‘It’s Okay to Reach Out for Help’

It was hard to pursue my dream of becoming a psychologist at first. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico to a working-class family; neither of my parents had a college degree. I had to leave home after I came out to my parents as gay because they didn’t take it well. They forced me into conversion therapy with the hopes of changing my sexuality. 

Altogether, it was a really unstable time for me. When I started studying psychology, because I didn’t have access to the resources I needed—both emotionally and financially—I dropped out my senior year. I worked as a hairdresser and make-up artist for a while and, through that, came to accept my identities. But my dream was still to be a psychologist, and something was missing in my life.

I eventually decided to try a kind of therapy that provided respectful and affirmative care for the first time. It was so nice to talk with someone who could help me process the traumatic experiences I went through and come to terms not only with the challenges I faced as a Puerto Rican gay man, but also to learn that I have ADHD. After that, I returned to school and graduated with my bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.

I started working as a clinician at Tufts around a year ago. I do this because I believe in the power of higher education. I believe that all students should have access to informed and affirmative care, to the support and resources they need to thrive in college. Soon, I’ll be at the Latinx Center for two hours a week offering confidential, 20-minute meetings with students.

If I could share a message with students, I would tell them it’s okay to reach out for help. Contact the center—we’re here to be a part of their journey, and I’m honored to assist them in any way I can.

Samuel Ocasio-Domínguez, Ph.D. is a staff clinician at the Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service.

Our Tufts is a series of personal stories shared by members of the Tufts community and featured on both Tufts Now and Instagram.