Future Specialists

My name is B. Andi Lee, PhD (she/her) and I recently completed my doctoral degree in Clinical-Community Psychology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, along with my predoctoral internship at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Inglewood. Since then, I have been doing clinical work and research in two roles: I am a postdoctoral psychological associate under the supervision of Dr. Euna Oh in Los Angeles serving individuals, couples, and families of the Global Majority, and am also serving as the Scholar-in-Residence at Boston College’s Institute for the Study of Race and Culture (ISRC) for the 2024-2025 school year. Outside of these roles, I am finishing up my time as a Guest Editor for an American Psychologist Special Issue: Practicing Decolonial and Liberation Psychologies. In the short term, I am hoping to pursue licensure in California, although the financial barriers have been challenging to navigate (i.e., the psychological associate fees have increased six-fold in the last year, and the initial psychologist licensure fees quadrupled). Putting these structural burdens on early career psychologists make it difficult to currently consider pursuing board certification, although I hope that these opportunities may become more financially accessible down the line.

I am honored that my dissertation was chosen for the ABPP Art Nezu Dissertation Diversity Award, particularly given the goals of my program of research to challenge systemic racism, foster wellness, and promote the humanity of Global Majority members. My dissertation encompassed two interrelated studies that resulted in a grounded theory framework (Lee et al., 2023) and measure of racial-ethnic-cultural (REC) belonging (The iBelong Scale) for Global Majority Members (Lee & Neville, 2024). I am especially humbled and grateful that the iBelong Scale article was selected as the APA Editor’s Choice Article Feature for Journal of Counseling Psychology earlier this year. My dissertation topic was inspired by the recognition of belonging as essential for the healing, survival, and wellness of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in the face of structural oppression. My favorite piece of advice that has shifted the way I approach psychology is from my mentor, Dr. Helen Neville, who emphasized that there is no such thing as “dispassionate science” and encouraged me to do work that mattered to me and the communities I love. For students considering a career in psychology, I encourage you to consider what your “heart’s work” is, who benefits from this work, along with who you are accountable to in doing this work.