Profile: Tisha Calhoun
Tisha Calhoun, LCSW-S, is an online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) student living in Texas. Calhoun holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio.
Beyond being a doctoral candidate, Calhoun is a Peer Mentor through Tulane School of Social Work's Peer Mentoring Program, which aims to decrease feelings of isolation, increase guidance on adjusting to doctoral studies, and provide mentoring experience and training to recent or soon-to-be DSW graduates. We've asked her a few questions about the DSW program and her experience as a Peer Mentor.
Why did you decide to get your DSW? Why Tulane?
In my supervisory role overseeing multiple clinicians, I believe it's my ethical responsibility to continue learning as the field of social work evolves. The DSW program offered me the chance to further expand my knowledge. Tulane's administrative team was incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the admissions process, and I truly appreciated that.
The DSW program has expanded my knowledge of administrative tasks, deepening my understanding of areas such as program evaluation, policy, pedagogy, and research.
Tisha Calhoun, LCSW-S
Did you receive mentorship in the early days of your DSW program? How was that?
I had a mentor during my first semester of the DSW program. I reached out to him for our initial meeting. I was able to reach out to him when I needed a second eye on papers or when I had questions. He supported me with encouragement. I remember him saying, “You are a good writer.” Then he proceeded to share how certain tools can help me review grammar issues for papers. He also let me know that the program would require a lot of time and work. He encouraged me to maintain a healthy work/life balance and not take on too much stress outside the program.
Why did you decide to become a mentor?
The support my mentor gave me during my first semester was pivotal to my success in the program. I wanted to be a support for others who were in the program and might need some encouragement or direction.
Share a little bit about your APP and the work you do, both academically and professionally. In what ways has the DSW program helped you grow?
My primary APP addresses the identification of ways mindfulness is showing up in the literature and how it is impacting racial minority youth with anxiety. My secondary APP addresses ways supervisors in the social work field can provide emotional support for supervisees in social work.
I am a supervisor with the Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN) and Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN) programs. They are grant-funded programs in the state of Texas. All services are offered at no cost to patients or providers. I am in an outpatient Behavioral Health setting with clinicians who support pediatricians and family practitioners who treat children and perinatal women who may be experiencing mental health issues. Our team connects primary care providers with psychiatrists for behavioral health consultations. We also share mental health topic-related resources and offer training for primary care providers.
The DSW program has expanded my knowledge of administrative tasks, deepening my understanding of areas such as program evaluation, policy, pedagogy, and research.
What’s your best tip for incoming DSW students?
Maintain a positive mindset and be prepared to grow both personally and academically. Throughout the program and your interactions with others, you'll discover a lot about yourself.
