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Virginia Veronica Lemos, Psy.D., is a 2026 graduate of the Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, New England
Dissertation Committee:
- Monique Bowen, PhD, Chairperson
- Katherine Evarts, PsyD, Committee Member
- Haley Curt, PsyD, Committee Member
Dr. Virginia Lemos
Keywords
Brazilian immigrants, wellbeing, salutogenesis, posttraumatic growth, reflexive thematic analysis, immigrant health, culturally responsive clinical practice, meaning-making
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
Immigration in the United States is often conceptualized within clinical psychology through deficit-oriented frameworks that emphasize risk, trauma, and psychological distress. While this work is essential for documenting vulnerability and inequity, it offers limited guidance for understanding how immigrants sustain wellbeing and meaning amid ongoing sociopolitical and institutional constraints. Brazilian immigrants represent a large and growing population in the US whose experiences remain comparatively understudied, particularly from strengths-based and interpretive perspectives. To address this gap, this qualitative study explores how Brazilian immigrants make sense of immigration and wellbeing through the narratives they construct about their lives in the US. Grounded in the salutogenic model of health and posttraumatic growth theory, the study adopts a narrative inquiry design. Six adult Brazilian immigrants participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in Brazilian Portuguese. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, supported by a bilingual analytic process that drew on the researcher’s insider positionality and language fluency. Findings are organized into four themes: (1) Immigrating is a Testament of Faith, (2) Walking a Path that Pushes Back, (3) Immigrant Health is a Luxury, Not a Right, and (4) Weaving a Life of Significance. Together, these themes informed the development of More Than Surviving, a meaning-making model that captures a pattern of lived experience in which wellbeing is constructed through direction, self-authorship, iv and transformation. The model is organized into three interrelated dimensions: Purpose, Protagonism, and Growth. By centering Brazilian immigrants’ narratives, this study advances a contextually grounded understanding of immigrant wellbeing that extends beyond survival-based frameworks. Findings offer clinically relevant insights for culturally responsive psychological practice and highlight the value of qualitative, strengths-oriented approaches for understanding immigrant lives within complex structural conditions. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).
Recommended Citation
Lemos, V. V. (2026). More than surviving: Brazilian immigrants' stories of growth and wellbeing in the United States. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1266
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Human Factors Psychology Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social Psychology Commons
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ORCID iD: 0009-0008-1700-555X
Bio:
Virginia Lemos, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and community-engaged professional dedicated to understanding people in the fullness of their lives. She believes healing and growth emerge in context through relationships, meaning, opportunity, and the recognition of each person’s inherent dignity.
She earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University New England and completed her APA-accredited internship at Pacific Psychology and Comprehensive Health Clinics, where she trained in integrated healthcare settings. Her professional interests include health psychology, culturally responsive care, trauma-informed practice, identity development, and supporting individuals as they navigate adversity while building meaningful and values-aligned lives.
Beyond clinical work, Virginia has led community and economic development initiatives in partnership with immigrant communities. Through bilingual programming, strategic collaborations, and resource-building efforts, she has worked to expand access to opportunities for historically marginalized entrepreneurs and families. This work reflects her commitment to bringing psychological insight beyond traditional settings and into the real-world systems that shape people’s lives.
Outside of her professional roles, Virginia can usually be found doing Pilates (with varying levels of grace), reading with her book club pals, hiking, spending quality time with family and friends, loving on her pets, and enthusiastically playing pickleball with far more heart than coordination.