Practice Guidelines for ALIVE Comentoring: An Approach to Liberating Psychology Education and Training From the Inside Out
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Researchers led by Dr. Germán Cadenas developed and studied a new mentoring model—called ALIVE comentoring—designed to counter the exclusion many students of the global majority face in psychology programs. Working over five years with undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students at predominantly White institutions, the team drew on liberation psychology and testimonios (first-person narratives) to understand what helped students feel safe, empowered, and able to thrive.
Instead of traditional top-down mentoring, the ALIVE model creates shared-power relationships where students and faculty learn from each other, prioritize care for one another’s humanity, discuss oppression openly, and collaborate across disciplines. Testimonios from seven students and faculty highlighted seven practices—from creating psychological safety to encouraging social-justice action—that helped them feel seen, valued, and better equipped to navigate academic barriers.
Why it matters: Psychology remains overwhelmingly White—83% of psychologists and 75% of trainees—leaving many students of color feeling isolated or pressured to conform. This model offers a practical roadmap for programs seeking to improve belonging, retention, and equity.
The most newsworthy takeaway: Liberatory mentoring doesn’t just improve student well-being—it can transform institutional culture. As one participant said, “It was the first space in higher education where I did not feel invisible.”
Practical implications: Training programs can apply these guidelines immediately—by building safer spaces, sharing leadership, valuing cultural strengths, and integrating social-justice work—without needing major new resources.
(ChatGPT, December 9, 2025)
