Carmalita began her career as a mental health professional in the 1980’s. She practices psychotherapeutic counseling from a systems orientation with an emphasis on family wellness. Utilizing primarily a CBT lens, she employs several evidence-based interventions including mindfulness, psychoeducation, play, narrative, and solution-focused therapies to support personal insight and growth.

Prior to joining Cortica, she counseled individuals, couples, and families in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz before moving onto behavioral health care management in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions. She served in clinical, teaching, and administrative positions in higher education (UCSC and UIS) and led family wellness workshops in work and community settings. She has a BA in Psychology (early childhood education emphasis), an MA in Psychology (clinical and marriage & family emphases), and an EdD in Organizational Leadership.  She also has extensive training and experience in ABA. Supporting healthy relationships is core to her clinical practice. She has helped clients work through a variety of issues including parenting and relationship challenges, addictions, traumas, educational challenges, and life transitions.

Having parented a neurodivergent child and a “gifted” child, she is an endless advocate of family wellness. Carmalita enjoys live music, dance, and theatre, nature walks, relaxing at the beach, yoga, and the love of fur babies.