I am a 1st generation immigrant and 1st generation American.  I am of Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, and German heritage. I am multilingual and fluent in English, Spanish, and Spanglish (I do not sprechen Deutsch).

 

I grew up in South Florida and initially only attended college to pursue my athletic ambitions of playing college football.  Although my  dreams did not pan out the way I envisioned, my time as a student athlete took me places I never dreamed, provided me with a valuable education, and taught me many valuable life lessons. 

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My 20+ year career has also taken a "nontraditional path." After obtaining my bachelor's degree in social work, I worked for many years with juveniles in urban educational settings.  As a licensed social worker, I provided prevention programming for Latino and African American youth and families.  These experiences opened my eyes to the mental health disparities that existed in many communities of color.  This led me to pursue an MSW degree in hopes of becoming a mental health therapist.  After several years of working as a bilingual therapist, I realized that my true calling was to become a psychologist.  I often say that the social worker in me saw a need and filled it by pursuing my doctoral degree in psychology. 

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In my career, I have gained extensive experience in a variety of settings including community outpatient services, non-profit agency, university counseling, substance abuse treatment, inpatient services, juvenile corrections, domestic violence, and employee assistance programs. 

 

Currently, I hold dual licensure in the State of Georgia as a Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Additionally, I am a tenured full time  professor in the Department of Psychology at one of the local universities. My areas of interest include Latinx and African American mental health, applied multicultural competency, psychopathology, and mental health ethics. I also mentor undergraduates, graduate students and early career professionals in the fields of social work, counseling, and psychology.

 

In my part time clinical practice, I incorporate a strength based, pragmatic, and culturally affirming  approach to evaluate, diagnose and treat a variety of mental health conditions. I place great emphasis on helping you utilize and/or improve your strengths to better navigate and overcome the challenges you are experiencing.

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Away from work, I enjoy spending time with my family, grilling, being handy around the house and watching football.