In October 2022, as part of its ongoing commitment to establishing and maintaining collaborations with other institutions of higher learning, Pacific Oaks welcomed students from the Escuela de Psicología en CETYS Universidad (the School of Psychology at CETYS University) in Tijuana, Mexico, for a three-day symposium titled, Trauma: Cultural Aspects and Crisis Intervention.
Each day of the event featured workshops that addressed different aspects of trauma:
Day 1: Culture attachment and trauma
Day 2: Key features in complex trauma
Day 3: Trauma treatment and interventions
During the three-day exchange, Pacific Oaks students were invited to choose workshops of interest and to engage with the CETYS students to learn the similarities and differences they experience both in school and in their personal lives. Students from both colleges have faced trauma-inducing factors, including addiction, gun violence, and the loss and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and, as aspiring clinicians, how to address these issues.
“The discussions involved understanding the different views on trauma and how culture changes individual perspectives,” says Dean of Students Michael Patton, MPA. “The heart of the dialogue that occurred was aimed at across-cultural learning opportunity for CETYS and Pacific Oaks students, and everyone walked away with a deeper cultural understanding of the subject matter.”
Additionally, as a majority-minority and Hispanic-Serving Institution, Pacific Oaks demonstrates how diversity can pave the way toward mutual understanding. “Students from both schools were able to share how they viewed the topics, and there was rich dialogue in the differences in perspectives and participants enjoyed the experiential learning opportunity that Pacific Oaks provides students,” Patton says.
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