This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Albizu chapter.
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments” – Jim Rohn
Let’s start off this week’s HC cutie interview with such an empowering quote like the one above! They say wisdom comes with age… but does it really? Our cutie is one with tons of experience in his hands at such a short age and he sure is going to leave his legacy in campus so we can learn from him. Want to find out more? Continue reading!
Name: Benjamin ValentínAge: 28
Graduate studies: PhD in Clinical PsychologyRelationship status: In a relationshipHometown: HumacaoHobbies: Running, going to the beach and hanging out.
HCAlbizu: Why did you decide to study psychology and what makes you passionate about the field?
Benjamin: “Long story, but I will make it short for you. I started off studying social work and I wanted to emphasize in counseling. Now, when I was active in the U.S. Air Force [for four years] and living at Mississippi, the Air Force allowed me to study. However, they did not allow me to do contact hours and to study counseling you needed, as a requisite, to do contact hours. I talked to the university about it and they let me change my major to psychology so I could do a master’s in General Counseling Psychology. After that, all the doctoral programs required the clinical hours to be done full-time. I talked with the Armed Forces about it, applied to Albizu University and got accepted. I decided to leave the Armed Forces and join the National Guard to come study over here. I’ve been to different deployments and I know the need inside the military world for mental health services, and it is my goal to help them, whether it’s helping veterans on the outside or returning to the Armed Forces”.
HCAlbizu: What have you learned with your experiences in college and what advice can you give to our new students?
Benjamin: “I have learned a lot, not only to help others, but to help myself. Even though they say you shouldn’t apply psychology to yourself… but why do you want the knowledge for if you don’t apply it to yourself? [Psychology] has given me the tools to learn how to work with different groups of people and I consider that this institution (Albizu University) has prepared me well especially in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. My advice to [our] new students is to have your own study groups. Find people with flexible hours and get close with them becauseevery class is very demanding regarding the hours; the tests can get difficult, as well as the material and there will be times where you will get stuck, no matter how good the class is. For example, I have two friends and what we do is, we all do our schedule to be exactly the same [so] we can back each other up if one of us misses the class or if we forget something. I tend to be forgetful [because] I have a lot of work and these two friends always help me and remind me if there’s a project or a test due. I want to encourage students to make their own groups from the start so you can help each other and do well in your classes”.
HCAlbizu: You’re the president of the student organization Active Minds, how did you come to participate in the organization?
Benjamin: “Well, it was something truly unexpected and I didn’t plan on doing it at the beginning. Who encouraged me to do it was the ex-president of Active Minds [at Albizu], who needed structured and organized people and wanted me for treasury. It sounded excellent since it’s [about] students helping other students and I agreed to do it. A lot of things happened during those first months of establishing the organization, which wasn’t easy since establishing a new chapter requires a lot of time. Later on, I was given the opportunity for the position of vice president, and afterwards I became the president of Active Minds. I took the presidency [because] I liked it and I liked bringing to the university the idea of self-care and hold activities for the students like free massages and free coffee. To make a space in which students can interact and in which all organizations come together”.
HCAlbizu: Have you participated in any investigation?
Benjamin: “When I was an undergraduate. I participated in a needs assesment for “Campo nuevo” and it was to determine which resources the community needed so they could be provided. Since then, I haven’t done any other and that’s why I’m encouraging Active Minds to do research so we can participate in it. I have always wanted to do it, [but] since I’m always involved in so many things…”
HCAlbizu: You work in the university’s clinic. What can you say about your experiences in the clinic? What kind of clients do you work with?Benjamin: “It has been very dynamic. I’ve seen kids, adults, teenagers, young adults… right now, I’m working with the homeless. I’ve had all type of diagnostics from trauma like PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), or ADHD(Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and even depression and bipolar disorders. Its been excellent due to the fact that I have seen a change in each and every one of my clients. It’s not the same to treat someone from the beginning, that brought to therapy all these kinds of situations and problems and then to see them three months later dealing and managing their problems differently. I love to see the [positive] aftermath and it motivates me to work long hours during the night and establish new treatment plans. This is what truly motivates me; to see at least one change, in a certain amount of time, in the client. Just that is something. For example, if you teach someone how to control their emotions, you know that every time they encounter a new problem, they will be able to handle it and if you help someone to gain a positive perspective on life, they will be able to confront their situations instead of running away from them”.
HCAlbizu: You are also part of Albizu’s Student Council as their treasurer! How do you balance all of these responsibilities?
Benjamin: “Ok”. [Smiles] “I take one day for absolutely everything. Some days are just for work, others for seeing clients. Right now, I only study Mondays and Tuesdays. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, I see clients. Fridays, I work. Organization related things, I do it in between work and my studies or on the weekends. Although, I try not to mix things up because when I do, I don’t actually do anything. [Laughs] There’s long nights where I stay awake to finish all the work. In Active Minds, I have an excellent team where I delegate and they do everything and in the Student Council, I only work with treasury. I get involved with other things, but my main duty is working as a treasurer. I believe if you create a good balance and organize yourself, you are able to do everything. If it weren’t because I take a day for each thing, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish all that I have to do”.