Staff Members

Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services Staff Therapeutic Orientation 2009-2010

Although all Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services Staff are generalists and can work with a wide range of student issues, we have described below our theoretical orientations and areas of special interest or expertise.

Gary DeGroot, Ph.D., Chief Psychologist/Associate Director

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and have been at MCAPS for about 12 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. 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

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. 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.

Elizabeth (Liz) Gayed, Ph.D., Senior Staff Psychologist, Outreach Liaison to HMC, Scripps;HEO

I am pleased to be able to be a continuing part of the Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services staff. In working with students, my approach is tailored to the needs of the individual. My theoretical orientation towards therapy is influenced by psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, developmental, and humanistic theory. This means that I integrate an understanding of people through various lenses, including understanding their early relationships, past and current experiences, and ways perspective and behavior may need to shift and grow as people face life challenges. I see a large part of my role as a therapist, as helping students to utilize personal strengths and resources to effect positive change and growth in their lives.

I am excited to meet with a great variety of people through my work at MCAPS. My particular areas of interest in regard to therapy include adjustment issues, women’s issues, depression, anxiety, stress management, spirituality, eating disorders, family of origin issues, relationship issues, and issues related to those identified as gifted and talented.

Nana Sadamura, Ph.D. ,Senior Staff Psychologist

I try to help students discover and utilize their natural strengths in facilitating their personal and academic development. As an Asian American, I am invested and interested in Asian American issues, as well as issues relevant to all students of color. I am also interested in issues facing students who are ‘nontraditional”.

My training is in systems (looking at the individual in context—relational, situational, and societal) and cognitive behavioral (focusing on changing thoughts and behavior) approaches, and my techniques are primarily psychoeducational (helping individuals discover the information needed to facilitate change).

I specialize in working with students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, although I also work with students who have general learning issues related to anxiety, depression, stress, and multicultural issues.

Carrie Park, Psy.D., Senior Staff Therapist

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. 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. 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 issues.

Jennifer Howes, Ph.D .Senior Staff Therapist,

My approach to brief therapy is based on the integration of psychodynamic, family systems and attachment theories. This means that I am curious about my clients’ current range of concerns and how they connect or may be related to early experiences. I like to work collaboratively with my clients to develop individualized treatment plans that focus on utilizing strengths to foster growth and greater understanding of the self. Like all MCAPS staff, I am a generalist and enjoy working with students with all types of concerns, but my areas of special interest include anxiety, relationship issues, adjustment, depression, and psychological sequelae of injury and illness.

Jessica Cooper, Post-Doctoral

I utilize a strength-based orientation that is eclectic in the sense that I believe therapy must be tailored to meet the needs of the individual in order to maximize growth. I work with my clients to establish a collaborative relationship wherein we define their needs and goals and co-construct their treatment. I draw upon a blend of systemic, cognitive- behavioral, and psychodynamic conceptualizations and interventions. Working at Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services fulfills my long- term ambition to be a culturally-competent, strength-based therapist working at a school-based setting. My particular areas of interest include: sexual assault, domestic violence, trauma, multicultural counseling, depression, anxiety, identity development, and resilience.

Kristen Masters, Post-Doctoral

I am very pleased to return to Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services and work with the students at the Claremont Colleges. Although my theoretical perspective is generally informed by psychodynamic and humanistic orientations, I enjoy working collaboratively with clients to individualize our work together, considering such factors as personality, culture, family history, relationships, past experiences, language, as well client’s strengths and goals. I am particularly interested in concerns related to family issues, relationships, attachment, depression, anxiety, stress management, adjustment, assertiveness and empowerment, and identity development.f

Natalie Santos, Intern

My style in therapy is supportive and collaborative, and my approach and interventions are tailored to match the needs of each individual. I help people acknowledge their strengths and potential while facilitating their desired change and development. My theoretical orientation can best be described as eclectic, meaning I draw from more than one theoretical approach as a way of gaining a more comprehensive understanding of each person. The two main theories I incorporate in therapy are psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral, which provide avenues for understanding people’s unique experiences, exploring their past and current relationships, decreasing less effective behaviors while developing more adaptive ones, and enhancing their quality of life.

My areas of clinical interest include anxiety and stress management, depression, adjustment issues, relationship issues, disordered eating, and substance abuse.

Mina Santorsola, Intern

I integrate several psychotherapy approaches in a compassionate, safe, and respectful environment. I try to understand my clients in the context of their social, biological, cultural, and spiritual backgrounds. My approach is growth oriented - building on people’s strengths to promote action toward meaningful change while acknowledging and addressing the influence of the past. I support clients in developing greater self-acceptance, identifying ineffective life patterns, and discovering the path to greater authenticity and fulfillment.

My particular areas of interest are relationship issues, depression, anxiety, grief and bereavement, substance abuse, and adjustment issues.