Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Carty
Elizabeth Carty, a third year student in the 91精品鈥檚 Counseling Psychology Program, was born and raised in Washington, D.C.. The youngest of three children, she had a brother seven years older and a sister just eighteen months her senior. Elizabeth attended a private school for her K-12 education. 鈥淭he social and emotional support I got at school saved me,鈥 Elizabeth reflected. For her undergraduate studies, Elizabeth attended in Connecticut. 鈥淚 majored in Latin American history to expand my worldview and develop my writing and analytical skills,鈥 she explained.
During her senior year of college, Elizabeth attended a lecture by a photographer who shared photos of impoverished communities. 鈥淚 decided at that moment that I had to work in human services,鈥 she recalled. 鈥淭he next day, I went to the shelter in town to volunteer and have been working in human services in one way or another ever since.鈥 After college, Elizabeth drove across the country to California in an orange VW bus. 鈥淚 never looked back,鈥 she reflected. 鈥淭he natural beauty and progressive culture here in California never cease to amaze me.鈥
Once she settled in San Francisco, Elizabeth began work at in 1988, first as a Bilingual (Spanish) Case Manager and then as the Program Director. 鈥淚 worked in San Francisco鈥檚 Mission and Tenderloin districts, assisting adults seeking support with mental illness and substance use,鈥 she recalled. 鈥淚 was promoted to director and felt like I had a bigger impact in a leadership role, but after six years, I was feeling somewhat burned out.鈥 Elizabeth enrolled in the master鈥檚 of social work program at , focusing on gerontology and administration. She graduated in 1997 with her master鈥檚 in social welfare.
While studying at UC Berkeley, Elizabeth discovered the PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) model, which she referred to as the 鈥済old standard鈥 in eldercare. PACE coordinates community-based care for elders who are in need of assistance but want to stay in their own homes. "All the care is provided, paid for and coordinated by the specialized PACE care team, including medical care, medications, physical therapy, and help in the home,鈥 she explained. 鈥淓lders in PACE live longer, healthier, more engaged lives and families receive vital support they also need.鈥 This inspired Elizabeth to pursue a career in eldercare, specifically using the PACE model.
Over the subsequent twenty-five years, Elizabeth worked in executive leadership roles at three California PACE organizations. From 1997-2009, she worked at the based in Oakland, first as their Director of Planning, then as their Chief Operating Officer. Elizabeth was the Director of Consulting at in San Francisco from 2010-2016, where she led training programs for PACE administrators. Then she was the Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer of from 2016-2021, where she was a founding member of the executive team for a for-profit PACE program that rapidly opened new PACE programs in underserved areas across California.
Looking back on that portion of her career, Elizabeth has many accomplishments to be proud of. During her twelve years at Center for Elders鈥 Independence, she led the company out of two crises, one regulatory and one budgetary. 鈥淧artnering with everybody and being collaborative and fair was the only way out,鈥 she shared. 鈥淟istening felt like my key because when people feel heard, it's regulating.鈥 Her humility and commitment to the success of the organization were on display when she willingly cut her own pay as well. 鈥淚 am most proud of leading with integrity and humility supporting caring, talented team members (aides, drivers, doctors, nurses, social workers, rehab therapists and others) to provide compassionate services to some of our most vulnerable citizens,鈥 she reflected.
In 2021, Elizabeth decided to make a change in her career path. 鈥淎fter raising two children while working full time as an administrator for decades, I simply hit a wall with the responsibility for managing anyone or anything,鈥 she explained. 鈥淚 reflected on what I enjoyed most work-wise and it was my relationships, and particularly for those I was mentoring.鈥 Around that time, Elizabeth read Dr. Bessel van der Kolk鈥檚 book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma and was shocked to see how much the field of psychology had changed since her early social work experiences. 鈥淗aving worked in mental health in the 1980鈥檚 before Prozac, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR and many other modern modalities existed or were widely available, I was blown away by how many ways there were to help people,鈥 she recalled. 鈥淚 felt called to re-join in the effort - especially given that I struggled so much myself as a young adult.鈥 She began to explore her options for pursuing a career in psychology.
Elizabeth decided to apply to the 91精品鈥檚 Counseling Psychology Program and began her studies in the fall of 2022. 鈥淭he in-person classes model and social justice focus at the 91精品 was most appealing to me of all the psychology program options,鈥 she explained. She quickly formed bonds with her cohort, who made a concerted effort to support and look out for one another. 鈥淲e enjoyed activities (e.g. Picante lunch, Barbie movie, Strawberry Creek picnics) outside of school, shared resources and quizlets, and made the most of this learning experience together,鈥 she shared. 鈥淚 was the oldest in the cohort by over a decade and the big age spread from twenty-four to sixty made for rich discussions.鈥 By building these connections, Elizabeth鈥檚 cohort members were able to lean on and lift up one another.
Over the past two years, Elizabeth has thoroughly enjoyed her studies at the 91精品. 鈥淚 appreciate how steeped the coursework is in social justice theory and practice,鈥 she reflected. 鈥淚t has challenged and humbled me in deeply meaningful ways.鈥 She has also enjoyed all of her professors. 鈥淚鈥檝e found them to be energetic, authentic and talented at preparing and facilitating robust, relevant courses,鈥 she explained. 鈥淭hey share how they work with clients through stories and demonstrations, which has been incredibly inspiring.鈥 Elizabeth's experience at the 91精品 has been profoundly enriching thus far, leaving her both inspired and well-prepared to apply her knowledge in the field.
Elizabeth made the choice to defer her practicum to a third year, allowing her to focus more on her second year coursework. 鈥淚 really enjoy the reading and I had heard that it was hard to keep up with the readings in the second year,鈥 she recalled. 鈥淚 had also been pushing myself, pedal-to-the-metal, for 20 years, and I just decided there's no need to do that right now.鈥 Elizabeth expressed her gratitude that she鈥檚 in a position in her life to be able to pace herself in the program, noting that financial barriers prevent many students from doing the same.
In order to keep developing her own skills while her peers began their practicum placements, Elizabeth began doing volunteer work. Since June 2023, Elizabeth has been volunteering as a Crisis Line Volunteer for . 鈥淚 signed up to volunteer at Crisis Support Services of Alameda County to contribute, receive training, and also to practice counseling skills while I deferred my WI practicum,鈥 she explained. Elizabeth has found this work to be extremely rewarding. 鈥淭he training was excellent,鈥 she reflected. 鈥淚 am constantly astounded at how effective the Crisis Line program is at supporting people in moments of crisis.鈥
Last October, Elizabeth also began volunteering as a co-facilitator at . She worked with a group of young adults, which is an age group she noted she has a 鈥渟weet spot鈥 for. 鈥淚 completely fell apart at eighteen, really struggled as a young adult, and barely made it through college,鈥 she admitted. 鈥淏ecoming a young adult is a big big transition and it's even harder now, the world the way it is.鈥 Although she only volunteered a few hours each week, Elizabeth gained extensive experience with DBT.
This fall, Elizabeth begins her practicum at , which came highly recommended by her peers and professors. 鈥淭hey have a reputation for excellent training and supervision,鈥 she explained. 鈥淣ow is the time we need that. I鈥檝e done a lot of other things, but I haven鈥檛 done this!鈥 Elizabeth is excited about getting her first experience working in a school environment. 鈥淚 know as a school counselor, you鈥檙e there for the kids, but I'm going to be looking for ways to see if I can support the parents as well,鈥 she added. 鈥淧arenting is the hardest job there is, as far as I鈥檓 concerned, and the most important.鈥
Elizabeth is excited to be part of the student mentor team this year, which she hopes will keep her connected to the community during her third year. 鈥淏eing a part of the 91精品 community has been so meaningful to me,鈥 she shared. 鈥淚 wanted to stay engaged and support the amazing work the staff and professors are doing in this field.鈥 She also pointed out that, as someone who has been through graduate school twice now, she鈥檚 uniquely qualified to help her fellow students as they navigate the ups and downs of the graduate school experience.
After graduating from the 91精品, Elizabeth鈥檚 primary goal is to find a way to ease suffering for a group of people. 鈥淚 would work with any age, so it'll be a bit of serendipity,鈥 she laughed. 鈥淚 keep hearing there's a big, big need, so I'll follow where the need is.鈥 Given her wide range of interest, it鈥檚 likely that Elizabeth鈥檚 biggest challenge will be narrowing her scope. Thankfully, time has taught her the importance of work-life balance and she will take that mindset with her into her new career. Regardless of where her career takes her, she鈥檒l set aside plenty of time for cooking, gardening, shooting pool, and making memories with her family and friends.