Bryan O. Rojas-Araúz is an Afro-Latino immigrant of Costa Rican and Panamanian descent. He received his B.A. in Psychology from San Jose State University, earned his Master’s in Counseling in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy with a dual emphasis in College Counseling at San Francisco State University and graduated with a PhD in Counseling Psychology with a Spanish Language Psychological Services and Research Specialization from the University of Oregon. His research emphasis is on Latinx Psychological Wellbeing; Immigrant and DREAMer Experiences; Undocumented and other marginalized BIPOC Communities’ access to Mental Health and Education; Critical Consciousness; Cultural Competencies, Advocacy, and Social Justice. His dissertation titled Undocumented Healing: Strengths & Resilience from the Shadows used testimonios and poetry to identify challenges as well as protective factors and psychological strengths of Undocumented Students. He has over 10 years of experience providing bilingual mental health services and working with Spanish speaking communities including children, adults, and families. He is an adjunct faculty member for the International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health Program at DU. Additionally, he provides immigration evaluations for refugees and asylum seekers, does speaking engagements, wellness retreats, and is co-authoring a book on social justice engagement for counselors, psychologists, and other helping professionals. He is a bilingual (English / Spanish) bicultural trauma psychologist and the co-founder of In Lak’ech Counseling, Education, and Consulting. Dr. Rojas-Araúz is a HipHop educator, DREAMer, documentary filmmaker, slam poet, author, scholar-activist, and healer.

It is hard to ask for help and talk about life’s struggles; it is also hard not to. You deserve to experience joy, have a voice, and discover your most authentic self. I am passionate about empowering you to live your values with intentionality and purpose, gain insights into barriers, and create the change you seek. I want to support you in learning how to implement your strengths, live more mindfully, and leverage your power to live a better life and reach your goals. I believe in our need for connection, love, and to feel whole and that the absence of these feelings can be the basis for some of our struggles and suffering.

My clinical work is grounded in an integrative ecological approach largely influenced by Multicultural Feminist Therapy (MFT), Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT), trauma-focused CBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The combination of MFT, IPT, TF-CBT, and ACT allows me to address different levels of clients’ ecology for a more in-depth understanding of their experiences including a focus on context, identities, and personal and cultural values. It also helps me provide individualized interventions for each client in collaboration with them to meet their goals, and their present needs.

My goal is to create a collaborative, safe, and accepting space for all people. My approach to mental health is social justice oriented, affirming of lived experiences, strength-based, liberatory, trauma-informed, transformative healing that can cultivate positive long-lasting change. I would be honored to accompany you in this journey of exploration and healing and look forward to connecting with you.