We were lucky to catch up with Julio Brionez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Julio, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.
I applied for several jobs as a post-doc psychologist and eventually earned a position at the University of Wyoming. Before coming to Wyoming, earning a position was taxing as once one finishes graduate school, the loan repayment kicked in, and it is imperative to earn a job quickly. So, each rejection letter I got was another level of stress. At the same time, I knew I didn’t want to take any job because I wanted to be in a position where I could provide therapy and outreach to students and also prevent suicide.
One of the key reasons I looked to Wyoming for a position was that it had (and has) one of the highest suicide rates in our country, and being in a position to reduce that meant a lot to me personally. I lost two friends to suicide, and also professionally, being an attempt survivor, having the understanding of how suicide impacts one’s thinking, I had something to offer clients who also struggled with ideation.
One reservation about applying for a job in Wyoming was that I did not understand the state or its culture. Unfortunately, all I knew about the area (Laramie, WY) was that it was the location where two men murdered Matthew Shephard. So when I got to campus, I did not know what to expect regarding how friendly or unfriendly people may be. I found through the process that folks in Wyoming appreciate those who are dedicated to supporting its community and often have their Wyoming way of doing things. That process of change for me is ongoing. The area is fiercely independent, and there is great pride in the work Wyomingites do for Wyomingites. I needed to get to know the staff and culture of the area, and I am grateful to have learned that hard work here, along with follow-up, pays off dramatically.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Firstly, I am a first-generation college student, and I take great pride in being the first person in my family to earn a doctorate. I got into psychology after volunteering for crisis hotlines in California and learning a lot from more experienced people about mental health crises and how to manage them professionally and expeditiously.
Following the crisis hotline experience, I completed my undergraduate coursework and then met a year in AmeriCorps in Montana, another, unfortunately, hot spot for suicide. Once in Montana, I got to appreciate Mountain West culture, the music, the people, and the need for mental health support.
After AmeriCorps, I completed graduate school in Montana and North Dakota, learning that I wanted to be a clinician who provided outpatient therapy and an advocate who participated in volunteering and fundraising.
Professionally, as a counseling psychologist, I learned a lot about a type of therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which aims to move people into positions where they live by their values and that the ‘way’ out of emotional distress is to do more activities that we care about with people we care about.
I care about delivering high-level therapy, getting to know my clients very well, and providing the best care I can while doing so with compassion, honesty, and ethics. I care about the people with whom I provide therapy and want them to have healthy lives and create great memories that they can take with them wherever they go while we work together and after we complete treatment.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Learning from others has been the most helpful part of success. Why? People have much knowledge to share, and we must ask to know. Too often, we rely on technology to provide information and lose sight of the benefit of peer-to-peer communication. By asking questions of my supervisors at the University of Akron’s Counseling and Testing Center, through the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program, and my graduate programs, I have learned from good clinical and counseling psychologists to teach me the ropes.
Each supervisor gave me the tools to learn that taking care of oneself is critical and that our choices often control the systems in which we work. And not the other way around. Thus, we must make healthy decisions and stay dedicated to our values.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
As time passes, it is crucial to maintain connections with providers (psychologists, counselors, social workers) who share the same value system regarding equitable treatment for all and believe in things like feminism, anti-racism, and ethical treatment. I also do my best to specialize and work solely with people at acute (or chronic) risk for suicide, and I hope to continue that practice as I develop as a proper counseling psychologist.
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