Languages Spoken: English & Spanish

My name is Maricela Lopez, and I am an MFT trainee specializing in Trauma studies at Pacific Oaks University. As a first-generation Mexican-American, I am the first in my family to do many things, such as the first generation to speak a second language (English), the first generation to go to college, and the first generation to face and overcome systematic and structural barriers that instilled in me the ability to be an advocate for underserved and marginalized communities.

I have an educational background in child development as well as experience as a classroom teacher and as a non-profit volunteer working with at-risk youth and their families. I find it fulfilling to work with individuals and families to assist them in making meaning of some of their most difficult moments, assisting them to reflect on their personal upbringing and how such experiences translate into their interpersonal relationships, whether consciously or unconsciously.

By creating a safe space to reflect on what makes individuals who they are today and the kind of person they want to become, we will develop ways to live healthier and more fulfilling lives. This may include ways to strengthen parenting skills, work on interpersonal skills to strengthen relationships with others, and/or develop ways to get to know the self better, promoting a stronger sense of self and belonging in the world.