A Mental Health Discussion with Dr. Jalika Breaux

Dr. Jalika Breaux is an assistant professor of behavioral sciences in the Department of Clinical Medicine at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) in Sint Maarten.

Dr. Breaux is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in brief, medically integrated treatments and mental health interventions for underserved populations. She earned a dual master’s and doctorate in clinical and community psychology from Georgia State University in 2015. She completed her clinical internship at Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship through the Emory University Faculty Staff Assistance Program. We chatted with Dr. Breaux about her history and experience as a mental health professional.

Q: What exactly is clinical and community psychology? What drew you to that field?

A: Most people are familiar with clinical psychologists, as this is who comes to mind when most people think of a psychologist. Clinical psychologists often work as therapists, helping an individual, couple, or family by diagnosing and treating mental or behavioral health concerns. 
Community psychologists, on the other hand, focus on factors beyond an individual to promote positive change, health, and empowerment at individual and systemic levels with attention to social, cultural, economic, political, environmental, and international influences. For example, I recently consulted with a group of nonprofits on the social change work they do.

I was drawn to the field because the dual degree provides me with the best of both worlds. I knew I would find working therapeutically with individuals incredibly rewarding — and I have. However, I knew I also wanted to focus on creating change and supporting psychological well-being on a scale beyond the individual, with a focus on prevention, empowerment, and how our environment shapes our mental health — which is exactly my focus as a community psychologist.

Similarly, teaching at AUC gives me the ability to reach many more people by helping train future physicians who will go on to impact thousands of people’s lives each year. I help ensure that our graduates have excellent communication skills, practice with cultural humility, and can identify and treat the mental health needs of their future patients. I also encourage students to think beyond treating individual patients to the broader social and contextual factors that impact our health.

Q: As a clinical-community psychologist, how does psychotherapy differ between individuals, families, and groups? 

A: Psychotherapy can be beneficial for individuals, families, and groups. Each modality can be extremely beneficial to participants, and there are many different types of therapy for individuals, families, and groups. For example, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you may see an individual therapist who could help you understand behavioral barriers or facilitators of better sleep. Sleep, like most behaviors, is impacted by our environment, including family. Therefore, a psychologist may work with the parents of a child who is having sleep problems to modify the family’s routine to improve the child’s sleep. You could get help for your sleep problems within a group led by a therapist — benefits include learning from the successes of other group members in changing their sleep habits, the validation of not feeling alone with your sleep problem, and the ability for the group to reach more people. 

Q: How do individual, family, peer, and community influences affect behavior and mental health?

A: Each individual is nested within a family, peer group, and community, which is dynamic and changes over time. We have a reciprocal relationship with our environment — we impact our environment, which simultaneously impacts our mental health and well-being. 

Q: How does treating children and adolescents differ from treating adults?

A: Our psychological needs vary greatly across the lifespan as we grow and develop. For example, the emotional needs of infants and young children rely heavily on their relationships and attachments to caregivers. Teenagers often explore their social identities, practice living autonomously, and are heavily influenced by peer interactions. Psychological interventions, therefore, are designed to match with the individual with consideration to their developmental needs. For younger children, therapy is much more likely to include caregivers and teachers in a language familiar to children such as play or artistic expression. Teenagers often engage in more traditional talk therapy. I enjoy working with teenagers because they often have a lot to say about the state of the world and their thoughts and feelings, if you can build a trusting relationship with them. They are often reticent to discuss their struggles with their parents or authority figures.

Q: What can be done to improve mental healthcare accessibility for underserved populations?

A: People face many barriers when seeking mental healthcare. People of all ages, but especially young people, have struggled with mental health, which has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that stigma is at an all-time low, especially among many young adults, such as Generation Z, who are more willing than past generations to seek mental health treatment. However, access remains incredibly difficult for many. One way that I have sought to address this challenge is to practice in settings where people are already receiving their healthcare, for example in primary care clinics, which is called integrated care. Mental healthcare can and is also integrated in other places people work, play, and pray such as schools and workplaces. I have provided psychotherapy in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and workplaces. Technology is facilitating increased access in rural and other underserved communities — for example, through tele-psychotherapy and app-based programs.

Cost is also a major barrier for most people. Policies that help ensure that psychologists and other mental health providers are adequately reimbursed and support the development of the mental health workforce contribute to increased access. Designing our environments to tackle loneliness, which was recently declared a public health crisis by the United States surgeon general, is another example of an intervention that can go a long way towards supporting many people’s mental health and preventing people from needing therapy in the first place. 

Q: How can clinical-community psychology promote social justice, empowerment, and civic engagement?

A: Psychologists are always seeking to improve the lives of people with a focus on their mental health and well-being. Clinical psychologists tend to work with an individual on developing these skills, while community psychologists promote social justice, empowerment, and civic engagement on an organization or community level. 

Q: Does clinical-community psychology emphasize prevention over treatment? Or perhaps competencies over weaknesses?

A: Absolutely! 

Q: You worked on the Atlanta Veterans Administration (VA) Mental Health team. What was that like? Who were your patients?

A: At the VA, I was a part of a primary care team with mental health as an integrated, co-located part of the team. This means that when veterans came to see their primary care doctor, I would see them the same day as a part of the team if they expressed any mental health concerns. The VA has been at the forefront of integrated mental healthcare, which has had a positive impact on health outcomes for veterans and helped reduce some of the access issues that are such an issue for people seeking mental healthcare.

Q: What was your experience as a mental health professional during the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: The COVID-19 pandemic was emotionally taxing for everyone — especially for those of us in healthcare. I had a front-row seat to this and took on roles supporting the frontline workers and attending to the medical team’s emotional needs. Many of us also gained a new appreciation for the importance of social connection as a part of our health. Burnout and self-care became topics we can’t stop talking about. Finally, we saw the importance of community and systems in contributing to the health of individuals and populations.

Q: What are the biggest mental health challenges now, in 2024?

A: Technology has provided advancements in people accessing mental health treatment (e.g., facilitating increased access in rural and other underserved communities through tele-psychotherapy), but technology has also created numerous problems for people’s mental health. For example, climate change is causing stress on the health and well-being of many, social media is contributing to stress on youth, and Americans are lonelier than ever, in part because of a lack of face-to-face interaction and a sense of community.

People of all ages, especially young people, have struggled with mental health, which has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of accessible and affordable mental healthcare continues to prevent many people from getting the support they need.

Q: How and when did you end up teaching at AUC?

A: I have taught at AUC since 2021. I have enjoyed teaching and training future health professionals and have done so since graduate school. When the opportunity came to teach full time, I jumped at it — especially given the impact I could have in training future physicians.

Q: How does Sint Maarten differ from Georgia? What do you like best about living on a Caribbean island?

A: Sint Maarten is truly a special place. It has been easy to make the transition based on the friendliness and warmth of the people. It has a small-town feel, which I have never really experienced but have come to appreciate, while also having an incredibly diverse population with roots across the globe. 

Q: Do you enjoy teaching?

A: Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs. Like providing psychotherapy, I get to facilitate positive change. 

Q: What words of advice do you have for students considering a future in medicine?

A: Many students initially underestimate the importance of regular engagement in self-care and time management for their success in medical school and beyond. Medical school creates demands on students’ learning and organizational skills unlikely to have been experienced in other settings. I often hear from students at the end of their first two years at our Sint Maarten campus that they wish they would have scheduled short but regular breaks, prioritized sleep, and exercised from the very beginning. At AUC, we have a team of wellness professionals ready to support student success, and I encourage students to take advantage of it.

Thank you, Dr. Breaux, for the enlightening conversation! To learn more about mental health, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and during the month of May, see what you can do to further the cause of Mental Health Month. The CDC, too, has excellent tools and resources for anyone who may be struggling with a mental health crisis.

At AUC School of Medicine, our students move on to psychiatry and many other types of medical residencies. Our 2023–2024 MD graduates achieved a 98% first-time residency attainment rate*, and are now beginning their post-graduate training across 22 specialties. If a career in medicine interests you, learn more about AUC and our medical sciences curriculum, as well as the requirements for admission.

*First-time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2024-25 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2023-24 who were active applicants in the 2024 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.