Meet the Researcher: Morgan Bloomfield

At the Strengths and Wellbeing Innovation Research Lab (SW-IRL), we take great pride in mentoring and educating the next generation of counselors, counselor educators, and researchers. Morgan is a doctoral Research Assistant in the research lab. Learn more about her and her journey into research at the vlog below. 

"I think a lot of times we get into the field, you get comfortable in your clinical work, and while curiosity is always there, sometimes we get into patterns where we just kind of assume that we know what's coming next with a particular client presentation.  And one of the things that research reminds us of is that we need to always lead with curiosity.”  - Morgan on how research influences her work as a counselor

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/1fd9bb_0f65819cc7c249e3a05835a5fa541cca/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Viviana:  

Thank you, Morgan, for joining us today on our segment of Meet the Researcher at the Strength and Well-being Innovation Research Lab. 

So our first question is, what inspired your interest in technology and mental health? 

Morgan: 

I think what primarily inspired my interests is a lot of personal use of social media. 

I really do love to be on TikTok and see all the new trends and even see what professionals are sharing on TikTok too. 

I like a lot of mental health providers. 

I follow a lot of mental health provider accounts on TikTok, and it just sort of sparked this natural curiosity of, I wonder how accurate the information they're sharing is or how accurate the information other accounts that I don't follow is sharing. 

And so that's pretty much what inspired my interest in social media and mental health. 

I'm also interested in AI and mental health, specifically in counselor education. 

For that, really clinical work inspired that. 

I have a lot of clients that come in and they talk about ChatGPT and how they use it, and does it support their mental health or does it not? 

You also see stories like that on TikTok too. 

And so that got me curious to see how can we use this as a tool in counselor education, not necessarily as something we have to stay away from, but maybe something that actually can help us do our job more effectively. 

Viviana: 

Can you tell us what projects you're currently working on in the lab. 

Morgan:  

Yeah, so I have a few projects. 

One I'm working on is an AI project. 

And so we are studying the diagnostic and treatment planning ability of AI and comparing it to master's students in their diagnosis course just to see, again, is there some utility there?What's the impact that that might have on students? So we're collecting data for that one right now, that's exciting.

I have a scoping review of mental health professionals posting videos on TikTok. 

I have a scoping review under review with a journal right now. 

And that one was focused on assessing the quality of the clinical content that mental health providers are sharing on TikTok specifically. 

And then we have a follow-up study to that one in the works as well. 

So that one's with IRB right now. 

We're doing a hermeneutic phenomenological research project, interviewing some of those content creators who are mental health professionals to get a sense of what decisions they're making, how they're making those decisions about what content to post and how to engage audiences. So that'll be, I think, a fun follow up to the scoping review. 

Viviana: 

Yeah, that sounds very interesting. 

A lot of personal and professional interests kind of mixing in there. 

What has been your favorite moment being part of the research lab? 

Morgan:

My favorite moment? 

I don't know that I have a favorite moment, but I can tell you one thing that I really appreciate about this lab. 

I really love the weekly meetings that we get to connect with all of the other researchers who are in the lab. 

I love hearing about their projects and them hearing about my project and asking each other questions on sort of the status of everything and figuring out ways to collaborate on future projects too. 

So I love that connection. And in the spirit of connection, I also really love that the research that I'm doing as part of the lab has taken me to several conferences, both regional, national, local, and it's been really nice to network with other people who are interested in the research we're doing too. 

And so I know that is not a favorite moment in the lab, but it is my favorite thing about the lab is just that professional connection that you get to have with people who are both in the lab and outside of it. 

Viviana:  

Yeah, sounds like it's a very supportive community. 

So we've seen a surge of influencers talking about mental health on TikTok and Instagram. 

From your research, how much misinformation is shared compared to accurate psychoeducation or if you've seen any. 

Morgan: 

So that's a tough question. 

I specifically research mental health providers who are posting in short form video. 

So yes, I know there are a lot of influencers also talking about mental health. 

And I think that could be a really wonderful thing depending on the content that they're posting. But I don't know that I can speak to generally what the quality of content is. 

Where it comes to mental health providers, though, 

What our study found on our scoping review found is that there's actually a lot of nuance to this question. It's not a simple, is it accurate or is it not? 

Which is sort of where I started when we started that project. 

But really, I think a lot of accuracy of clinical information relies on context, right? 

What is the lived experience of the person who has that condition that they're talking about or has that symptom they're talking about, for example? 

And one of the things that we find that's problematic about some content is that it doesn't acknowledge content or context or it doesn't acknowledge nuance at all. 

And so even if something might be accurate in one particular way, in one particular context, it might actually be inaccurate when taken out of that context. 

And so one of the challenges that we're going to have to face as a field is figuring out, can we make engaging content in short form video, but also make it accurate and appropriately nuanced for that particular environment. 

Viviana:  

You are on the ACES Artificial Intelligence Task Force. 

What has that experience been like and has it influenced your professional growth? 

Morgan:  

We meet, I think about once a month is the frequency of our meetings. 

And one of the things we've been working on is creating a newsletter article for, just to kind of track, like this is the state of AI in counselor education, this is how it's being used, this is what our research is showing us as a field. 

I really love being on this committee. 

It's really cool to me to be in a space with people who have a lot more experience in research than I do and who have a lot more experience in the counselor education field than I do. 

I'm pretty new to this space, obviously. I'm a doctoral student in counselor education and supervision. 

So I just love the collaboration that I get to experience being part of the team. 

Yeah, I love being part of this task force. 

Viviana:  

What is your hope for counseling and technology in the field? 

Morgan: 

Yeah, I love that question and I wish more people asked that question because I think a lot of people come from a fear mindset with technology. 

How is it going to change the field in a way that might be harmful? 

And that's a valid question to ask, but we don't always balance it with the question of what is your hope for how technology might shape this field? 

My hope is that we can stop being so afraid of it as a field and we can learn to embrace technology as a way to make our jobs easier. 

There's a lot of administrative work, for example, that AI might be able to take off our plate if we use it ethically, if we use platforms that are ethically created with healthcare providers in mind. 

So kind of getting away from this all or nothing judgment on is it ethical, is it not ethical, should we use it, should we not use it, but rather figuring out how can we use it 

The technology is here. 

It's here whether we want it to be or not. 

Our clients are using it. 

Our colleagues are using it. 

If you teach, your students are using it. 

And so my hope is that we can learn to embrace it and make the technology work for us rather than trying to resist it as it inevitably comes into our field anyway. 

Viviana: 

Has being involved in research influenced your approach to counseling? 

Morgan:  

Yeah, I like this question too, because there's interplay between clinical work and research work. 

So clinically, I'm systemically oriented, meaning I look at systems, maybe family systems or even larger social systems that impact individual, couple ,or family functioning. 

And that's my orientation when it comes to clinical work. 

And what I'm finding in research is that it's very similar in the way that you start with one research question, but it leads to other research questions. 

Here and there, and maybe we could go this way, and maybe we could go that way. 

And they all reach together toward the sort of the same system if you're thinking about it that way, right? 

They're all interconnected. 

So it's been cool to kind of see that orientation that I have clinically expand to how I view research. 

And then vice versa. 

One of the things that research reminds us of is that we need to lead with curiosity, right? 

I think a lot of times we get into the field, you get comfortable in your clinical work, and while curiosity is always there, sometimes we get into patterns where we just kind of assume that we know what's coming next with a particular client presentation. 

And one of the things that research reminds us of 

is that we need to always lead with curiosity. 

No matter how long you're in this field, clients are always going to surprise you. 

There's always going to be something surprising about someone's personal context because everyone's unique and everyone goes through life differently. 

And so one of the things that research really keeps forefront is lead with curiosity, right? 

That will never lead you astray. 

Viviana: 

How do you manage being a lecturer, doctoral student, research assistant, and a clinician all at once? 

Morgan: 

I think by not remembering that I wear all of those hats all at the same time, if I zoom out like that and I think about all of the things on my plate in a semester, I find that actually incredibly overwhelming. 

But I am somebody who believes that we need to make the most out of every opportunity that comes our way. At least that's how I live my life. 

And so this is me making the most out of every opportunity that I can. 

But again, if I zoom out and I say, these are all the things I have to do for the whole semester, that can be very overwhelming. 

So mostly I'd take it week by week, sometimes even day by day, Monday morning, Sunday evening, I'll look at my week ahead and say, okay, these are the things I need to accomplish this week. 

And if even that feels like, okay, we're up here in terms of overwhelm, then day by day, you know, what do I have to do today? 

It's Monday. 

I'll worry about Tuesday on Tuesday. 

I'll worry about Wednesday on Wednesday. 

It's helpful for me to kind of stay grounded and stay mindful and just kind of be present with whatever task is at hand. 

And then when the next task comes up, then we handle that. 

Viviana:  

What advice do you have for master's level counseling students who want to get involved in research? 

Morgan: 

My advice is the same for master's level counselors who want to get involved in research or doctoral or anybody, anybody even in the field outside of their educational program. 

Just go for it. 

Take the risk. 

I think sometimes we get pretty risk averse because we fear things like rejection. 

We fear failure. 

And those things will happen, but they aren't really failures. 

They might be setbacks, but they're all learning experiences too. 

As cliche as that might sound, it is true. 

We learn from each time we have a setback and we learn how to do it better the next time and better the next time. 

I really do think I'm better for every setback and even, yes, every rejection that I've had in the past too. 

And I think the fear of that holds so many people back. 

And so my advice for anyone, but to your question, especially master's level clinicians who want to get involved in research, is just go for it. 

Take the jump, take the risk. 

Trust that your fellow research assistants and your professor who runs the lab, that they're going to have your back and they're going to guide you and help mentor you through this space, that if you have a setback, it won't be alone. 

So just do it. 

Viviana:  

What is your favorite social media trend right now? 

Morgan:  

I'll keep this one professional and say that my favorite social media trend on the professional side of social media is when particular specialties will say, this is what I would say as a whatever their profession is, if I wasn't afraid to hurt your feelings. 

So this is what I would say as a cardiologist, if I wasn't afraid to hurt your feelings. 

And I love to see that and I would love to see more mental health professionals saying that too, especially those of us who are systemically oriented. 

But I think it's a cool trend to just say, these are some of the best practices. 

These are some of the ways that you might want to reach toward your goal. 

So I think that's my current favorite trend. 

Viviana:  

What is 1 fun fact about you that we wouldn't find on your LinkedIn? 

Morgan: 

I don't know how fun it is, but I am a sourdough bread baker. 

So even right now, I've got four loaves proofing in my kitchen. 

I love to bake. 

I love to cook. 

And I also love to care for houseplants. 

I have between this office space, my living room, and my office where I see clients in person, I have probably somewhere around 90 houseplants that I take care of and more by the day because I love to propagate too. 

That's what I do in my free time. 

And you probably would not find that on my LinkedIn. 

And I'm a proud plant parent. 

I love to cook and I love to bake sourdough. 

Viviana:  

Are these some of your go-to activities to unwind after a long day? 

Morgan:  

Yeah, they are. 

You know, when it comes to indoor gardening, to all the houseplants that I have, I would say that there's something really fulfilling, just restorative about caring for something and watching it grow and putting that effort in and having that very like visible way to see it grow. 

And yes, I cook and I bake and I love to go outside and I love to do things that just kind of help keep me mindful and grounded to unwind. 

Probably not every day. 

I have some very long days, so sometimes I just come home, go to sleep. 

But certainly every week I like to do a reset where I'm just mindful, engaged with my activities, spending time, connecting with my family, with friends. 

Yeah, those are my go-tos. 

Viviana:  

The last question, what is your favorite comfort show or comfort food? 

Morgan: 

Comfort food, I'm going to say sushi. 

I would eat sushi any day of the week, any meal of the day. 

I'm a sucker for sushi. 

I love it. 

So that's my comfort food.

My comfort show, a little bit old school, but the show House, that's a good one for me. 

That's a show that I watched when I was growing up, but revisit quite a lot. 

And interestingly enough, you know, I have an orientation toward leading with curiosity. 

And I think that show in part is very much about that too. 

And so I think that speaks to that piece of me. 

So yes, sushi and house, that's my comfort food and my comfort show. 

Viviana: 

That's all of our questions, but thank you, Morgan, for joining us on Meet the Researcher. 

It's been a pleasure having you. 

Morgan:  

Yeah, thanks for having me. 

Morgan Bloomfield is a second-year doctoral student in Counselor Education and Supervision at UT San Antonio and a doctoral research assistant with the Strengths and Wellbeing Innovation Research Lab. Her research centers on the intersection of technology and mental health, with a focus on creating knowledge equity and improving access to mental health care. As a credentialed Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor (LMFT-S) and Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S), she brings clinical perspective to her research examining how digital platforms are reshaping the production and dissemination of mental health knowledge. Her work within the lab explores how social media and emerging technologies are challenging traditional pathways of mental health information sharing, while advancing the lab's mission of promoting wellbeing through research that prioritizes accessibility and equity. 

Viviana Sanchez is a first-year master's student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at UT San Antonio. She is the chair of the Digital Communications Committee with the Strengths and Wellbeing Innovation Research Lab. Her research interests involve positive psychology, neuroplasticity, sleep, and trauma. She is passionate about advocating for vulnerable populations and communicating and sharing with the public and professionals about counseling research.