Broquelynn Shepard

Background

About Broquelynn Shepard

How are you showing up for yourself today? How are you supporting your village? I am the daughter of Dina and Erick, and the granddaughter of Melanie. As a Columbus, Ohio native, community engagement and outreach has been the cornerstone of my development. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a multicultural focus from Alabama State University in 2018. I went on to earn my Master of Science in Community Psychology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2020. Presently, I am a counseling psychology doctoral candidate, working as a chief research officer (CRO) on the AYA Research Team (AYA), leading and assisting projects highlighting Black families' racial socialization processes using qualitative approaches and related analyses (grounded theory, phenomenological inquiry, and thematic analysis). As a CRO, I train and manage a qualitative research core of undergraduate and masters-level students as we code dyadic interviews using analytic software (Dedoose). Alongside my invaluable work as a member of AYA, I coordinate community outreach events using art-based modalities at local community centers in Richmond, VA. Through this work, I discovered my research passions which include focusing on Black womxn’s relationships with their body, socialization, identity development, and relationships. My clinical work centers on the experiences of Black and Brown girls, women, and femmes as it relates to racial and social identity development/exploration, systemic concerns, trauma, and inter- and intrapersonal relationships. My theoretical orientation is grounded in womanist theory, multicultural frameworks, and relational cultural theory which provides a foundation to utilize evidenced-based interventions.