Nice to meet you

ABOUT ME

My name is Dr. Bryan O. Rojas-Araúz, and I'm a bilingual bicultural Licensed Psychologist and Afroindigenous immigrant of Costa Rican and Panamanian descent. I spent my teenage years in the Bay Area, California, where I became a community organizer and DREAM activist. I am a scholar-activist, healer, speaker, educator and the co-founder of In Lak'ech Counseling, Education, & Consulting, a culturally rooted private practice that weaves ancestral healing practices, indigenized frameworks, and social justice into therapy, education, and organizational transformation.

I specialize in working with global majority (BIPOC) communities, immigrants, Men's issues, couples and families, first generation professionals and college students. I am also a faculty member in the International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health program at the University of Denver. Additionally, I provide immigration and mental health evaluations for refugees and asylum seekers, do speaking engagements, wellness retreats. I'm an author and scholar-activist. My research emphases include Latine and Indigenous Psychological Wellbeing, Immigrant and DREAMer Experiences, Undocumented and Global Majorities Access to Mental Health and Education, Critical Consciousness, Trauma and Cultural Responsiveness, and Advocacy & Social Justice. When I'm not working you can find me woodworking, blowing glass, or outdoors with my family, and friends.

HEALING APPROACH

As a bilingual bicultural Afroindigenous immigrant, I approach my clinical work and supervision with curiosity and genuine care for the diverse experiences of those whom I serve. I view counseling and education as a tool for healing and conduit for social justice.

My clinical work is grounded in an integrative ecological approach largely influenced by Multicultural Feminist Therapy (MFT), Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The combination of MFT, IPT, and ACT allows me to work with different areas of your life for a more in-depth understanding of your experiences including a focus on context, identities, and personal and cultural values. It also helps me provide individualize interventions in collaboration to meet your goals and needs.

My goal is to create a collaborative, safe, and accepting space for all people. My approach to mental health is social justice oriented, affirming of lived experiences, strength-based, liberatory, trauma and culturally responsive, transformative healing that can cultivate positive long-lasting change. I would be honored to accompany you in this journey of exploration and healing and look forward to connecting with you. For more information call or email me for a free consultation.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

I identify as an Afroindigenous immigrant man (he/him/el) raised in the United States. I grew up in the Bay Area, California and have learned what it means to have a bicultural upbringing. I migrated to the United States at 13 years old on my own to help my family back home and create opportunities I could not have there. I understand the challenges and complexities of identity. As man of color, immigrant, and first generation professional from a low resourced immigrant family, culture and identity have shaped my understanding of the World.

As such, I strive to provide trauma and culturally responsive therapy and encourage dialogue about cultural identities that influence the therapeutic relationship. I became a psychologist because I am committed to creating a safe therapeutic space that honors us all. My training in providing culturally responsive therapy welcomes all people, immigrants, women, & LGBTQ+ clients.

EDUCATION

University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Denver, CO

Pre-Doctoral Resident Primary Care and Community Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Counseling Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

Spanish Language Psychological Services and Research Specialization

APA-Accredited Program

Dissertation: Undocumented Healing: Strengths and Resilience from the Shadows

Advisor: Ellen Hawley McWhirter, PhD.

Master of Science, Counseling, Family and Human Services, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

Thesis: ¿Quien Soy y Adonde Voy? Ethnic Identity, Spanish Language Engagement, and Critical Consciousness

Advisor: Ellen Hawley McWhirter, PhD.

Master of Science, Counseling, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

Specialization in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy Emphasis in College Counseling

Thesis: Living in Academia’s Multiple Margins: Counseling First Generation Female Immigrant College Students

Advisors: Rebecca Toporek, PhD; Alvin Alvarez, PhD.

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Minor in Child and Adolescent Development.

PUBLICATIONS

Werther E., Rojas-Araúz, B. O. & Atiliano, R., (2022) Somos Fuertes Pero También sufrimos - La Salud mental de hombres Latino: (We are strong but we also suffer- The mental health of Latino Men) in E. Delgado-Romero Latinx Mental Health: From Surviving to Thriving. IGI Global.

McWhirter, E.H., Yarris, K., & Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2021). Description and Pilot Evaluation of a Dreamer Ally Training for Higher Education Staff and Faculty. Journal of Social Action in Counseling and Psychology.

Cadenas, G., Peña, D., Minero, L., Rojas-Araúz, B. O., & Lynn, N. (2021). Critical Agency and Vocational Outcomes Expectations as Coping Mechanisms Among Undocumented Immigrant Students. Journal of Latinx Psychology.

McWhirter, E.H., Cendejas, C., Fleming, M., Martinez, S., Mather, N., Garcia, Y., Romero, L., Ortega, R. I., & Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2020). College and career ready and critically conscious: Asset-building with Latinx immigrant youth. Journal of Career Assessment.

McWhirter, E.H., Rojas-Araúz, B. O., Ortega, R. I., Combs, D., Cendejas, C., & McWhirter B. (2019). ALAS: An Intervention to Promote Career Development Among Latina/o Immigrant High School Students. Journal of Career Development, 46(6), 608–622.

Toporek, R. L., Sapigao, W., & Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2016). Fostering the Development of a Social Justice Perspective and Action: Finding a Social Justice Voice. In C. M. Alexander, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, & M. Jackson (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2014). “I Am” poem on the Latinx immigrant experience in the U.S. In G. L. Orozco, W. L. Lee, J. A. Blando & B. Shooshani (Eds.), Introduction to multicultural counseling for helping professionals (3rd ed.) (pp. 117-118). New York, NY: Routledge.

Books In Progress

Toporek, R., Aluwhalia, M., Bines, D., & Rojas-Araúz, B. O., (In Press) Workbook for Social Action for Counselor, Psychologist, & Helping Professionals Through Strength, Solidarity, Strategy, and Sustainability. Cognella Press

Manuscripts In Progress

Rojas-Araúz, B. O., Combs, D., & McWhirter, E.H. (In preparation). Dreaming of careers: Career counseling with undocumented students, transferable skills, and other solutions.

Rojas-Araúz, B. O., Chronister, K., & Combs, D. (In preparation). Living in academia’s multiple marginalizations: Counseling first generation female immigrant college students.

PODCAST, FILM, & VIDEO WORKS

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2020). Duck Tails: Stories from around the O. Podcast

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. appearing in Toporek, R. L., Ahluwalia, M. K., & Robey, E. (Producers). (2019). Helping Counselors and Psychologists as Advocates and Activists: Strength, Solidarity, Strategy and Sustainability. Alexander Street Microtraining Associates. Alexandria, VA.

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2019). UO DREAMer Scholarship. https://duckfunder.uoregon.edu/DREAMers

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2018). Mapuche Warrior. Documentary presented at Community Alliance of Lane County Environmental and Indigenous Rights Defense, Eugene, OR.

Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2018). 10 Stages of Genocide. Documentary presented at Introduction to Documentary Filmmaking Screening, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.

Combs, D. & Rojas-Araúz, B. O. (2017, June). DREAMless. Documentary presented at Latino Roots Documentary Film Screening, Eugene, OR. https://vimeo.com/221658847