amanda Smith-Treadwell, Senior Speech Language Pathologist with St. Luke’s, writes that, “this is an annual event hosted by St. Luke’s with the goal of providing ongoing support for families and individuals who have suffered strokes …This year’s focus is looking at taking care of yourself beyond the stroke.”

One of the main goals he had in giving the presentation was to emphasize a notion of “intervention through kindness”.  He notes that after an individual has sustained a stroke there are multiple complications, medical and musculoskeletal that can impact their long-term quality of life. Additionally,

These complications can further extend into the psychosocial realm, leaving someone struggling with mood and emotional changes that fundamentally alter how they express their personality, behaviors, and relative self-confidence.

Therefore he promotes self-compassion as an intervention strategy, that can “engender a mindset of mindful kindness towards the stress of everyday life post-stroke, subsequently enhancing emotional resilience into the future.”

When asked how a psychological approach to post-stroke resilience and self-compassion differs from other therapy-based interventions (speech, physical, etc.), Nick notes that interventions for medical and musculoskeletal complications are important, but so is a psychosocial approach.  Physical Therapy strengthens physicality and mobility, Speech Therapy “facilitates the improvement of cognitive-communication skills”, but improving emotional resilience through self-compassion can assist with the psychosocial complications of a stroke. He notes that it isn’t uncommon for post-stroke survivors to experience “persistent depressive symptoms, which are generally described as feeling disconnected from their pre-stroke life.”

By regaining a sense of purpose through cultivating self-compassion, this helps “re-frame the mindset towards a balanced perception of the challenges that long-term rehabilitation can produce. From this avenue, the intention is to reduce or eliminate the relative impact of depression and anxiety symptoms and engender the individual to engage in new activities and roles to create greater post-stroke adjustment and quality of life.”

For current or future students who may be interested in working with stroke patients or their support networks, Nick recommends that they:

Remain open-minded to a stroke survivor’s lived experiences and be willing to engage in new opportunities, which might be outside your comfort zone. There is no growth, personally or professionally, without a modicum of adversity and working with individuals that have sustained a neurological injury can be a difficult task mentally and emotionally. That being said, it’s also very rewarding being a part of helping an individual rediscover their potential, whether you’re an advocate or Psychologist, this is the end goal.

If students would like to pursue experiential learning opportunities, he says to look within local and state communities where hospitals and clinics are in need of volunteers for adult post-stroke care, and  non-profit organizations that work on advocacy at the state level, and advises them to:

Get connected with your advisors in your majors and community stakeholders. As students, you have an opportunity to engage in a variety of environments and it’s best to try as many as possible, because that will help you grow and understand the populations you want to work with and support.

We thank Nick for his time sharing some insight into post-stroke care, and guidance for students who are interested in entering helping professions.

by Mya Brossoit

The College of Professional Programs is proud to recognize EWU School of Psychology Alumna, Heather Morris Tuip.

Heather graduated from Eastern in 2022 with her Bachelor’s degree. She majored in Psychology and minored in Communications while attending college and is now pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology from Antioch University in Seattle. She is currently working on her first pre-internship at Swedish Health Services and plans to participate in a pre-internship at Monroe Correctional Complex in the future.

The academic course load of my major and minor gave me a solid foundation for my grad school aspirations.

When asked about her experience at EWU, Heather recalls the enjoyable, small, class sizes that EWU’s Bellevue satellite offers. This provided her with the deep support and access to professors that influenced her college career in big ways.

The small class sizes at the EWU Bellevue College campus and the easy, supportive access to the professors there allowed me to pursue research interests that gave my grad school aspirations wings.

Though she reports her time at Eastern fondly, her trajectory through school did not occur as planned. Along with many students around the world, Heather faced the obstacle of online school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As she questioned the certainty of her planned future and academic goals, Heather tells of how the pandemic’s effects shaped her character for the better.

Keeping a flexible mindset helped me stay flexible in the face of the new challenge of online classes. This mindset has continued to help me overcome unplanned obstacles elsewhere in my life and studies.

She gratefully describes the smooth transition EWU was able to make during this sudden event. Heather shares how “EWU was able to quickly pivot and switch to an online format which meant that I was still able to graduate on time.”

Heather credits  Dr. Kevin Criswell & Dr. Jillene Seiver for their influence and support during her academic journey. While attending the Bellevue campus, she recalls the firm values EWU holds in caring for students as their community and making sure they belong.

When advising other students, Heather recommends Eagles visit professors during their office hours and intentionally seek out mentorship and further support from them. She reminds students that it is “never too early or too late to find a mentor.”

Heather also highlights a great accomplishment she achieved recently. With her developed knowledge and skills, she was able to present on Reproductive Justice at Antioch’s Symposium “Liberation from Colonialism Now: Promoting Research Activism.” Along with that, she is now working diligently on a manuscript outlining a recent phenomenological reproductive justice study.

As the College of Professional Programs, we honor Heather Morris Tuip for all her hard work and perseverance!

by Mya Brossoit

The College of Professional Programs is proud to recognize EWU School of Psychology and School of Social Work Alumna, Azra Grudic.

In 2006, Azra graduated from Eastern with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and returned to complete her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in 2008. She current works as a School Social Worker for a school district in Snohomish County. In her years since graduation, she has also worked as a Victim Advocate developing anti-human trafficking programs for Spokane County and Snohomish County.  The Snohomish County anti-trafficking program was a collaboration between the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Prosecutors Office, local law enforcement, and the FBI.

Azra reflects on how her education prepared her for her career in numerous ways. She tells of the skills she has obtained because of her time at EWU.  Azra is thankful for her varied coursework that provided a deep understanding of  mental health and human behavior. As Azra worked with several victims of sexual abuse and human-trafficking, she marvels at the psychology behind her methods of support.

While advocating for these victims, she recognizes how useful her Social Work degree was as she created programs to support her clients. Her education ultimately helped her to re-frame her perspectives on situations and work with other professionals in meaningful ways.

The combination of Psychology and Social Work gave me skills needed to jump start my career.

However, like many students, Azra’s journey to college included many challenges. As a 22 year-old refugee new to the United States and speaking no English, Azra persevered through a range of hardships that made her degrees all the more accomplishing. She shares her experiences teaching English to herself while continuously putting in effort to succeed.

 I taught myself English by watching TV and reading magazines, and typing from magazines on an old computer to learn the grammar. I forced myself to memorize 100 words a day to speed up the learning process…I never gave up.

To support herself financially, she worked weekends and evenings, and didn’t have any time off until completing her MSW degree. She also found it challenging being an older student trying to connect with her peers but she made one connection that led to a friendship which continues today. Regardless of these trials, Azra soared high during her time at Eastern.

Don’t get too hung up on the journey, the very first job I took was not my dream job, but that very first job had opened the door to my dream job and I never thought it would.

Azra is grateful for the support Eastern’s faculty and staff provided. She shares how Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart, Dr. Russell Kolts and Dr. Amani El-Alayli were influential mentors during her time at EWU. Azra recommends current and future students “make meaningful connections with the professors, they care a great deal and want to see you succeed.”

There are so many wonderful and caring people at EWU.

Azra’s advises current and future students to “use this time wisely to gain insights about yourself and who you are as a person.  This is a great time of personal growth and it will impact the rest of your life, not just professionally.”  From her experience, she suggests that students should always do their best but also have fun!

The EWU College of Professional Programs honors Azra Grudic for her meaningful contributions and impressive accomplishments!

by Mya Brossoit

The College of Professional Programs is proud to highlight Arcelia Madrigal, a Psychology major, for this month’s student spotlight!

Originally from Sunnyside, Washington, Arcelia came to EWU because of the School Psychology program. Graduating this June with her BA in Psychology, Arcelia is also completing a certificate program in Social Emotional Learning for Educational Equity (SEL-EE).

I chose to attend EWU because I knew there was a school psychology program here that many school psychologists in my community graduated from. Essentially, I wanted to connect with the school psychology professors as an undergraduate to receive guidance on what would help ensure I am prepared to enter graduate school and the field.

Arcelia is grateful for the extensive opportunities her major offers. Unlike some career paths, Psychology has a vast array of sub areas to specialize in. Madrigal is pleased she chose to attend Eastern and continually prepares for her professional career ahead.

As a first generation college student, Arcelia battled imposter syndrome when she came to Eastern, experiencing self-doubt that led to a hesitancy in believing she deserved the opportunity to go college. Madrigal did not let this stop her however. With the help of her mentors and support system, she grew confidence in her voice and contributions to the field. She credits the McNair Scholars program for their dedicated support and encouragement in this area.

Arcelia is excited about her future, which includes attending graduate school and obtaining a PhD, and then pursuing a career as a certified bilingual School Psychologist. She states, “I am very passionate on working with culturally and linguistically diverse students.”  Her greatest achievement so far was presenting at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) in Denver, Colorado this February. Arcelia states that, “NASP is highly attended by practicing school psychologists and graduate students and professors in school psychology so being able to contribute to the discussions at the conference was a dream come true for me!”

Arcelia identified multiple faculty and staff mentors who positively impacted her time at Eastern. Dr. Susan Ruby and Dr. Shanna Davis, played a significant role in guiding Arcelia on her journey to graduate school.  Maria Szep, Program Support Supervisor for the Psychology program, helped Arcelia transition to college life, dealing with homesickness, and encouraged her to pursue opportunities and attend conferences.

Arcelia encourages other students to consider becoming an Eagle Ambassador with the Admissions Office, to increase their campus involvement and gain public speaking skills. She also encourages Psychology majors to participate in the Psi Chi Honor Society chapter at EWU.

Psi Chi…is an amazing organization for the psychology majors, minors, or anyone who is interested in psychology. We host psychology spotlights with EWU professors such as stress and coping, cultural psychology, Gratitude and Psychology, and compassion-focused therapy.

Arcelia has been accepted into not only the MS in School Psychology program at the University of Oregon, but also the EDs program at the University of Washington-Tacoma!  She continues to soar high and pursue her full potential!

The College of Professional Programs proudly recognizes Arcelia for all her hard work and dedication and wishes her the best of luck in whichever graduate program she chooses!

Emily Collins, Psychology major at EWU-Bellevue, recently attended the Annual Convention of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) in Atlanta, Georgia with Dr. Julie Swets. At this conference, they co-presented a poster entitled “Relationship Nostalgia and Attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence.”

To support her travel expenses to Atlanta, Wmily applied for and received multiple student travel awards including the School of Psychology Student Research Support Award, the Student Travel/Conference Award from the College of Professional Programs, and the Undergraduate Student Travel Award from the Provost’s office.

Dr. Swets says, “Not only did Emily get all this accomplished, but she was a joy to travel, present, and
conference with.”  Congrats Emily and thanks to Dr. Swets for being a great faculty mentor!