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SPRING 2026 • VOLUME 16
CURRENT STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: STEPHAN OLIVEIRA
2 YEAR PSYD STUDENT (HE/HIM) ND
What has been the most challenging aspect of your training?
In a field that is concerned with the personal, you can be caught by surprise by what ends up being more personal to you than you realized. You learn a lot about what resonates with you more heavily and how that impacts the way that you show up in spaces. There is such a tricky balancing act regarding how vulnerable you get in professional spaces because much of this work is vulnerable by its very nature. You’re constantly reflecting on and evaluating yourself. For example, I thought that I wouldn’t be interested in working with children, but I found out through practicum that I actually really enjoy working with kids! I’ve learned a lot about the ways that I show up in rooms and how that shapes the way I view all my various worlds. It’s a growing pain for sure, but it’s very welcome. What are your professional goals? Upon licensure, I would like to develop an enduring relationship with our LGBT+ community health centers in the Chicago area to create a practice that specializes in assessment and diagnostics for transgender and nonbinary individuals. Additionally, there is a significant lack of transfeminine providers and transgender providers of color in the field of psychology; my hope is to create outreach programming that encourages these populations to seek careers in psychology through mentorship and education.
(312) 261-3036
www.nl.edu
Chicago, IL
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