Eric Garcia
Undocumented and DACAmented Mental Health
Blog Post by Eric Garcia, PhD, Senior Staff Therapist & Latinx Student Specialist
from the UO Counseling Center website at: https://counseling.uoregon.edu/undocumented-and-dacamented-mental-health
see also: https://cllas.uoregon.edu/resources/daca-info/latinx-undocumented-student-specialists/
Photo by Molly Adams (CC BY 2.0)
It goes without saying that being a dreamer or undocumented can feel like a nightmare. You are tasked with moving forward without the same opportunities provided to others around you. If you have DACA, you’re only able to plan two years of your life a time (assuming there are no abrupt executive orders). If you are mixed-status, you may be greatly worried about your family and loved ones. If you are undocumented and do not consider yourself a dreamer or DACAmented, you may have well-intentioned people (such as myself) who do not always address your unique experiences.
Some of these identities may mean that you miss out on experiences like driving a car, studying abroad, or receiving financial aid. You most likely also have to deal with anti-immigrant rhetoric or experience overt racism and xenophobia in your daily life. Lastly, you may feel the need to keep this aspect of your life to yourself, while only letting a trusted few know what you are going through. I name these experiences not to bring more worries to you, but rather, to acknowledge in amazement the profound challenges that you continue to surmount, as well as to offer some guidance and resources as you continue to press on. › Continue reading
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