Karla Montiel

School Psychology Trainee, 1st Year 

Navigating through a school system where the values of individualism and capitalism are glamorized can be challenging to adapt to with limited resources. As the oldest daughter of two immigrant parents, my personal life feels like a double-edged sword and has significantly shaped my identity and my educational journey. I come from a traditional Mexican household where machismo is strongly exaggerated, and conversations about mental health are neglected. After a year of therapy, I unlearned the stigma surrounding mental health in the Latinx community where I grew up and learned to advocate for myself and my students. Growing up in Orange County schools as a low-income student, my experiences have helped me recognize the systemic issues such as segregation within my community and school. Many first-generation students lack the knowledge of college and have minimal resources. Many immigrant parents do not understand the US school system. I am the first to experience many things, bringing many positive and negative emotions.

After nearly four years of hands-on experience at the Garden Grove Unified School District, the needs of underserved students became clear to me. I gained knowledge about complex identities while working closely with students from diverse backgrounds, including English Language Learners and students in Special Education. As a future school psychologist, I aim to be a pillar in my community and apply the knowledge I gain from SDSU's program to refine psychology. I look forward to directing my empathy and understanding of students toward advocating for their needs and providing the necessary support and resources to change their life for the better.