国产传媒

Biography

I recently moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, and this is my first year, 2021, at The Mount. Con orgullo, with pride, I can say I am the new Coordinator of the Latinx Mental Health Emphasis and Assistant Training Director at Mount Saint Mary鈥檚 University.

As a first-generation, queer, Latina, child of Mexican immigrant parents, born and raised in my early childhood in the historically Latinx immigrant district of La Mission in San Francisco, I quickly learned the meaning of community, strength, love, and perseverance. Today, I am here as a professor and paying it forward.

My academic journey did not stray me too far away from the Bay Area because as a Latina we don鈥檛 鈥渁bandon鈥� la familia. I say this with great humor and gratitude as my journey in higher education has taken me to many countries of the world! It was also while at San Francisco State that I learned about Liberation Psychology in my Raza studies course, and this is theory that I use to inform my clinical work as a clinical psychologist. In my graduate studies I had the privilege to study in Mexico City through a Spanish Immersion Program and earn my Certificate in Latinx Family Therapy, and I graduated with my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Social Justice track from Alliant International University.

My research interests include undocumented and DACA-mented college student mental health, Latinx immigrants, integration of psychology and traditional practices in healing also known as Curanderismo, and all the complexities and intersections of the Latinx community.

My hobbies and interests include travel, visual/audio tech nerd, and astrology.

Example Courses

PSY 499: Liberation Psychology with an Latinx perspective, PSY 452A: Practicum Seminar III

Published Works

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• , p. 28-31, co-author 
• , CPA Immigration Task Force, co-author 
• , live audio radio interview with Beth Ruyak