Learn more about Counseling Psychology program alumni Elisa DeVargas, PhD, through our Alumni Spotlight series
Meet Elisa DeVargas, PhD, a counseling psychologist who recently started a private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Trenzitas de Amor Mental Health & Wellness Center, LLC.
Dr. DeVargas completed her bachelors degrees at New Mexico State University where she studied psychology and Spanish. She later moved to Oregon where she completed a masters degree in counseling and human services and then completed her doctoral training at the University of Oregon where she obtained PhD in Counseling Psychology. She did her pre-doctoral internship at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center APA accredited pre-doctoral training site.
After completing her degree, Dr. DeVargas spent 8-weeks in Peru where she obtained specialized training in Spanish for mental health, followed by a one-year post-doctoral fellowship at the APA accredited Southwest Consortium at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center.
Dr. DeVargas specializes in the provision of Spanish language services, trauma-focused therapy, and child and adolescent mental health. Her clinical interests include child and adolescent development, parent skills training, trauma-focused intervention and family therapy. Her research interests include substance abuse prevention, cultural adaptation of EBPs, treatment outcomes, and Latinx mental health.
Dr. DeVargas has a long-standing commitment to developing her Spanish language skills and providing culturally sensitive services to underserved populations. She is also actively engaged in the New Mexico Psychological Association and the National Latinx Psychological Association.
Through various leadership roles, Dr. DeVargas has advocated for advancements in bilingual training of doctoral health psychology students, and she’s launched a national Spanish consultation group to support bilingual mental health providers across the United States.
In addition to professional activities, Dr. DeVargas enjoys Latin dance and has recently started offering dance lessons to promote gender equality and LGBTQ accessibility in Latin partner dancing. She teaches non-binary "switch" partner-work, which allows dancers to fluidly switch between lead and follow, and has used dance as a way of creating work-life balance and connection with community.