When you think of the saying, “new year, new me,” what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s the idea of working out more or cooking instead of eating out. But holistic psychologist, Dr. Mariel Buqué wants to encourage you to begin the journey of breaking cycles of generational trauma this year and beyond. Not only does she do this via her online content creation, but also through her new book, Break the Cycle: A Guide To Healing Intergenerational Trauma, available now.
“I wasn’t seeing a really comprehensive integration of all the different things that create intergenerational trauma so that people could really learn what it is in one place,” the Dominican Republic-born, New Jersey-based therapist says when asked what inspired her to start writing this book three years ago. “This needs to be accessible for the general public, so at least we can say we have the tools available to start breaking cycles,” she says of the book she recommends for a wide range of people: whether 18 years old or 80 years old. “I especially hope that BIPOC people feel seen in the pages.”
Before embarking on her journey as a mental health professional, Dr. Buqué worked in advertising. “I was feeling a bit unfulfilled, so I began volunteering within the mental health space,” she shares. “And I was like, this is amazing. I had no idea this existed as a career because we never really talked about any kind of therapy in my family growing up,” she says. Simultaneously, Dr. Buqué started her own personal therapy journey. “The psychologist that I saw mentioned to me that I should consider actually going into therapy as a profession.” Eventually, she went to get her masters from Seton Hall in 2007, before getting her doctorate at Columbia University.
Today,, Dr. Buqué has amassed 400K followers on TikTok, where she’s known for her “tea time” videos that span topics on everything from red flags in relationships to forgiveness. Additionally, she makes time to host her podcast, Break the Cycle. “I love being able to be a part of someone’s release and healing,” she says. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.”
And to refill her cup when she’s not taking on clients, writing books, and creating content online, she opts for practices such as sound bath meditations, taking pottery classes, and a mindful coffee routine. Additionally, she loves using her gua sha to reduce inflammation, and having a snail mucin-infused skin care routine. “I think it’s important to give yourself an opportunity to feel like you matter.”
But in this season, most of all, Dr. Buqué is excited to “continue to educate people in my community about cycles of trauma who might not necessarily otherwise have access to these tools,” she says. “There are a lot of people who aren’t as privileged. And for me, it matters a lot, especially coming from a very rural, impoverished, and deeply disconnected place. The next step in my journey is to just increase the access to these healing tools.”