For two weeks last summer, a dozen Mercerians gained new insights into holistic health and wellness while studying abroad in Bali, Indonesia.
The counseling students and faculty will share their perspectives and research from the trip during an exhibit from 6-8 p.m. March 21. “Through Our Eyes, Cultural Immersion and Wellness: A Photovoice Exploration in Bali” will be held in the Administration and Conference Center auditorium on the Atlanta campus and is open to the public.
Dr. Brittany Prioleau, assistant professor of counseling in the College of Professional Advancement, runs a University lab called the Multicultural Wellness Enhancement Research Lab and developed this study abroad trip to provide another research opportunity for counseling students.
“Bali is really home to this idea of wellness and spirituality, so I wanted to give students the opportunity to experience the culture there because it’s very different from anything I had ever experienced,” said Dr. Prioleau, who first visited Bali in 2017.
Dr. Prioleau and Dr. Nadia Barnett, associate professor of human services and psychology, accompanied nine master’s and doctoral counseling students and one lifelong learner to Bali. It was the first study abroad trip to this location through Mercer’s Office of Global Education.
“(The trip) was an opportunity for me to engage with the students on learning a different perspective of looking at wellness … and the importance of counselor wellness for the students who are going to be working with the field and need to have the ability to set boundaries, so they can keep themselves healthy,” Dr. Barnett said.
The Mercerians learned the basics of the Bahasa Indonesian language and discussed Bali tourism and its impacts on the community, Dr. Prioleau said. They visited a number of spiritual sites and temples, including the Tirta Empul Temple where they participated in a water purification ceremony, and local nonprofits, including the PKP Community Centre.
They engaged in deep mediation and reflection at the Nirarta Centre for Living Awareness; learned about eco sustainability at Jiwa Community Garden; spoke with traditional healers; and had the opportunity to meet Dr. Luh Ketut Suryani, who is known for spearheading Bali’s mental health movement and founding the Suryani Institute for Mental Health.
The Mercerians stayed in a traditional Balinese village, each housed with a different family.
“That was the part I was the most nervous about, but it was the best part of the trip,” said Brooke McAfee, a December graduate of the school counseling master’s degree program who is now a middle school counselor in Sandy Springs. “I learned a lot from the (family). That was really interesting. Even though we didn’t speak the same language, we were still able to understand each other.”
McAfee traveled to Amsterdam and Paris with Mercer for spring break in 2023, and she decided to participate in the Bali trip so she could experience a completely different culture and step outside her comfort zone. She said she especially enjoyed being around the children, and she was inspired by the resourcefulness of the Balinese people and the care they devote to their natural resources. She still keeps in touch with her host family.
“They’re the happiest people alive, and they don’t have a lot of things we deem necessities,” she said. “It just taught me we don’t have to have a lot to live. It was truly an impactful experience. It taught me we take a lot of things granted here but also how grateful we should be.”
Dr. Barnett said it was eye-opening to strip away all the technology and comfort advancements and adjust to an environment of true necessities.
“We developed an appreciation for the simplicity of it all, reflecting on what is the purpose of our being, what’s most important in life, really solidifying the connection to people, understanding ourselves, how we fit into the community, and what we can do to engage and support the overall goal,” she said.
The Balinese families hosted a farewell party with traditional food and dancing on the Mercerians’ last night there. In addition, the Mercer team also learned to barter at market, walked through a rice paddy, assisted in making a traditional Bali drink called jamu, and visited a tourist attraction called Monkey Forest.
Dr. Prioleau said most people associate wellness with self-care or yoga, but the experiences in Bali expanded students’ perspectives. It showed them how community, connectedness, nature and spirituality can all be tied to wellness.
“The whole trip was really good,” said Jordyn Alderman, who will graduate in May with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. “I think we all got different things from it. The most important piece for me was that use of community and everyday wellness in life. In America, we’re more individualized.”
The Mercerians can use their experiences in Bali to enhance their level of sensitivity and understanding when working with clients and identify issues within themselves that could be barriers to their work, Dr. Barnett said. McAfee said the trip has broadened her perspectives as a counselor.
“I was able to be more culturally aware and be more culturally sensitive. Just because I don’t do it that way doesn’t mean it’s wrong,” McAfee said. “I would recommend anybody to study abroad. Do it and take that uncomfortableness and use that as a driver in your experience.”
While in Bali, the Mercer students also contributed to a research project, Dr. Prioleau said. They were tasked with taking photos during the trip that answered the question, “How does the role of cultural immersion in Bali shape my understanding of holistic health and wellness?” Then, they grouped the photos into categories and each chose one photo to show at the upcoming exhibit on the Atlanta campus.
During the March 21 event, the Mercer team will give a presentation on the research project before inviting attendees to explore the photos on display, which include 10 main photos as well as 10 photos taken by each student.
“I really hope that people take this idea of wellness and expand it beyond our conceptualization of it to really look at it from this holistic perspective,” Dr. Priloeau said. “All of these things work together in tandem to produce this idea of wellness. Culturally, I hope people are able to see a different side of Bali.”
Dr. Barnett said the exhibit will also show the value of study abroad programs and how those experiences can be used to educate others. She hopes the event will inspire more faculty and students to host programs where they share their research and stories from abroad.
“I think this trip allowed for all of us to reflect on ourselves, our relationships, and the way we live in America,” Alderman said. “The wellness industry in America is thriving. It’s almost another capitalistic industry. In Bali, wellness is just wellness; it’s just your everyday life. I hope people will come (to the exhibit) with an open mind and allow themselves to reflect.”
