Mariella Carquin

Mariella Saavedra Carquin is a licensed mental health counselor and poet currently working as an integrated behavioral health clinician at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.45 She has nearly 10 years of experience in the mental health field, focusing on children, adolescents, and families.1 Specifically, she serves as the integrated behavioral health clinician for the Healthy Habits Clinic at Child Health Clinic.45

Professional Background

Saavedra Carquin has practiced as a licensed mental health counselor in various settings, including:

• Clinical environments
• Higher education institutions
• Middle schools
• Integrated pediatric primary care at a children's hospital12

Education

• Graduate of Middlebury College
• EdM and MA in psychological counseling from Columbia University
• MA from Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English12

Literary Achievements

Saavedra Carquin is also an accomplished poet:

• Author of "Maps You Can't Make," her first poetry collection13
• First-place winner of the Robert Haiduke Poetry Prize in 2020
• Third-place winner of the same prize in 202212
• Her book won the IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards) Gold Medal in poetry and was a finalist for the 2024 Colorado Book Award3

Personal Background

• Born in Lima, Peru
• Raised in Miami, Florida
• Currently resides in Colorado12

Saavedra Carquin has also been involved in activism for undocumented immigrant rights and has published academic articles on the psychological impact of microaggressions experienced by undocumented immigrant youth.1