September 2025

You Matter - Help is Available

by Dinah S. Cloud, PhD

Life can feel overwhelming.

You may be carrying pain that feels too heavy to bear. You may be watching someone you love struggle in ways that leave you feeling helpless. During these moments, it's easy to believe that the darkness will never fade or that no one truly understands what you're going through.

But the truth is this: your feelings are valid, your pain is real, and most importantly, you are not alone.

September marks Suicide Prevention Month: a time to talk about hard things, reduce stigma around mental health, and remind ourselves that help is always available.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please know that there are people who care about your wellbeing and want to help you find your way through this difficult time.

Crisis Resources - Available 24/7

Helpful Coping Skills to Try - When you're feeling overwhelmed, these strategies can help you get through difficult moments:

Grounding Techniques:

  • 5-4-3-2-1 Method: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste

  • Take slow, deep breaths - inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 6

  • Hold an ice cube or splash cold water on your face

Connection & Support:

  • Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or counselor

  • Join a support group (online or in-person)

  • Spend time with pets or in nature

  • Volunteer for a cause you care about

Self-Care Activities:

  • Engage in physical movement - even a short walk can help

  • Listen to music, draw, write, or engage in creative activities

  • Practice mindfulness or meditation

  • Maintain a regular sleep schedule and eat healthy foods

Additional Resources

How You Can Help Others:

  • Learn the warning signs of suicide risk

  • Ask directly if someone is thinking about suicide - it won't put the idea in their head

  • Listen without judgment and take their feelings seriously

  • Help them connect with professional resources

  • Follow up and stay in touch

Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Every person's life has value, and there are always reasons for hope, even when it's hard to see them right now.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

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August 2025

"Could a Psychological Evaluation Save Your Immigration Case?”

by Dinah S. Cloud, PhD

Why Are Psychological Evaluations Important in Immigration Cases?

By providing comprehensive, professional documentation of an individual's mental health history, trauma experiences, and psychological functioning that can significantly strengthen their legal case. 

Psychological evaluations provide immigration courts and officers with objective, clinical evidence that supports the applicant's testimony, helps explain behaviors that might otherwise seem inconsistent or confusing, and demonstrates the severity of psychological harm that could result from deportation.

By translating personal experiences into clinical language that legal systems understand, psychological evaluations bridge the gap between human suffering and legal requirements, often making the difference between case approval and denial while ensuring that immigration decisions account for the full scope of an individual's circumstances and mental health needs.

How Are the Psychological Evaluations Conducted?

I use a multi-layered approach in all psychological evaluations I provide. I conduct clinical interviews, administer standardized psychological tests, and review relevant medical and legal records to create a detailed report that explains how past experiences have impacted the client's mental health, their current psychological state, and potential future risks if forced to return to dangerous situations or separate from their loved ones.

These comprehensive assessments translate your personal experiences into clinical language that legal systems can understand and evaluate. 

Who Benefits from Psychological Evaluations?

These evaluations are particularly valuable in cases in which an immigrant requires a waiver like in I-601A cases. In those cases, evaluations are conducted with a qualifying relative of the immigrant and are intended to show the U.S. government how much your family will suffer if the immigrant’s residency is not approved. 

Other immigration cases also benefit greatly from psychological evaluation. For instance - in asylum cases, they help establish the psychological impact of persecution and trauma; in VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) cases, they document the mental health effects of domestic violence; and for U-visa applications, they substantiate the psychological harm from being a victim of qualifying crimes. 

Anyone whose immigration case involves trauma, persecution, or violence will benefit from professional documentation of their psychological experiences and current mental health status.

In sum, psychological evaluations for immigration cases translate your lived experiences into professional clinical language that helps immigration officers see you as a complete human being with a unique story, rather than just another file on their desk.