Tell us about the community or area where you work. What are the main problems faced by the inhabitants of the community or area where you work?

 I live and work in a municipality in the department of Zacapa, which is called Usumatlán. In general, it is a place where people support each other and help others.

One of the problems in the municipality is unemployment, which sometimes leads parents to migrate abroad so they can work and send money to their family. This, in turn, complicates the development of the children and damages their mental health, as they look for parental figures in other people who may not be appropriate.

One of the consequences is that girls marry at a very early age as a result of abuse, mistreatment or abandonment. They also acquire vices, which deteriorate their physical and mental states.

How long have you been working in social services and what motivated you to train as a social worker, psychologist, or another profession that provides social care?

I began to practice my profession in 2019 where I worked in a shelter and child protection home. In 2022, I started working as a Clinical Psychologist in the Municipality of Usumatlán Zacapa.

I was motivated to study to become a psychologist because of the complexity of the environment or country where I live, a place where I consider it necessary to provide more empathy to people, especially children.

What professional training did you receive?  

I graduated with a degree in Clinical Psychology, a field that focuses on knowing the anatomical, physiological, neurological and endocrinological functioning of the body.

The field involves knowing the different mental disorders that affect people and how to treat them and help them improve their mental state.

Please describe the work you currently do and the main functions you perform.

My functions are:

• Providing talks and education for parents in coordination with the Changing the Way We Care initiative.
• Coordinating with institutions to establish alliances for the benefit of the community.
• Providing psychological therapy for different psychological disorders that occur; and
• For the children and adolescents, I provide psychological support and guidance in addition to offering family therapy to strengthen parental ties and avoid parenting patterns that may cause harm.
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What aspects of your job or role do you like the most?

I feel personal and professional satisfaction knowing that my patients have received the necessary support to change or improve their condition.

I also value knowing that the work I perform is influential in the community and that it can cause changes for individuals or family members.

What are the main challenges you face in your current role or job and how do you face or solve them?

A very important challenge is the resistance to psychology. A misconception has been set about the profession and many times in a family, children are taken for consultation and the problem lies with the adults or parents and it is difficult to reach acceptance.

Can you think of a specific case in which you managed to have a positive impact on the life of a child, adolescent or family?

There was a girl who was first brought to the clinic by her grandmother due to sleep problems, behavior changes, fears and aggressive behaviour towards the opposite sex.

Inquiring about the girl’s life, it was concluded that she had experienced domestic violence. In addition, her father liked to play the FREE FIRE game with her, increasing his violent acts.

Part of her treatment included changing her routine, gradually desensitizing her to issues related to her trauma, using behavior modification and relaxation techniques.

The girl is currently relaxed, has no sleep problems, she has changed her behaviour towards the opposite sex, and the relationship with her parents has improved in a positive way. Her mom has also become more involved in the girl’s improvement.

 Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your work, your motivation, your dreams, etc.?

I am taking part in the change in my hometown, which increases my motivation to help people in my community. My dream is to see mentally healthy people, which will make a difference in general.

I also thank the people who support us to continue with the work of supporting children and families, such as the different institutions, the Municipality of Usumatlán and the Changing the Way We Care initiative, which have been pillars to initiate and continue the mission of protecting future generations.