Ann Grant
Background:
Psy.D Wright Institute (Dissertation title: "Separation Guilt and Recidivism among Incarcerated Mothers")
BA Dominican College (Psychology)
Ann was born in Galveston TX and raised in Vallejo, CA where she still lives. 53 years old, she has a grown daughter and son, and enjoys gardening, shopping and decorating. Ann was the student activities coordinator at Napa Valley College for seven years
Current Work:
Working toward licensure as a clinical psychologist, Ann is a psychology assistant at Kaiser Permanente Psychiatry Department where she does telephone triage for patients in crisis.
The APA Internship
She counseled students at the UC Davis Counseling Center, supervised practicum students and facilitated the practicum seminar as well as outreach workshops on self esteem for reentry women and surviving graduate school for students.
I loved my internship because the interns were like a true family. We were together all the time, and our bonding allowed us to develop trust, become vulnerable, and know what it might feel like to be a client. We're still in contact with each other, and we continue our education by consulting with each other. The Counseling Center didn't just preach diversity they practiced it; as an African American woman, I was not a token, I was included. This sincere diversity enabled us to serve students' issues related to race, sexual orientation, age, class or gender.
About the Wright
Going out into the placement, rather than simply sitting in the classroom gave me the experience I needed. I learned to anticipate the kinds of situations I might encounter as a professional.
Ann counseled incarcerated women, adolescents and families in her practica at Youth and Family Services (Vallejo).
Working with women in jail made me go to the depth of my empathy. I was able to listen to the women without judging them for the first time in their lives.
The night of my first Wright open house, it felt like coming home. When I walked in the door, I felt warm and comfortable. I knew I wanted to be there. I didn't even consider going to any other graduate school.
The Case Conference was the most profound experience. My instructor inspired me. Although she taught us using clinical terms and modalities, she was very real, sensitive and caring when she discussed her own experience with clients. I learned to apply that sensitivity to my own cases, to respond to clients as real human beings, and treat them in the way I would want to be treated. I will be lifelong friends with some of my classmates, and Berkeley was a great environment for learning about every culture.