Dr. Bryan O. Rojas-Araúz

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.

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 Latinx 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, friends, and dogs.

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., (Coming Soon) Taking Action: Creating Social Change Through Strength, Solidarity, Strategy, and Sustainability for Counselor, Psychologist, & Helping Professions. 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