Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Espinoza.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sandra. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in the small city of El Monte, California. It is a small residential and industrial city made up of predominantly Latino immigrants. My parents moved to El Monte from Mexico in the early 1970’s. Both of my parents fled poverty in their country of origin and came to the US in search a better life. Growing up, I was an only child and both of my parents worked in manual labor jobs in order to pay the bills. They were monolingual, so Spanish was my first language. I was able to pick up some English within the American school system and began to interpret for my parents. I learned early on how to independently navigate different educational and social systems. After graduating high school, I commuted to California State University Fullerton where I majored in psychology. Navigating college was difficult for me as I lacked the mentorship and guidance from my parents who only attended elementary school. I struggled with my grades and picked up too many jobs to help my parents with the bills. Nonetheless, I graduated. I began working at a local boys and girls club where I became the Teen Center Director. I began to work with teens and was in charge of their after school programming. It was one of the most rewarding jobs but I didn’t feel as I was making the impact I was capable of. I had access to impact the lives of children from 3-7 pm ( after school hours) but ultimately they would be sent home to dysfunctional homes. I knew that I wanted to do some family work and applied to Marriage and Family Therapy programs all over California. Alliant International University ended up being my top choice and I received both my masters and my doctorate from Alliant. Shortly after graduating, I also became an assistant professor at Alliant University- Los Angeles. After two years of working as a faculty member, I was promoted to Branch Director of the Los Angeles Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) program. I oversee the administration of the CFT program in Los Angeles as well as teach at both the masters and doctoral level. I am passionate about training and educating the next generation of marriage and family therapists. It has also been a privilege to be one of two Latina faculty in the CFT program. I am proud and eager to represent the Mexican community within the field of marriage and family therapy. I am also a licensed marriage and family therapist. I am part of a group practice, Highland Park Therapy. My clincial speciaity is working with interracial couples as well as Latina women. My research has focused on exploring the impact of deportation on adult intimate relationships. Esentially looking at how forced separations in childhood shape attachment styles and how we connect with others as adults. My research also includes learning about how sociopolitcal systems (i.e.: legal system, poverty, racism) impact mental health. I am passionate about mentoring women, especially women of color and helping them use and find their voice.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. As I mentioned earlier, navigating different career paths and educational paths independently has been very difficult. I had to figure out financial aid, college applications and other important tasks all on my own. I encourage women to find a mentor very early on to help them navigate all of the different systems that they interact with. I was lucky to find a mentor in my doctorate program who pushed me to find my voice and ultimately to have the confidence to apply for faculty jobs. I would have never seen myself in a classroom. I was very shy and rarely spoke up in class. I am now in front of a classroom on a weekly basis and even delivered the commencement speech to the graduating class of 2017 (California School of Psychology). My mentor believed in me and pushed me to reach my full potential. I also encourage young women to take risks despite being faced with fear and uncertainty. It has helped me greatly to jump into the unknown headfirst.
Please tell us about Alliant International University.
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist and core faculty at Alliant International University. I am also the branch director that oversees the couple & family therapy program for the Los Angeles campus. In my clinical practice, I specialize in working with both minority couples as well as Latinx women. I have over nine years of experience as a therapist providing services to underserved communities. Aside from my clinical practice, I am also an advocate for immigrant rights and immigration reform. My parents and immediate family members are all immigrants, I have seen the impact that obtaining legal status can have on the lives of parents, children and individuals seeking a better life. For the past seven years, I have presented national workshops, lectures and presentations speaking on the impact of immigration and deportation on the mental health of Latinx immigrants. I was privileged enough to be born with legal status and hope to use my privilege and power to advocate for others. It is my firm belief that families should not be separated at the border and that legal status should be granted for all existing undocumented folks living in the United States as well as those attempting to enter.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
The most important piece of advice I could give to a young woman just starting her career is to believe in her capacity to reach any goal she sets for herself. I think that as women we are socialized to doubt our own power and we have to intentionally affirm ourselves as confident, capable and powerful beings. I also encourage young women to identify a mentor early on in her career. There is so much unknown to navigate when one is starting their career. It is helpful to identify someone with experience that can help answer questions, connect you to the right people and make important introductions.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 626.478.8399
- Email: sespinoza@alliant.edu
- Instagram: doctoraespinoza
Image Credit:
Larry Sun
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