Milan Savoury graduated with a BS in Psychology and a BA in Women’s Studies in 2016. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is set to graduate in August 2022 with a PhD in Counseling Psychology, with all degrees from the University of Florida. After graduating she will be a Postdoctoral Fellow at Deep Eddy Psychotherapy in Austin, TX.
Ever since middle school I knew I wanted to be a psychologist. I knew I wanted to help people love themselves, their lives, and others in any way I could. It figures I would now find myself as a counselor to so many people, helping them to heal, grow, change, and reflect on themselves and their journeys in life. However, I never knew that women’s studies would be a part of my path and journey.
For me, it started with a few dabbles of overlap courses, taking Psychology of Women, Men and Masculinities, Women and Therapy, and Psychology of Human sexuality. I soon realized how much more I enjoyed the classes that taught on gender, culture, socialization, power, privilege, class, and intersectionality. From there my passion and intrigue grew, and I came to love learning about all the dimensions of this field that I was never exposed to pre-college.
Since then, I’ve used this knowledge to become a better instructor, researcher, counselor, and human. I’ve used this learning to help all I meet develop a more open mind to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as better understand how their own identities frame their world view.
With my masters and doctoral research, I’ve been able to shed light on the ways sociocultural standards affect men’s sense of masculinity and accomplishment when they imagine sexual encounters with women. These studies have involved female pleasure, female orgasm, and internalized gender expectations. This work has helped me and all who access my work to think more critically about the socialization we have around women’s bodies, pleasure, and sexual equality. These projects were inspired from my love and curiosity of understanding gender, culture, and human nature, which women’s studies fostered.
Women’s studies has also empowered me to be a better counselor to numerous college students and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationships, and family concerns. I am honored to provide psychoeducation and validation around the complexity and richness of intersectional identities, as well as the psychosocial impacts of oppression, and the interweaving elements of one’s culture in my everyday work. These elements have led to better discussions around my clients’ personal values, needs, and stressors. I’ve been able to help many folx on their journeys to well-being, like helping men better connect with their feelings in a non-judgmental space, empowering women to prioritize their well-being and voice in all social situations and help people of color better understand and embrace themselves in a world that doesn’t always value difference.
I am especially grateful to Dr. Trysh Travis who has given me support and encouragement on my journey and Dr. Bonnie Moradi whose class was my first step towards learning about women’s studies and feminism.
I look forward to changing my world through counseling, educating, parenting, and loving with the richness of my educational and vocational experiences.
This story appears in the Spring 2022 issue of the Gender, Sexualities, & Women’s Studies Newsletter. Read more from the issue.