Student Researcher of Color:
Erwinique Brown

Erwinique Brown is a native of Jacksonville, Florida with a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Alabama State University. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counseling from Alabama A&M University. Erwinique has experience working in correctional mental health and addiction/recovery and plans to work in substance abuse counseling and private practice. She is currently a counseling intern at a community substance abuse clinic for opioid addiction.

Erwinique is also an Area Health Education Center scholar for North Alabama, where she receives interdisciplinary healthcare training and opportunities that benefit rural and urban communities. Erwinique desires to earn a PhD in clinical psychology after obtaining licensure in counseling.

Tell us about your research.

My research is focused on psychological/counseling services accessibility. I am conducting a counseling needs assessment in my local area, specifically two counties. I want to understand the barriers and gaps in counseling services that are experienced with professional perspectives as well as those in the community. This information can help visualize the psychological needs and stages that the community needs assistance with, to promote overall wellbeing.

What inspired your interest in this area of study?

An event inspired my research project. During my group counseling course this past summer (2023), I was required to attend different groups that would provide psychoeducation or counseling. There were not many of these groups held during the summer, but I was able to find a support group in Decatur, Alabama, which is about 25 minutes from where I reside in Huntsville, Alabama. During the very small group, a member mentioned the lack of mental health/services in Decatur for individuals. I was concerned after hearing this, and I thought there were maybe more resources than was known, but the search did not result in many resources and providers.

This caused me to want to launch a project to discover the needs of those in the specific community, since I am not yet on a certified and licensed level to provide services myself. I then added Madison County, which is the county that I live in, because I have also heard of gaps in services in my residential area, even though it is the number one growing city in Alabama. I want this project to allow all voices to be heard, regardless of class, profession, insurance, or identity.

How do you see your research moving the field of psychology?

This research will highlight gaps in services, which could inspire others to do the same. I have an advocacy spirit, so my mindset is to discover what is needed, and try to figure out how the need can be met. In my research proposal, I stated that once I have results, I will take the data to “Those who could possibly do something about the problem”. This includes my state’s public health department, state mental health department, and even the National Alliance of Mental Health. I foresee this research planting seeds for future projects. My project has a unique sense of not only gathering the community’s perspective but also the practitioners and professionals that are in those areas. This could lead to various trainings, counseling approaches, and programs to recruit counselors and practitioners in different service areas. All these ideas can help individuals get the assistance that they need to improve their overall wellbeing.

What policy, practice, and public health significance does your research have?

My research is significant to public health. Access to health care is one of the main public health concerns for my local area as well as on a nationwide level. There are so many factors such as provider availability, specialty, office correspondence, insurance, and training that affect the access of care, and it shows with the low level of well-being that many of community members experience. Limited access to healthcare, especially mental health care is often visual and has negative effects for any community member. This information could help public health officials to allocate resources and support in certain areas, improving management of mental health concerns and wellbeing.

What is something you wish you knew about the research process before you started?

I wish I understood the magnitude of research, back when I first learned about it years ago. Research often has the stigma of being uninteresting and tedious, and I think that it is due to the presentation of research. Research is everywhere, and it can be as simple or as complex as one desires it to be. I believe as researchers and the topics continue to diversify, more people will understand the magnitude of research and the importance of contributing to it.

What’s next for you?

I am graduating this December (2024) and I plan on obtaining my associate license as a counselor and working towards my licensed professional counselor license. Afterwards or dually, I plan to further my studies in a clinical psychology PhD program and continue to share my research at various conferences. I can be found on LinkedInopens in new window with my name, for updates or connections.