Jen Wilson Home Team Scholarship
Jen Wilson Home Team Scholarship Graduate: Marisa L. C de Baca
I am so proud to share that the first recipient of the Jen Wilson Home Team Scholarship, Marisa L. C de Baca, has completed her MSW Clinical Concentration degree & graduated from New Mexico Highlands University in May 2023. Her future plans include working within the trauma field, focusing on somatic & non-ordinary states of consciousness therapy. She hopes to open a center supporting those who work in spiritually-centered modalities of therapeutic connection. Marisa received the prestigious Facundo Valdez Exemplary Award in her last semester & presented during a legislative session as part of her course work. I have enjoyed witnessing her growth during her studies & cannot wait to see the difference she will continue to make in our community, state & world. It is an honor to celebrate her achievement alongside her & I know that her contributions to our community will be purposeful & far-reaching.
“I want to say how incredibly thankful I am to Jen Wilson & being blessed to be picked as recipient of this scholarship. The program at NMHU was absolutely amazing & gave me the skill set, as well as fundamental knowledge to move forward in this field, this movement & the cultural understanding to work in this field. Words could never encompass my gratitude & this degree has & will undoubtedly contribute to provide incredible opportunities that were not achievable without it. Incredibly grateful.” -Marisa L. C de Baca
Marisa has not taken the traditional route with her undergraduate education. She instead followed what she refers to as a “detour loop” by immersing herself in experiential learning. She chose to study in Mexico which allowed for deeper connections to another culture, language & the art of metalsmithing. She will continue to create beautiful wearable art, but desires to be more intentional with her work in the future. Her genetics seem to be made for marrying the two disciplines; her father is an artist & alumni of NMHU & her grandmother was a psychoanalyst. Both have been influential in her journey & outlook on life. Her studies & career path will honor the New Mexico community & the Healing Arts; two things very near & dear to my heart.
Marisa will utilize her Masters in Clinical Social Work to open a clinic focusing on Transpersonal Therapy, utilizing Psychedelic Integrative Therapy & Holotropic Breathwork. MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), a leader in psychedelic research, has found promising links with psychedelic-assisted therapies & altered states of consciousness in effectively treating individuals experiencing PTSD, post-partum depression & anxiety, as well as in couples counseling & hospice care. Marisa is passionate about honoring her roots & plans to focus on offering her services to underserved populations who may not have access to alternative modalities. She envisions partnering with clinicians, massage therapists & other holistic practitioners to deliver treatments that encompass spiritual wellness, mind-body relations, consciousness & human transformation.