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Daniel B

- Research Program Mentor

PhD at University of Georgia

Expertise

International Psychology; Global Mental Health; Counseling; Capacity Building; Disability Justice; Disability Education; Juvenile Justice; Leadership

Bio

Aloha! My name is Daniel Balva (he/him), and I am a Postdoctoral Psychology Resident at the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System in Honolulu, Hawai'i, where I work with Veterans across the Pacific Basin and in Primary Care settings. I am passionate about global mental health, multiculturalism and international social justice concerns, juvenile justice, and disability awareness— all of which form the basis of my research interests, leadership involvement in various organizations, and international collaborations and engagement. I have had the great fortune of being able to work in a number of countries including Guatemala, Perú, and Haiti, while also collaborating with colleagues across 30+ countries across the globe thus far. International and global psychology have been meaningful passions of mine, in addition to traveling, learning more about different cultures and what psychology looks like across the globe, and, of course, trying new foods!

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Building Capacity Through Mental Health Education

In many countries, rural locations, and low-resourced areas, mental health services can be minimal, costly, and inaccessible. Communal capacity building and trainings can help serve as a meaningful way to navigate such obstacles. In this project, we will identify local community leaders (e.g., teachers, student leaders, medical professionals and personnel, etc.) and create/disseminate a foundational guide on ways these identified leaders can better support individuals experiencing difficulties with mental health.

Disability Education: Addressing Ableism Across Professional Settings

Persons with disabilities comprise the largest minority group across the globe, yet disability is often overlooked as an important component of diversity in training and professional development. In this project, we will identify standards related to disability etiquette, accommodations, and competencies for dismantling and addressing ableism—whether in classroom settings, medical settings, mental health settings, and/or other settings!

Exploring and Disrupting the Pipeline to Juvenile Justice Involvement

In the United States, minority youth—including but not limited to, youth of color, female youth, youth with disabilities, sexual and gender minority youth, and youth of low socioeconomic status, have been found to have disproportionate rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system. In this project, we will identify societal injustices, unjust policies, and risk factors that contribute to greater disproportionality of minority youth and juvenile justice system involvement, and ways to use such findings to better advocate for at-risk youth—whether in the United States and/or in other identified countries. Findings can be disseminated by means of a literature review, oral presentation, publication, podcast, or webinar!

Let Your Passions, Interests, and Creativity Drive Your Project!

The above-listed projects are just a few ideas from which we can work off, but please know that I will gladly support you in choosing a project that aligns most closely with your passions, goals, and sense of creativity! And if you might have difficulties choosing one particular project idea, I'm happy to support you in working through your ideas and identifying what might be a good fit based on your area(s) of interest!

Languages I know

Spanish: intermediate; Hebrew: conversational

Teaching experience

I taught two undergraduate courses in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services at the University of Georgia between 2018-2021, which included 1) Introduction to Counseling and Human Development Services, and 2) The Development & Experience of Gender in the U.S. I have also guest lectured for a number of courses at the University of Georgia and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Credentials

Work experience

VA Pacific Islands Health Care (2022 - Current)
Psychology Postdoctoral Resident
VA Pacific Islands Health Care (2021 - 2022)
Psychology Intern
Atlanta VA Healthcare System (2020 - 2021)
Doctoral Psychology Trainee
University of Georgia's Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation (2019 - 2020)
Doctoral Psychology Trainee

Education

University of Central Florida
BA Bachelor of Arts (2014)
English
Florida International University
MS Master of Science (2017)
Counselor Education
University of Georgia
PhD Doctor of Philosophy (2022)
Counseling Psychology

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