By Alisa Lashley

MENTAL health serves as an essential part of children’s overall health and has a complex interactive relationship with their physical health and their ability to succeed in school, at work and in society. Both physical and mental health affect how we think, feel and act on the inside and outside.

With the lack of child psychologists in Guyana, and children with mental illnesses having to seek intervention until they enter adulthood, former teacher and young psychologist Denicia Williams is on a mission to curb the aforementioned issue by becoming Guyana’s first child psychologist.

Hailing from Buxton, Denicia explained that she is aware of certain stereotypes that may be placed on her. “Now, once you tell people you are a Buxtonian, they already have their predisposed ideas about you. But Denicia is one to watch. Well, who says good things can’t come out of Buxton? I am a living example. I am a Seventh-Day Adventist, and my father, Pastor Andre Williams, serves in that capacity. So yes, I am a Preacher’s Kid,” she said.

Growing up as the only girl and the eldest among two brothers was different from the average child. Denicia attended the Winfer Gardens Nursery and Primary schools, subsequently St. Gabriel’s Primary School. Her high school years were spent at North West Secondary School.

According to the budding child psychologist in a recent interview, she had limited socialisation due to several circumstances; one such was the 2002 jailbreak that ravaged the community.
“I was exposed to a battlefield by day and a warzone by night. Where I lived was in the heart, all that took place. I recall having to hide under my bed many nights for the fear of bullets that would pass through our home. We were forced to move because we started to receive death threats. Outdoor time was restricted not by choice, rather as a safety measure. I was 10 years old when I experienced my first traumatic incident,” Denicia expressed.

Due to the many relocating instances, Denicia said that it soon reflected on her performance at school.
“Mentally, I was frustrated, and little did I know it was affecting me holistically. Over time, my dad decided to become a minister of religion, adding to my already overwhelming life. It was all my major life experiences [that] fuelled my passion and commitment to the profession I am in today “she said.
After successfully completing her secondary education, Denicia had her heart set on becoming a doctor, but like the old proverbs suggest, “Our plans are usually different from the plans of the almighty.”

“For a while, I was stuck, unsure of what route to take. As I sat reflecting one day about how difficult my life was and how impossible it is for me to overcome these emotional scars, I followed in the path of restoration with a scholarship provided by the Guyana Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. I pursued a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of the Southern Caribbean,” Williams posited.

During her studies, she realised her love for proper care, understanding, and nurturing children through all the correct stages of development. Reflecting on her childhood, the 26-year-old woman noted that she was robbed of the opportunity to be a child. As such, she aims to be an advocate for the voices that cannot be heard.
“Being a psychologist is a uniquely rewarding gift, and the power it gives creates an atmosphere of healing, hope, and peace. Each day as I interact with varied persons from all walks of life, I aspire to leave with them hope. It takes courage, extra effort to decide firstly to walk into a place that is seen as a taboo to many Guyanese and to say I need help in coping with life’s challenges and situations,” she said.

Additionally, she expressed, “This warrants enough for me to be a listening ear and supportive of the process of self-empowerment. Saying I want to take care of myself mentally and during that period hoping you are stigmatised and victimised shows the bravery and strength of the individual. As such, in each interaction, I strive to promote hope despite the odds. ”

This young psychologist noted that the most satisfying aspect of her job is seeing growth and development a person would receive overtime, due to their commitment to becoming a new person.
“Thriving as a psychologist in Guyana is a task and is slowly becoming a part of our societal diaspora. One thing to note is the stigma attached to mental illness. It is easy for the common person to associate this area with ‘mad persons.’ While psychotic and manic disorders are aspects of mental health, it also covers areas of interest like depression, anxiety, and other illnesses,” she explained. “In my effort to make people aware of what mental health is, I would create a sensitisation platform that features the likes of letting all know what mental health is about and what you can do as an individual to help persons struggling. The more we know, the better equipped we are to help people access the services provided for their betterment.”

This former teacher at the Georgetown International Academy credited her success to her mom, the late Donna Williams, whom she said played an instrumental role in her life and her fiancé, dad, brothers, close friends, and family, who all continue to encourage her.

Williams added, “If it’s one thing I live by is a prayerful life and one that involves God always. I will encourage all to place your life and all that you desire to accomplish in his hand and watch him do wonders. I am a living witness, and I know he is not done with me yet. Do not allow anything or anyone to deter you from being successful. You have it within you. Believe it, claim it, dream it, and achieve it with his help. Lastly, whatever you do, ensure there is a love for it; if not, it would become meaningless and defeat the true intentions.”

Apart from being a psychologist at the Ministry of Health under the Mental Health Unit, Denicia is an avid writer who plans to publish her first of many books soon. The upcoming author said that she had written five pieces for a Women’s devotional for the Women’s Ministries Department of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists.

Denicia is expected to read for her Master of Science in Psychology (MS) with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Psychology at the Southern New Hampshire University in the upcoming year. She also plans to complete her Doctoral Degree in Clinical Child Psychology.