In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, Sierra Canham was campaigning for political candidates remotely from Florida. Having majored in political science as an undergraduate, she was a skilled advocate and communicator.
During her time in Florida, she also worked at a substance use disorder treatment center and realized she felt a deeper connection to that work. “I really did love it so much. I think working on the campaigns was fun and really interesting, but I think I'm a people person.”
So the Minnesota native decided to go back to school and moved home to earn her Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH).
“I liked the integrated aspect,” Sierra says of the IBH program. “The other program I applied to did not have a dual license aspect to it, and I was interested in getting that certification.*”
Driving Change Through Advocacy and Education
Sierra wasted no time diving into the coursework and getting involved in local organizations. She currently serves on the board of P.E.A.S.E. Academy, the oldest high school in the nation for students in recovery from substance misuse, and is a member of the Minnesota Counseling Association Legislative Committee. In addition, she and IBH instructor Tom Hegblom presented at the annual MARRCH (Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health) conference in Saint Paul this past year.
“We have a mutual interest in drug policy and legislation,” Sierra says. “Tom was on the Committee for a number of years, and I joined that last winter and worked on some legislation to get the Counseling Compact passed in Minnesota. And it passed, which is very exciting. So we have that shared interest, so we said, 'Let's do a presentation on that'.”
The Counseling Compact is an agreement among certain states that allows licensed counselors to practice in multiple states without needing separate licenses. Minnesota became the 36th state to ratify the compact, which went into effect July 2024.
Dr. Hegblom adds, “Sierra led the charge on this presentation and did a great job. The idea to present together came from a shared passion for advocacy and a desire to bring conversations we previously had to a larger audience. I was honored to be a part of it.”
Empowering Counselors and Therapists
Their MARRCH conference presentation was titled “Advocacy and Counseling: What You Need to Know.” In it, Sierra’s main message to the audience was this: “All of you are experts in the work that you do every day. You're experts in the clients that you serve. You know the barriers they face and the struggles that they have to work through. You walk alongside them, and that's part of our job as a counselor.”
Having that intimate knowledge of the field and client experience makes their perspective incredibly vital in political spaces, where important decisions are made. “That's kind of what I was trying to say,” she says. “You don't need to have been a political science major. You know what you're talking about. No one is better suited to be able to speak to what you're going through than people who do it every day.”
Fortunately, advocacy can take many forms, she adds. “You don't have to go lobby at the Capitol every day. You don't have to go protest every day, but if you're talking to your coworkers, if you're writing emails, if you're joining a board, whatever that may look like to you, all of it is worthwhile.”
Working in congressional offices gave Sierra insight into how certain government systems function and how to get your voice heard, because, she says, it can be very intimidating to personally engage with politicians and policymakers.
“I think that having that experience helped me see how things go when groups lobby senators and congresspeople. How does that work? How does change happen? Well, change doesn't happen if you just sit quietly.”
Transforming Lives, Including Her Own
Sierra believes that it’s important for mental health professionals to raise their concerns because counselors and the government are inextricably related. Mental health is healthcare, and healthcare has a lot of government involvement: some facilities are funded by the state, counselors need to follow regulations, insurance and drug companies are involved, etc. Sierra says that these factors often “affect the work that therapists do with their clients and the kind of resources that they can provide,” even down to how much paperwork they do on a daily basis.
She witnessed this interconnectedness during her first internship at an acute substance use treatment facility. There, she helped women navigate the many tangled government systems. A number of them were on state health insurance and had had interactions with child protective services or the criminal justice system.
“It was challenging, and I learned a lot,” Sierra says. “It was transformational in a good way. I really got to care for them, but you only have them for 30 days. How much can you do? But we can say, all right, let's make sure you get some good sleep, some food. Let's get you feeling a little more stable and a little more safe. And then let's talk about how to continue that momentum onto the next place you're going.”
Graduate school, she says, has been a transformational experience, especially in a program like IBH where self reflection is required. “You are really taking a very hard look at yourself, your biases, your background, all that stuff, and how they relate to the people that you're seeing. I feel that's a worthwhile pursuit.”
Looking Ahead to the Next Challenge
“Through our coursework, we learn about the ways the brain and body influence each other to impact mental health,” Sierra says. “The mental health field is moving more and more toward true holistic practice, incorporating movement, exercise, yoga, etc.”
In her IBH research class with Dr. Eugene Hall, Sierra created a research proposal that looked at the psychological impact of Finnish sauna bathing and cold water immersion. The practice has spanned the globe for hundreds of years and has recently exploded in popularity in the United States.
“There are many anecdotal reports of sauna and cold plunge having mental health benefits, but there isn’t a ton of research on it. I want to be a part of changing that.”
Sierra, Dr. Hall, and IBH alumna Lauren Roelike are working on a study that looks at the effect of sauna and cold water immersion on drug cravings and well-being for individuals in early recovery from substance use disorder.
"I was impressed by Sierra's ability to identify a critical gap in the literature through her research methods course project—one with the potential to drive meaningful change for individuals in early recovery,” says Dr. Hall.
“I’m excited to see what we find,” Sierra adds. “It’s been such a joy to be able to really dive into my areas of interest while in the IBH program. I really have learned so much.”
Memorable Courses
- Counseling Ethics and Professional Counselor Identity with Dr. Tom Hegblom
- Applied Psychopharmacology with Ian McLoone
- Counseling Skills: Group Counseling with Dr. Fiyyaz Karim
Pro Tips for Future IBH Students
"Follow your curiosity. There are a million things to do in this field. There are people who work in hospitals, programmatic care, substance use treatment, outpatient mental health, crisis centers. There's a huge spectrum of things, and all of them are important. Do what is interesting to you."
"Make friends. It's really made my time so much better. The people I've met have been so great. They're all very passionate, smart, talented, and helpful."
Sierra is a recipient of Nolte Miller, Larson Legacy, and Ingrid Lenz Harrison scholarships.
*IBH coursework meets both Minnesota Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (MNLADC) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) educational requirements.
Mia Boos is a writer and content strategist with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, covering the College’s graduate programs and undergraduate individualized degree programs. She joined the CCAPS Marketing team in 2014 and has worked for Thomson Reuters and New York University. Connect with her via LinkedIn.
