Healing from Family Challenges is a six-week group that provides psychoeducation and skills that help address the effects of adverse childhood experiences. It helps the members to recognize how these past challenging experiences might be impacting their current functioning and helps individuals identify healthy ways of coping with their experiences. Students transition from surviving past experiences to thriving in the present. The group creates a safe and supportive environment to develop an alternate way of looking at the past and develop a sense of meaning and purpose that help them thrive today.

Wednesdays, 3:00 PM-4:30 PM beginning February 19

The first step to joining any group is to complete an Initial Consultation appointment. Please call us at 410-455-2542 or visit the RetrieverCare portal to schedule.

For general group questions, or if you need accommodations for a disability, please send a secure message to CC Front Desk via the patient portal at least one week prior to the start of group and RIH will arrange for services.

All RIH services are LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and are welcoming to all diverse populations.

Meet Emmanuella Osei, a junior studying public health and sociology and the president of UMBC’s Public Health Council of Majors. She is passionate about health equity, public service, and mentorship. As a Retriever, Emmanuella is a fearless leader, actively involved in multiple scholar programs, and volunteer initiatives across the globe—from Maryland to South Africa to Costa Rica. Her commitment to high-impact research has led her to tackle critical issues like food insecurity among students at UMBC and access to long-term COVID-19 care. She is a proud recipient of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. Her dedication to making a difference continues to take her where she is most needed. Take it away, Emmanuella!

Q: Briefly introduce yourself. What’s one essential thing you’d want another Retriever to know about you?

A:  I am pursuing a dual degree in public health and sociology and a certificate in the social dimensions of health. Throughout my time at UMBC, I have engaged in many experiential learning opportunities. In the summer following my freshman year, I interned at Columbia Community Care, a non-profit in Howard County that offers hunger relief, youth development, and wellness programs. In summer of 2024, I participated in the Summer Research Opportunity Program at the University of Michigan, where I researched access to long COVID care in the HELPER lab at the School of Public Health. Most recently, I participated in the AIFS study abroad program in Costa Rica where I learned about Costa Rica’s health care and tropical systems.

Q: Tell us about your primary WHY, and how it led you to UMBC.

A: I came to UMBC because of the vibrant and supportive community I felt when I first toured the campus. I knew that as an immigrant and first-generation student from Ghana [in West Africa], UMBC would be a great place to be. Because UMBC is a minority-serving institution and home to students from diverse backgrounds and identities, I felt it would offer the perfect environment for me to also grow academically while providing countless opportunities. So far, UMBC has definitely lived up to my expectations, and I truly believe that everyone can find their place here.

Q: Tell us about the people who are helping you grow at UMBC, and why their HOW made such a difference to you.

A: My research mentor, Dr. Sameera Nayak, has been extremely supportive of my independent research. She became my mentor during my sophomore year as part of the McNair Scholars Program. Now, as an Undergraduate Research Award Scholar studying food insecurity among students at UMBC, Dr. Nayak continues to guide me and provides feedback on each stage of the research process. After collecting and analyzing over 500 responses, I am now working on disseminating my findings beginning at UMBC’s spring Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD).

Q: Are you currently part of a scholars program or Living Learning Community at UMBC?

A:  In addition to being a McNair Scholar, I am a member of UMBC’s Honors College and the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program, a four-year scholarship program focused on community engagement and policy. As a Sondheim Scholar, I participated in a faculty-led study abroad summer course in Cape Town, South Africa, to learn about global community engagement and social change. In my first two years at UMBC, I was also a member of the Shriver Living Learning Community (LLC) for students passionate about service, leadership, and advocacy. I served as a peer mentor in my sophomore year, supporting first-year students as they transitioned to college. 

Q: What clubs, teams, or organizations are you a part of? What do you love about them?

A: I am the president of UMBC’s Public Health Council of Majors. I love planning professional development and social events to bring public health students together. In the past year, we have hosted events such as graduate school information sessions, internship panels, resume workshops in collaboration with the Career Center, and LinkedIn headshots, among others.

Q: How are you making a difference for other Retrievers?

A: Since my sophomore year, I have worked as an Academic Peer Advocate through UMBC’s Academic Success Center. In this role, I support other undergraduate students by connecting them to the great resources UMBC offers. Through the Shriver Center, I volunteered at the Great Kids Farm, a Baltimore City Public Schools farm-to-school program. Currently, I serve as a student ambassador for the Commodore Collegiates Program, a partnership between UMBC and Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School. I give students an exciting tour of UMBC, lead fun STEM activities, share my college experience, and engage them in discussions about college.

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UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about Scholars Programs at UMBC.