Alumni Spotlight: Anna Maunu

Anna Maunu (she/her)

• Major: PSY BA (Spring 2021)
• Position: Therapist, LCSW
• Employer: Marriage and Family Solutions LLC

What is your work like? What are your duties?

I provide evidence-based therapies and practices to individuals, couples, and families seeking therapy to improve relationships within themselves and with others, learn how to cope with stressors, heal from trauma, and gain insight and knowledge of the interactions between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Most of my clientele consists of individuals and couples who are seeking to heal from trauma, learn skills to manage anxiety and depression, and improve relationships.

How would you say your psychology degree has helped you with your current job?

I don't remember too much from undergrad as it was during the pandemic, but I do remember the early psychology researcher's findings and their theories that informed modern research on human thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I often teach my clients some of those theories as my clients may be more able to understand why I am approaching therapy a certain way. For example, I often inform clients of social learning or conditioning theories so that clients learn why they may fear something that they logically know should not be scary. This validates the clients' experiences and may reduce shame. And using a specific theory to guide my practice, my clients may be more willing, hopeful, and engaged in therapy.

In what way has your major complemented your current job?

This may be a stretch, but I double majored in psychology and speech-language-hearing sciences (SLHS) at the U of M, and I find that they compliment each other very well in my current practice. There was a bunch of psychology and neuroscience in my SLHS, and I find myself incorporating aspects of each major to guide my therapy sessions. These skills from both majors have informed me how to best communicate to my clients so that they may understand me, and I also have provided language and other means of communication when my clients have trouble conveying their thoughts and emotions.

How did you find your current position? 

I googled-mapped practices in the area and contacted the owners directly via agency email or connecting with the boss on LinkedIn. Don't be afraid to reach out directly as that is more memorable to hiring employers than if you were to apply via a job search site.

What advice do you have for our current psych students and recent grads?

1. To find a job, don't be afraid to reach out directly to employers.
2. Keep your notes from undergrad as I used the notes to study for the board exams. This mainly applies to psych students/grads seeking to become therapists.
3. Knowing psychological phenomena and theories can be applied in other areas of life outside of the psych major world - enjoy observing the theories you learned play out in every day life.

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