INDS B.A: Visual Arts and Multicultural Therapy
Fall 2018 Capstone
Chinese International Transracial Adoptees Using Art-Based Narrative Interviewing to Practice Self Expression About Their Own Adoption Experience and Social Identity
My INDS Degree
The annual rate of international transracial adoptions have dramatically increased in America from 8,102 in 1989 to 19,237 in 2001 (Lee, R. M., 2003). An international transracial adoption (ITRA) occurs when an adoption unites parents and children who are racially, ethnically, and culturally different from one another. One challenge these adoptees face is achieving a healthy identity development process. My degree in Visual Arts and Multicultural Therapy I will integrate four different disciplines in order to learn how to counsel ITRA’s through the creative art process and develop a healthy identity process. My approach towards mental health counseling involves integrating visual arts, psychology, sociology, and social work to help ITRA’s foster self-awareness.
Degree Mentors
- Jayshree Jani, Associate Professor, Social Work
- Mariano Sto. Domingo, Assistant Research Scientist, Psychology
- Carrie Sauter, Assistant Director of Individualized Study
Post Graduation Plans
I envision myself enrolling in a graduate program to earn my masters of social work in child welfare, although not immediately after my undergraduate studies. My goal is to spend two years serving with the Peace Corps or Americorps as a volunteer to continue my passion towards community service in sustaining youth programs. I want to focus on gaining more community service work experience while saving money to help pay for graduate school programs.
As a backup plan I would continue to live in Baltimore and work for the Kennedy Krieger Institute in their Clinical Assistant program. This program focuses on direct care and supervision of inpatients at the Neurobehavioral Unit, who have severe behavioral problems or educational disabilities
Courses In My Degree Plan
✅ Psychotherapy and Behaviors: Analyze psychotherapy assessments and evaluate different maladaptive behaviors from the perspective of Psychology. (PSYC 285, 324, 345, 340, 380)
✅ Human Development: Recognize how to identify different human developmental stages and evaluate how each stage influences identity development. (SOWK 387, 388, 389 / PSYC 200)
✅ Culture and Identity: Analyze how culture influences healthy identity development. (ANTH 211 / MILL 306 / SOWK 374 / PSYC 330 / SOCY 300)
✅ Visual Arts: Learn about the creative process of visual arts and apply those skills into counseling. (ART 320, 360, 370)
✅ Individualized Study: Learn how to integrate the different disciplines of my degree and apply this integration to my capstone project. (INDS 330, 335, 399, 430, 480, 490 / HAPP 403)