The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

2004-Present

Doctoral student in Clinical Psychology

• APA Accredited Psy.D. Program

• Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology awarded in May 2006

• Honors: Jeffery C. Grip Multicultural Fellowship, Trustee Scholarship

Florida International University

2001-2003

Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Psychology, Honors and Magna Cum Laude

• Honors: Outstanding Academic Achievement Award from Psychology Department, All-Florida Academic Team Scholar, Minority Transfer Scholar, Lilly Endowment Inc. Scholar, Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, Project Amazonas Scholar

• Memberships: Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology

Miami-Dade College

1999-2001

Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology, Highest Honors with Distinction

• Honors: Divisional Award from the School of Natural & Social Sciences, Departmental Award for Psychology, National Dean’s List, William McKnight Scholar

• Memberships: Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society

DuPage Community Clinic

Jun 2007- Aug 2008

Full-Time Mental Health Clinician

Wheaton, IL

• Mental Health Clinic: Provide outpatient individual and family therapy to culturally diverse, low income patients who are medically uninsured.

• Medical Clinic: Provide psychological consultations and assessments of mental health status of individuals who are being considered for a psychological referral. Conducted a didactic workshop for medical and administrative staff of the clinic.

• Supervisor: Carolyn. Bailey, Psy.D.

Jewish Child and Family Services

Jun 2007

Camp Firefly Professional Counselor

Ingleside, IL

• Camp Firefly is a week-long, overnight summer camp for children, ages 9 to 12, who have been diagnosed with Autistic spectrum disorders or related disorders that significantly impact social skills.

• Responsibilities included ensuring campers abided by the daily itinerary, facilitating social interactions and conflict resolution, and supporting life skills development.   

• Camp Directors: Sara Johnson, MSW, LCSW; Courtney Schuneman, MA

Paul C. Larson, Ph.D. J.D.

Oct 2005

Spanish Interviewer and Psychological Technician

Chicago, IL

• Contracted to by licensed psychologist conduct a Spanish clinical interview and administer Spanish psychological measures.

John Benitez, Ph.D.

Feb 2006

Spanish Psychological Technician

Chicago, IL

• Contracted by licensed psychologist to administer Spanish WAIS-III.    

Erie Neighborhood House

Aug 2006-June 2007

Therapy Practicum Extern

Chicago, IL

• Youth Options Unlimited Program (YOU): Provided weekly individual and family therapy in Spanish and English to adolescents and adults from underserved populations.

• Erie Childcare Department: Participated in weekly didactic interdisciplinary meetings that involved case conceptualizations and treatment planning.   

• Supervisors: John Benitez, Ph.D.; Jane M. Bazos, Psy.D.; Elizabeth Yelen, Psy.D.

Erie Neighborhood House

Aug 2005-June 2006

Diagnostic Practicum Extern

Chicago, IL

• Erie Childcare Department: Offered classroom consultation regarding young children experiencing behavioral and/or emotional problems. Didactic workshops, case conceptualizations, and treatment planning were also part of this training experience.  

• Psychological Report Writing: Conducted comprehensive psychological evaluations, in English and Spanish, of children and adolescents, and one adult.

• Therapy: Provided individual play therapy to several Latino children and adolescents, in addition to conducting individual adult therapy and couples therapy.

• Supervisors: John Benitez, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Yelen, Psy.D.; Celena Roldan, MSW

Fellowship House Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center

Jan 2002-Apr 2002

Community Psychology Extern

Miami, FL

• Clinical Team: Co-facilitated inpatient group therapy for culturally diverse individuals experiencing severe chronic mental illness. Also facilitated psychoeducational training groups with a focus on teaching social and daily living skills.

• Community Psychology Course: Attended a weekly seminar with an emphasis on how the community impacts psychological functioning of individuals who suffer from mental illness.

• Supervisor: Marvin Dunn, Ph.D.   

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Aug 2005-Dec 2005

Teaching Assistant, Psy.D. program

Chicago, IL

• Co-instructed students enrolled in the Intellectual Assessment Lab in the administration and report writing of the WAIS-III, WISC-IV, WRAT-III, and Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Test.

• Supervisor: Jordan Jacobowitz, Ph.D.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Aug 2005-Dec 2005

Faculty Assistant, Psy.D. program

Chicago, IL

• Aided in the organization and citation of books and journal articles.

• Supervisor: Paul C. Larson, Ph.D., J.D.

Doctoral Dissertation

Aug 2006-Apr 2008

Title: Culturally Informed Treatment: Empowerment as a Tool for Engaging Latino Families in the Therapeutic Process

• Chairperson: John Benitez, PH.D.

• Committee Member: Grant White, Psy.D.

• Dissertation Proposal Accepted: April 2006

• Dissertation Oral Defense: TBA

University of Miami

2002-2004

Research Assistant in Behavioral Medicine Laboratory

Miami, FL

• Performed blood pressure screenings at high schools as part of a longitudinal research project. Conducted follow-up home visits to inform families about the research project. Assisted with cardiovascular and nutritional evaluations of research participants.

• Supervisor: Patricia Saab, Ph.D.

Florida International University

2002-2003

Research Volunteer in Cognitive Laboratory

Miami, FL

• Administered computer based cross-racial facial recognition experiments on undergraduate students. Critical review of literature and discussion were also part of this research experience.

• Supervisor: Christian Meisnner, Ph.D.

Ytorres.com

2003-Present

Owner, Web Designer and Technical Support

Miami, FL and Chicago, IL

• Design, create, and maintain websites for small business owners. Collaborate directly with clients in order to develop their online presence. Trouble shoot and resolve software and hardware issues.

Midwest Association of Latino Psychologists

2006-Present

Communications Chair

Chicago, IL

• Developed the website (www.latinopsychology.org). Responsible for maintaining the website, member database, and facilitating communication among members. Ongoing participation in board meetings.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

2006-2007

Connected Committee Student Member

Chicago, IL

• Assisted in data collection and reflection that led to the CSOPP 2007 self-study report. The final report was a comprehensive evaluation for reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.

Naomi Ruth Cohen Conference

June 4, 2006

Student Volunteer

Evanston, IL

• Assisted in the onsite preparation on the day of the conference. Introduced a workshop speaker to a small group of mental health professionals.

The Chicago School Student Association

2005-2006

Co-Chair

Chicago, IL

• Served as the co-leader for student organization aimed at promoting professional development for students and acts as a social outlet and liaison between administration and the student body.

• Coordinated and monitored cabinet activities. Responsible for creating meeting agendas, conducting cabinet meetings, and officer elections.

Illinois Psychological Association for Graduate Students

2005-2006

Communications Chair

Chicago, IL

• Responsible for website maintenance and information dissemination for graduate student members of IPA.

Golden Key International Honor Society

2001-2003

Communication Officer

Miami, FL

• Responsible for website development and maintenance. Participated in board meetings.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society

1999-2001

Community Service Officer & Membership Officer

Miami, FL

• Organized frequent community service activities and created partnerships with various non-for-profit organizations.

• Responsible for member recruitment and retention. Participated in board meetings. 

Midwest Association of Latino Psychologists (MALP)

Student Member, Communications Chair

2006-Present

Cultural Impact Conference

October 24, 2006

Spirituality, Trauma, and Coping Through Psychology

Chicago, IL

Naomi Ruth Cohen Conference

June 4, 2006

Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness, Depression in Adults between 20 and 50: Prevention + Solutions

Evanston, IL

Menninger Conference

May 3, 2006

Treating Hidden Thought Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults and Understanding and Treating Individuals with Asperger’s Disorder

Chicago, IL

Cultural Impact Conference

October 25, 2005

Gaining Lessons Beyond Tradition: GLBT Pride

Chicago, IL

Cultural Impact Conference

October 1, 2004

Ability and Disability

Chicago, IL

Language Skills

• Fluent in English and Spanish with experience in conducting bilingual clinical interviews, therapy and assessment.

Computer Proficiency

• Familiar with SPSS, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, Front Page, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Image Ready, Adobe Acrobat, Dreamweaver, and Flash.