Monsour Center Staff
Gary DeGroot, Ph.D., Director / Chief Psychologist-
Send Gary an e-mail
I am a licensed clinical psychologist and have been at MCAPS for about 13 years. My theoretical orientation is described as eclectic, as it largely depends on my clients' needs, their personality style, and finding an intervention that will fit best and be the most effective. More... I place an emphasis on helping my clients identify and modify less effective patterns and address issues developed early in their life which tend to continue into their adulthood. In therapy clients will learn methods/techniques that will enable them to make beneficial life changes leading towards positive growth.
As this is my twelfth year at MCAPS I have extensive experience working with a diverse student population with a variety of issues. Some of my clinical interests and work have been in the areas of grief and bereavement, depression/anxiety, and biracial concerns. As I continue to work with the college student population, I look forward to helping students work through difficult issues and experiences. 
Fiona Vajk, Ph.D., Senior Staff Psychologist- Send Fiona an e-mail
My approach to brief individual therapy is to help individuals draw from their strengths, in order to explore possibilities for change and growth, taking into account each person's unique life experiences and cultural background. More... I draw from both cognitive-behavioral and self-psychology theories to understand students' concerns, which means that I am interested in how people have learned to think about themselves and the world around them, as well as how their early experiences have helped to shape their individual development. My particular areas of interest are sexual assault/abuse, multicultural counseling, depression, identity development, women's issues, body image, self-esteem, mindfulness/meditation, and relationship issues.
Carrie Park, Psy.D., Senior Staff Psychologist-
Send Carrie an e-mail
I have been a member of the Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services staff since 2008. I am licensed as a psychologist in the state of CA and have trained and worked at a number of college counseling centers. In my counseling center experience, I’ve enjoyed working with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, focusing on the individual’s unique experience while challenging those thoughts and behaviors which may be maladaptive. More... My theoretical orientation draws largely from humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, and feminist therapy. My areas of special interest include adjustment issues, depression, anxiety, women’s issues, identity development, and GLBTQ concerns.
I am excited to be entering my second year as part of the Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services staff. I have trained and worked at a number of college counseling centers and am licensed as a psychologist in the state of CA. 
Craig Beeson, Ph.D., Senior Staff Therapist-
Send Craig an e-mail
In my therapeutic work, I’ve become particularly fascinated by how students make meaning out of their unique life journeys. My approach is to work collaboratively to provide relief from problematic symptoms by aiding in developing tools while going beyond to empower students to move toward the people they want to become. More... I want to create an empathic and nonjudgmental space where students can explore themselves and work toward their goals. This may include exploring their relationships and social and cultural context. My work is informed primarily by narrative, humanistic, positive psychology, and cognitive-behavioral therapies.
While I consider my specialty college mental health, I am especially interested in issues of adjusting to college, depression, stress management, identity development, culture, relationships, grief and loss, sexuality, and spirituality. I have trained and worked at a variety of college counseling centers and am excited to have the opportunity to work with the Claremont students. 
Kristen Masters, Psy.D., Staff Therapist-
Send Kristen an e-mail
I am delighted to be continuing at Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services working with the students at the Claremont Colleges. Although my theoretical perspective is generally informed by psychodynamic and humanistic orientations, I tend to employ an eclectic approach and prefer to work collaboratively with clients to tailor therapy to clients’ unique needs. More... I consider factors such as personality, culture, family history, relationships, past experiences, language, as well client’s strengths and goals. My hope is for clients to feel more empowered and able to address their challenges in appropriate and healthy ways uniquely suited for each client. Although I am a generalist and happy to work with clients with any presenting concerns, I am particularly interested in those related to family dynamics, relationships, attachment, life transitions, depression, anxiety, stress management, adjustment, assertiveness and, and identity development.
Vilma Fuentes, Psy.D., Senior Staff Psychologist- Send Vilma an e-mail
My approach to brief individual therapy is eclectic, even though I draw largely on Humanistic and Cognitive Behavioral approaches. I support my clients through their journey of personal growth by helping them identify and nurture their inner strengths while learning to modify and change unproductive thought patterns. More...I provide an accepting environment where my clients feel safe to explore their concerns and increase their sense of self-mastery through the development of self-accountability. My areas of interest include multicultural counseling, anxiety, depression, spirituality, family of origin issues, and women's issues.
Melissa McMullin, Psy.D., Senior Staff Psychologist-
Send Melissa an e-mail
As a licensed psychologist with a specialization in disabilities, including ADHD and learning disorders, I strive to provide students with both therapeutic and educational support to facilitate actualizing academic goals. My therapeutic approach is supportive and empathic while utilizing evidence-based treatment modalities. More... I integrate my understanding of cognitive processes and assessment into therapy to provide individualized treatment to Claremont students. My theoretical orientation includes CBT, mindfulness, and solution-focused therapy.
I also consult with students encountering unexpected academic concerns and those seeking accommodations. My clinical interests include: ADHD, learning disorders, academic underachievement, test anxiety, neuropsychological assessment, chronic illness, and disability advocacy. 
Mendel Feldsher, M.D., Board Certified Psychiatrist- Send Mendel an e-mail
Katy Dorsheimer, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Therapist-
Send Katy an e-mail
In my therapeutic work, I aim to empower and collaboratively build upon student’s strengths for growth and healing. My approach to counseling is integrative, drawing mainly from humanistic and multicultural feminist theories. I offer a safe, supportive counseling space with flexibility to meet the unique needs and diversity that each student brings. I am grateful for the opportunity to complete this meaningful work with Claremont Colleges students. More... I have completed by Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the Unversity at Albany, State University of New York, with training in college counseling centers and other community-based settings. My special interest areas include women’s issues, sexual trauma, LGBTQ identity exploration, race-related stress, and mindfulness. In addition to counseling, I enjoy providing outreach to the college community pertaining to well-being and multiculturalism.
Elisa Hernandez, Ph.D Postdoctoral Therapist-
Send Elisa an e-mail
I use an integrative approach to counseling that incorporates humanistic principles, cognitive behavorial interventions and a focus on emotional processing. I strongly beleive in the collaborative nature of counseling and that the therapeutic relationship can facilitate growth and self-development. More... One of my first tasks as a therapist is to help students put their distress in context (culturally, economically, socio-politically, etc.) and to explore the strengths and knowledge that students contribute to the therapeutic process. I strive to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for students to explore their identities, obstacles, and distress while also emphasizing their unique coping strategies, support network, and growth. My areas of interest include acculturation, identity development, students of color, first generation college students, adjustment issues, anxiety, depression and trauma. I am bilingual in Spanish/English and enjoy working with students from all backgrounds.
Cristine Bruzzone, M.A., Intern-
Send Cristine an e-mail
I am a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Depth Psychology Ph.D. program at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. My clinical experiences include a practicum placement at the Life Skills Student Counseling Center at Los Angeles Harbor College where I worked in a walk-in crisis clinic as well as provided psychoeducational and college success training for students from diverse ethnic groups. More... In addition, I completed another year of clinical work with under-resourced elderly as a staff therapist for the Homebound program at San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center, Inc. in the San Fernando Valley. As a former staff research associate at UCLA’s Semel Institute, I co-authored a book chapter on depression in women with Dr. Virginia Elderkin-Thompson (published 2009). A second co-authored book chapter with a California State University Northridge psychology research team has been accepted for publication on the topic of the sexual health of older African-American women in the San Fernando Valley. Additional academic experiences include being the former Program Director for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCLA Extension, and a current posting as Adjunct Professor in the Master of Arts in Psychology Program at Antioch University Los Angeles. I utilize a depth-oriented, brief psychotherapeutic approach, with a goal of developing a theoretical perspective that incorporates Jungian and Humanist philosophies, while addressing the importance of nature, literature, narrative, art, dreams and the collective wisdom of our ancestors, to help my clients develop solutions to the issues that bring them to therapy.
Fahmina Hasin, M.A., Intern-
Send Fahmina an e-mail
In my therapeutic work, I take an integrative approach and draw from cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, and humanistic approaches. I am interested in exploring how my clients’ past experiences may influence their current functioning as well as the interconnectedness of a client’s thoughts, moods, behaviors and physical reactions. More... In my work with clients, I generally ask questions about their understanding of the problem, family histories, relationship patterns, and social and cultural history. I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients is important, and to that end, I emphasize building rapport and having a meaningful dialogue, with unconditional empathy, care, and respect. Furthermore, I am attentive to clients’ developmental levels, interpersonal processes, multicultural issues, and their overall needs. I believe that my clients have capacities within themselves to solve life’s problems and my role as a therapist is to help bringing awareness to their capacities. In my work with clients, I pay close attention to our therapeutic relationship, interpersonal process, and how we interact with each other. I believe when change occurs, it is evident in one’s thoughts and behaviors. My clinical interests include adjustment issues, immigration, multiculturalism, depression, anxiety, loss and grief, and women’s issues.
Lorrie Delgado, Secretary Receptionist- Send Lorrie an e-mail
Lorrie, the familiar face and voice of Monsour Counseling Services, was born and raised in southern California. She is now in her 13th year at the Claremont Colleges. More... Previously, Lorrie worked in a Pediatric Neurologist's office for five years and states she "learned many things." This proud mother of two sons, two step daughters and four grandchildren is happily married. She enjoys interacting with people, working in her yard gardening and love sports.
