Dr. Alena Gittens is a proud Black, queer, disabled, immigrant, and a licensed clinical psychologist in California. She specializes in trauma-informed care and chronic or persistent mental illness. She has worked in various settings – schools, community mental health centers, addiction treatment and is currently running her own private practice. Dr. Gittens was born and raised in the small Caribbean Island of Barbados before immigrating to Brooklyn, NY with her family. Dr. Gittens later moved to California for college at Stanford University where she graduated with honors in psychology. She then earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in Diversity and Community Mental Health and LGBTQ+ and Gender psychology. Dr. Gittens has served in panels discussing mental health in marginalized communities, helped produce psychoeducational materials in both English and Spanish for the larger community, and has produced and participated in plays as well as monologue series that help others understand and relate to various mental health topics. Dr. Gittens loves biking, going on long hikes, and spending time with her wife and fur baby. During her spare time, she is trying her hand at gardening, practicing yoga, and doing puzzles. Dr. Gittens enjoys cooking for close friends and family. As an island gyal at heart, or as her wife puts it – a true "water baby" – Dr. Gittens find swimming or soaking in large bodies or water quite healing and relaxing. She loves the sun, warm weather, and all things beach days. In this interview, Dr. Gittens opens up about how she navigated through her sexual identity, some of the challenges she faced with her family, and overcoming trauma, pain, and chronic suicidal ideation. Through all that she endured - a testament that no matter what you go through, you can get through it. Dr. Gittens is now a successful Clinical Psychologist who enjoys helping others navigate their own lives and not just live but thrive! “Live life out loud!” is a motto Dr. Gittens lives by, and she encourages others to do the same. You can find her at: https://www.drg-myhealingspace.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sam-castle/support
