Shawn Parra
Doctoral Student
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About
Shawn (he/him/his) is a Dominican male, born in the US. Originally from Providence, RI, he has been a resident and student in Boston for the past 10 years. He graduated Boston University with a BA (2014) and MA (2016) in Psychology, as well as an MSW (2020). The decision to return to school and get a PhD in social work was due to his experience as an in-home clinician for two years and his time as an outpatient therapist in a community health center. He is a firm believer that individuals behave differently depending on their context, and not solely because of their biology. As such, he looks to this PhD to do more than work one-on-one with but also help to change the oppressive systems themselves. Shawn's research and policy interests include mental health and increasing access for marginalized communities, and creating more culturally and linguistically appropriate treatments for the Spanish-speaking community. When outside of the social work realm, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new foods, traveling, and dancing!