The Mindful EPPP Journey Accountability Group

Welcome!

¡Hola! I'm Dr. Cheli and I've been a mental health clinician for about 18 years, working with multiculturally diverse & underserved populations.

My mission is to help you pass the Psychologist licensing exam (i.e., EPPP) and address the disparities in passing the exam.

I want us to be able to legally call ourselves what we are, Licensed Psychologists.

Are you stuck in the unlicensed limbo?

After failing the EPPP four times and missing it by two questions (!!), I started to explore why I was unable to pass. I worked through the guilt and shame and started to engage with other license-eligible clinicians.

I soon discovered that I was not the only one and found an article by Molly Fosco with the headline, "Mental Divide: The Psychology Test That's Failing Minorities." My jaw dropped. My heart was racing and I thought, "OMG, that's me!" As I delved more into the topic, I learned that the failure rates for Latinx and Black clinicians is disproportionately high. This finding is supported by Dr. Brian Sharpless' article, "Are Demographic Variables Associated with Performance on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)?"

There are so many excellent clinicians, particularly BIPOCs, likely YOU if you are reading this, that are stuck in the licensing pipeline. After talking to so many PhD/PsyD's, hearing their stories, listening to their pain and suffering due to being in unlicensed limbo, including my own, and not being able to call ourselves Licensed Psychologists, I turned my anger, frustration, and helplessness into a social justice mission. To help us pass the exam.

"So wait, you're a doctor, but not a Psychologist?"

This exam is life-changing. Life-altering in fact. It means we can legally call ourselves what we are, Licensed Psychologists. Our earning potential grows exponentially. We can practice independently. We can work with populations we are most passionate about. Most importantly, we can say we are "Done. Done!"

I recognize I may not have the power (yet) to make systemic changes to this exam, but I can create an accountable space that is necessary to pass the exam. My "failures" led me to develop Ganas & Go!, a coaching business to help individuals reach their life-altering goals.

So what's a solution?

After not passing my EPPP exam for the third time in December 2019, recovering from defeat, and gaining balance during this COVID-19 era, I launched a group that is specifically focused on helping us pass the exam and get licensed in a mindful way.

Watch the video to learn more!

I welcome you to join the Ganas & Go! Mindful EPPP Journey Membership!

As a group, we will support each other, work as a community, and hold each other accountable to reach our life-altering goals...passing the EPPP licensing exam, getting licensed, and most importantly, being able to legally call ourselves what we are...Licensed Psychologists!

We do this mindfully, value-based, and with committed action!

Whether you are starting out or have been on the journey for some time, this group is for you if you want accountability, structure, consistency, a warm and supportive environment, a safe place to own your process, and a place that inspires you to keep going towards your goals with like-minded people.

If you are a first-generation BIPOC, then this group is great for you as we will discuss some first-generation BIPOC gifts and challenges that we face. We will also address ADHD/ADD and incorporate study strategies to help learn the material more effectively. These are some of the things I've needed; and as entrepreneur Gary V. says, "Sometimes, you have to scratch your own itch." I've developed the methodology to structure the group, which incorporates mindfulness, cultural humility, and culturally-grounded and evidence-based practices. In addition, we create the possibility of joy, creativity, and fun!

I would love to be your EPPP coach and guide you during this process and have you join the wonderfully diverse community of soon-to-be Licensed Psychologists.

Is the group a good fit for me?

If you have additional questions about whether this group is right for you, listen/watch this music video. If it resonates with you, you’d be a great addition to the group! We look forward to meeting you!

Community Guidelines Yes! ✊🏽 I'm so ready. Let's do this! 💪🏽

What you get with your paid monthly membership:

✔ Access to the Ganas & Go! Mindful EPPP Journey Accountability Group

✔ An individual Assessment & Planning consulting session with Dr. Cheli to clarify your ganas (goals) and set achievable and measurable goals in navigating the EPPP exam

✔ Weekly, structured, 3-hr protected productivity group study session hosted by Dr. Cheli (Saturday's 11-2pm PST)

✔ BONUS: Weekly, structured, study session focused on question review (Wednesday's 3:00-6:00 pm PST). Please note this is a temporary offering.

✔ BONUS: Early access to Dr. Cheli's ADHD-friendly visual study guides and resource library.

Regardless of which testing company you are with, all are welcomed and are able to benefit from the group. I don't focus on teaching content per se, but I do create the holding space to study regardless of which program you are using.

If you are in the Preparation, Action, or Maintenance stage of the Transtheoretical Model (bonus points if you know the theorists!) in your EPPP Journey, then this group is likely for you!

The monthly membership/investment is $175/mo (a $235/mo value). This breaks down to $21.88 per group session. We meet twice a week for three hours at a time, so it comes out to 24 hours a month for a total of $7.29/hr.

Interested in joining? If you think this group is for you, then schedule a 15-minute, free 1:1 consultation with me.

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I'm so ready. Let's do this! 💪🏽

FAQs

Can we set up a time to chat? I have a few questions about your offerings.

Of course! Let's set up a call and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Take a look at my calendar and set up a date and time that works best with your schedule.

Click HERE to schedule a call.

I've never heard of you. How can I learn more about you?

Makes total sense!

You can find me on LinkedIn as Araceli López-Arenas, PhD, MPH (click on "My Work" on the homepage).

You can also find me on social media @ganasandgo on Facebook and Instagram and @mindfulepppjourney on Instagram. I look forward to connecting!

Unfortunately, I am unemployed or underemployed. I would love to join the membership accountability group, but the cost is a barrier. What are my options to work with you?

OMG. Let's talk!

I'm committed to helping you pass the exam and we can discuss equity-based pricing based on your circumstances. Cost should not be a factor in us working together and you not being able to get licensed.

When I started my EPPP journey, I was unemployed and underemployed. To take the exams, I received a lot of help from my community. For the first exam, I set up a GoFund Me. On my second attempt, a friend gifted me $500. For my third attempt, I used the money I had saved to purchase a Covered California insurance plan, because I scored a 480 and thought that if I tested the following month, I could cross over to a passing score. On attempt #4, a friend loaned me the money. I was able to pass on attempt #5 thanks to the COVID-19 stimulus money, which also allowed me to pay for several coaches and supplemental study materials.

I viscerally understand how finances can be a key barrier to who gets to take the EPPP and when. I also understand how passing the EPPP is a gatekeeper to keeping your job or getting one. Let's chat.

There are a lot of free study groups out there. Why are you charging a membership fee?

Excellent question! There are many excellent groups out there that have helped many people. I was on the licensing journey from 2016-2022 and in my experience, it was a challenge to find a group that was consistent, at my level of commitment, that integrated my culture, one where I didn't feel "behind" all the time, and a group that could meet me where I was at.

It takes time and effort to manage a group (as you might know from clinical practice!) and the monthly fee covers expenses to keep the group running. Further, I have a lot of community experience, and my findings are that when we pay to participate in a group, our level of commitment shifts. Similar to studying with and without an exam date! If cost is prohibitive, let's talk. :)

How much is the membership fee?

The monthly membership/investment is $175/mo (a $235/mo value). This breaks down to $21.88 per group session. We meet twice a week for three hours at a time, so it comes out to 24 hours a month for a total of $7.29/hr.

I keep this cost as low as possible to support you in this journey. You're already paying a 💩 ton in licensure costs and likely you are underpaid and/or underemployed. I remember that life!

What are the expectations to participate in your study group?

Please see the following Community Agreements to learn what is expected when you join.

https://www.mindfulepppjourney.com/communityagreements

Why are you coaching for the EPPP?

After many exam failures (n=4), I discovered my life's purpose, which is to get people licensed as my commitment to reducing mental health disparities and increasing access to mental health providers has remained strong. In the time of COVID-19, this commitment is even stronger.

I channeled my anger and resentment towards the EPPP and its governing bodies into advocacy and social justice for us all. After all the years of hard work and sacrifice we've put in, licensure should not be this challenging.

I commit to showing up for your study sessions even if no one else shows up and I plan to run the groups even though I'm licensed!

Random question. Where did you get that super cool "Free & Empowered" EPPP t-shirt?!

I'm glad you liked it. I designed it myself! I designed something that would ground me and inspire me to keep going while I prepped and on the day of the exam.

You can get one yourself at my Etsy shop. :)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GanasandGo

If you are ready to get started, let's schedule a FREE consultation!

I'm so ready. Let's do this! 💪🏽