Professional Pathways in Psychology Workshop

Lillian Chen, PsyD

Licensed Psychologist Associate Director, and Training Coordinator

UW Bothell Counseling Center

When I moved to North America from Taiwan at age 14, I experienced a lot of conflicts and cultural clashes with my parents. I also had my first breakup in high school which left me feeing sad and helpless. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to talk to a psychologist in my community, who truly understood how I felt and helped me have better insight about my situation. This made a tremendous difference in my life. It aspired me to become a psychologist so I can pay it forward and help others who need support during a tough time, just like I once did.

Cindy Gonzales, MSW, LICSW

Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Clinical Case Manager

UW Bothell Counseling Center

My undergrad degree is in journalism and while working as a reporter for a newspaper I became involved with  the Division of Unaccompanied Children Services. This sparked my interest for social service. After meeting with professional social workers in the field I learned how broad it was and all the places that social workers are able to practice. I retuned to UW Seattle to pursue an MSW degree. Most of my experience as a social worker has been at local hospitals in the ER and inpatient. In the ER I do mental health evaluations and inpatient I conduct discharge plans. I have also spent time as a youth suicide prevention trainer for the Youth Suicide Prevention Program and participated in the King County Death Review board. I also have a private practice as a psychotherapist. 

You can find social workers working with DOJ, congress, attorney offices, social welfare departments, for profit and nonprofit agencies among others. This variety of opportunities sparked my interest in the field and continues to be one of the reasons I stay. I’ve always been able to find the flexibility I need between my personal life and work.  I also love working with individuals and families alike and witness their transformation. Now at UW I enjoy connecting students to services that can help meet their goals.

Amy Paulson, MSW, LMHCA

Mental Health Counselor

UW Bothell Counseling Center

I was first exposed to the mental health field as a peer counselor in high school and through serving as an RA in college. I was thrilled to think that I could pursue a career walking alongside people on their life journey. One of my undergrad majors was psychology and my plan was to pursue a master's degree in counseling. A mentor in college exposed me to the possibility of a Master in Social Work due to the breadth of places you can serve, and I also valued the focus on social justice. I chose to do clinical internships and take clinical classes in my MSW degree. In addition, as part of my MSW degree I completed classes, practicum hours and took my state exam to be a WA State School Social Worker.

I tend to straddle between both clinical and outreach jobs. I enjoy being able to be in the mental health field in different roles and with varied populations.  I consider it a privilege to be in the business of pointing towards ‘hope’ and deeply believe "...we must not deviate from the path of encouragement" (A. Adler).

Trevor Taone, M.S.

Doctoral Psychology Intern

UW Tacoma Psychological & Wellness Services

Amber Williams, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

UW Seattle Department of Psychology

I study how children think about racial and ethnic categories, stereotypes, and inequality. I also examine how children's beliefs and attitudes about racial/ethnic groups impact their behaviors, including their friendship choices. Finally, I am interested in better understanding the direct and indirect messages parents and other socializers send children about race and ethnicity and how these messages impact children's own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.