By the time celebrated psychologist Mariel Buqué (Ph.D. ’19) graduated from TC, she was already developing her fresh methodology to address intergenerational trauma. Buqué embarked on this journey after a difficult session with a client, and as she investigated the sources of inherited trauma and what practices can help people heal, she was able to identify the roots of her own generational pain as a Black immigrant Dominican woman. Buqué developed methods to counteract the mental, physical and spiritual effects of inherited trauma, which she details in her book Break the Cycle, leading to healing for her clients, her family and, importantly, herself. “If I am to be a clinician that requires a client to go into their deepest vulnerabilities, then I have to hold myself to the same standards,” says Buqué.
Whether speaking to her 300,000 social media followers or those watching her on the news at home, Buqué has emerged as an influential voice in the mental health space and expert in intergenerational trauma. She shares her wealth of knowledge through media appearances and her practice, Break the Cycle Trauma Center, which provides a host of trauma-informed, culturally responsive and inclusive services to clients from a wide range of backgrounds. “I'm honored that I have a public and international voice so that the mental health conversation can reflect the experiences [of people like me] and the ways that we can best heal,” she says.
We sat down with Buqué to learn more about her inspirations, career and how she continues to break the cycle. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What has it been like to work through intergenerational trauma alongside your clients?
MB: Going through the process alongside my clients was both insightful and heavy, but I think that that's what's expected. When we get into the depths of our souls and our wounds, it hurts. What sprung from that, beyond my own personal insights, were professional insights to work with generational trauma in a way that felt more trauma-responsive and more trauma-corrective. It [also] helped me to have greater compassion for the journey that my clients were on.
Watch: Mariel Buqué on the Today show
How have conversations around mental health changed during your career?
MB: When I first came into this space, the conversation felt very psychology 101. [But] right now, I feel like we are in the ‘how’ era of therapy and mental health — the era in which people are more open and hungrier for actual tools so they can learn how to engage in the healing process. It's a beautiful thing to see as a clinician that has been in this space for a number of years. I can have these very in-depth conversations about the complexities of the mind, about the ways in which healing can be complex, and I find that to be a much more rewarding experience.
Because I saw this landscape shift, in my book, I was very intentional about going into the rooted causes of why we're in pain [as well as] how systems are diseased and perpetuate harm for so many of us, especially vulnerable populations.
“There is a unique gift within all of us that is waiting to blossom. When we are in spaces that are highly demanding, oftentimes we get caught up in the day to day and forget that there is a greater purpose that we're all here to fulfill.”
Are there any major lessons from your time at TC that continue to influence you?
MB: TC has opened doors for me and has allowed me to see myself in different ways. During my first year, I had the incredible honor of being mentored by [lecturer] Dr. Elizabeth Fraga, who created the Bilingual Latinx Mental Health Concentration within the Counseling Psychology program. I was the first doctoral student to graduate with that concentration, and it was such a pivotal part of my journey at TC.
It helped me to see what my mission was in this work and how to tailor the work from an intentional cultural framework that considered the human that's sitting vulnerably in front of us. I felt very seen and like I had a clinical home in that concentration.
You mention your family’s cycle-breaking practice in the book, how are they continuing that work?
MB: My mom surprises me all the time with the ways in which she continues to [find] a healthier and happier self. The ways that she's taking care of her health, which was never a factor in her life before, the ways that she engages in humor, all these things are a part of the lifting of pain. [Her joy] helps me to feel like the hard moments we [went] through to get here were worth it. I also reflect that to clients, and even clinicians within my practice to help them understand there is something to look forward to once we get through the mud.