Dr. Cortez has ample familiarity with multicultural perspectives and is strongly committed to serving predominantly Latinx communities, focusing on adolescents, young adults, and families. Dr. Cortez specializes in therapeutic approaches, such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Practices and Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) and Somatic Experiencing. In addition, she aims to enhance her patients’ resilience, stability, and well-being in fluent Spanish, allowing her to connect with Spanish-speaking individuals.
Dr. Cortez completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Chapman University, her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in 2016, and her Doctoral degree at Antioch University in Santa Barbara in 2020. Her work on social justice research with immigrant minorities earned her an award in 2018 and a scholarship in 2017. This research involved a phenomenological exploration of the experiences of immigrant parents of children with special needs. The findings from this study provided valuable insights into the specific challenges faced by this population, offering potential guidance for future outreach, prevention, intervention, and treatment.
Dr. Cortez obtained predoctoral training at The Santa Barbara Psychology Internship Consortium (SB-PIC), which is a joint effort between the Santa Barbara County SELPA office, school districts throughout Santa Barbara County, and contributions of the School Psychology faculty of the University of California, Santa Barbara. There she obtained clinical and didactic training to support primarily underserved adolescents in the local high schools with psychotherapy and various other interventions. In 2021, she completed her postdoctoral internship at Mission Harbor Behavioral Health’s Adult and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs. Finally, Dr. Cortez works in private practice and focuses on multiculturally informed mental healthcare for adolescents and the youth.
