We recently connected with Leticia Nieto and have shared our conversation below.
Leticia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
I had a series of conversations with the dean of students when i was in college. It allowed me to recognize that I made meaning primarily through observing change particularly human development.
These conversations along with a course in the literature of human rights, and exposure to psychodrama literature shaped my path.
I know this sounds abstract. those moments were the beginning of imagining a life guided by compelling ideas and social change actions.
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.
For 40 years I have been a psychotherapist, leadership coach, and counselor educator. My areas of focus have been expressive arts, especially psychodrama, and social justice. The areas where I specialize are liberation and equity, motivational patterning, and evolutionary creativity. In 2010 I published my book, Beyond Inclusion, Beyond Empowerment: A Developmental Strategy to Liberate Everyone. It is an accessible analysis of the dynamics of oppression and supremacy that offers readers ways to develop skills to promote social justice. During that time, I have successfully brought my skills to higher education and other learning communities, to service providers in helping agencies, to workplace teams, and to many community groups.
Whether I am coaching an individual, facilitating a group, conducting a training, or leading a workshop my goal is to nurture communication and empowerment. The focus is on clarifying the complexities of working across significant differences, and on understanding the dynamics of oppression, supremacy, liberation, and healing. I have supported individuals, groups, and organizations to develop a common language and analysis about oppression and liberation while deepening commitment to social justice. I use expressive techniques and embodied practices so that people are able to engage deeply and have opportunities for insight and change.
My academic degrees are in clinical psychology and human development. I am skilled in Action Methods, including Psychodrama, Playback Theatre, and Theater of the Oppressed.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Many students entering the psychotherapy field imagine counseling is equivalent to conversation. What we have learned is that the psycotherapeutic relationship, which includes the person of the counselor, is the most important factor contributing to the effectiveness of the psychotherapeutic endeavor. The counselor’s own developmental moment, degree of healing their own trauma, capacity to journey to lived experiences very dissimilar to their own – these types of factors are much more significant than technique or training. Yet, building on training and sound skills, the person of the counselor can develop the qualities of presence and witness that are essential.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I have lived with migraine all of my life. There was a period of time when I had significant migraines every day for two years. During that time I learned that I could work well while not feeling well. Pain became a source of information about what it is to be human. I am grateful I don’t live with that now, but remain glad for the lessons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beyondinclusionbeyondempowerment.com/about-the-book/
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/leticia-nieto-79a75380
- Other: https://www.teledrama.org/en/members/0/90
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