Hey! I am Gabriela Giulumian, a sophomore (junior-standing) here at UNC majoring in both psychology and mathematics with a minor in neuroscience. I have had a strong interest in what drives people to think and behave in different ways for as long as I can remember. I have always wondered why people perform ‘good’ or ‘bad’ deeds, and how that black and white inquiry is tinted by the lens of perspective. Questions revolving around what a ‘normal’ mental state really means, or if it even truly exists, were always circulating throughout my mind. However, these questions proved to be heavily philosophical and practically impossible to answer, so I became propelled by the desire to specify and quantify them. Further, I was motivated to gain experience and pursue a career that could clarify the wonders of the human mind, at least on a case-by-case basis.
My interest in studying psychology and neuroscience, rather than simply contemplating, was solidified in a high school classroom. Learning about all of the precise mechanisms within the brain and how they translate to personality, preferences, and decision-making, was absolutely astonishing. When the course got into the more pathological reasoning behind human behavior, I had found my niche.
Following this course, I began tutoring neurodiverse kids who demonstrated struggles with learning in a traditional classroom setting. I used the knowledge I gained from taking the class to best analyze their difficulties and synthesize an approach to direct them onto a more independent and successful path. The longer I did this, the more I realized just how complex the root of seemingly simple mannerisms and habits could be.
During the summer after my Freshman year at UNC, I worked at Camp Akeela in Vermont, a summer camp for ‘quirky’ children with an ASD profile designed to support their social growth. Here, I took on a couple of roles: dance specialist and assistant program director. With these, I was able to work with kids of a wide range of ages, and I had the opportunity to observe how ASD physically manifests differently in each of them. I noticed that seeing this disorder in real life was completely different from reading about it on a research article. This experience truly secured my interest in clinical psychology.
Through the Gil internship, I have been placed at the Holly Hill Hospital to work under my wonderful mentor, Dr. Crosby. Holly Hill is an institution devoted to caring for individuals with psychiatric illnesses including (but not limited to) anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The hospital cares for patients of most ages and intensity levels, and offers many treatment options: inpatient, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and electroconvulsive therapy. Here, as a clinical intern, I perform a few administrative tasks such as scheduling post-discharge appointments, but the bulk of my job is to participate in the assessment, admission, and treatment processes that take place. For example, I take part in treatment teams in which a group (consisting of the psychiatrist, nurses, therapists, and mental health technicians) discuss the symptoms and progress of each patient, and predict the possibility of discharge. With assessments, I shadow Dr. Crosby both administering and analyzing mental health screenings in order to identify a diagnosis. I also attend and co-conduct group therapy sessions where we make use of dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy to strengthen the coping mechanisms of the patients and improve their social functioning.
I am so thankful for Dr. Crosby and the team at Holly Hill that have been working to enable me to experience all of the different aspects of hospital operation. In just the first couple of weeks I have learned so much about the way patient history, genetic predispositions, and neurological functioning all intersect to produce a diagnosis. I have also observed how immensely psychological illnesses can get in the way of healthy relationships and how they can hinder an individual’s ability to find success/stability in life. I have seen how these disorders can almost ‘possess’ the individual and compel them to act out despite their purest intentions. Further, these compulsions can cause the patient to be filled with guilt and in some cases, self-hatred.
I am now beginning to question how mental illnesses contribute to criminal acts and how they are viewed in the criminal justice system. Dr. Crosby, having experience in forensic psychology, has also enlightened me on some of her observations from her previous work assessing criminals. This internship is, interestingly, leading me to consider pursuing a post-graduate duel program in forensic psychology and behavioral law. I don’t know exactly what the future has in store for me but I am immensely grateful to the Gil Internship and Holly Hill Hospital for opening doors for me and introducing me to branches of psychology I previously did not consider.
