Makayla Freeman
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
Inclusive and trauma-informed mental health and parenting care can be difficult to find yet offers one of the most promising pathways to preventing the intergenerational transmission of stress. More robust research and program development is urgently needed meet the mental health and parenting needs of all families, and I decided to pursue a graduate degree to equip me to contribute to filling this gap. I hope to become a researcher and clinician who offers services and conducts research that improve outcomes for families, especially those who are currently overlooked and underserved.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
Living in Vancouver has been a dream of mine for many years, and studying here provided the perfect opportunity to put down roots and make Vancouver home. UBC's wealth of resources and robust scholarly community helped me feel confident that the community here would shape me into the researcher that I wanted to become.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
I believe every person has inherent worth and dignity, the capacity for change and a right to accessible services and support. Thus, the counselling psychology program's orientation towards social justice and core values of equity, accessibility, and cultural considerations align with my values and continuing education goals. I have appreciated the opportunity to learn in a community whose values align with those of anti-oppressive, trauma-informed and community-centred practice. In particular, I've had the honour of working with Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen in the Healthy Families Lab since 2019, and I continue to learn from her compassionate leadership and unwavering commitment to social justice. Continuing to learn under her guidance was an opportunity I couldn't pass up!
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
Before moving here, many people warned me that it can be hard to build a community from scratch in Vancouver. My experience has been the opposite — the relationships and community I have built here have taught me invaluable lessons about fostering meaningful connections through mutual aid, intentionality and a shared commitment to upholding our collective values.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Having a good support system has grounded me in times of stress, reminded me of what matters most and dragged me away from my computer and to the beach when I needed a break. I'm thankful for my partner, my friends and my supervisor, who reminds me to nurture my whole self.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
I like to read fiction that helps me dream for a better future, walk in Pacific Spirit Park and bike along the coast.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
You are more than your program. As much as school will pull for all your time and mental energy, remember what brought you here and who you want to be on the other side. Building relationships, staying connected to your local community, having hobbies and connecting with the land will sustain you far more than overworking ever will.
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Learn more about Makayla's research
There have been significant advances in perinatal mental health care in recent years, but Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender minorities (2SLGBTQIA+) individuals have largely been overlooked. Due to cisheteronormative assumptions about pregnant people and their families, many perinatal mental health resources are not inclusive of 2SLGBTQIA+ families. Many existing resources reinforce the idea that 2SLGBTQIA+ parents are non-normative and devalued, conferring an additional burden to 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals who seek support. Family structures, relational dynamics and support networks may be more diverse in LGBTQ+ families, necessitating nuanced and flexible understandings in perinatal mental health programming. Additionally, perinatal mental health interventions for 2SLGBTQIA+ people must address the intersectional and systemically rooted stressors that may be negatively impacting their mental health and build on the community care, resistance and advocacy that 2SLGBTQIA+ communities use to navigate inequitable systems. Thus, my research focuses on the impacts of trauma and discrimination in the transition to parenthood and aims to co-create inclusive, innovative and effective mental health supports, in partnership with 2SLGBTQIA+ families.