Who is Rocio?

Hey there! I’m Rocio (pronounced roh-see-oh) and I have been working in the mental health field since 2017. I graduated from the University of South Florida with my bachelor’s in psychology (minor in sociology) in 2016 and my master’s in social work in 2019 and then earned my license in 2021. I have experience working in an inpatient acute psychiatric facility where I worked with patients who have severe mental illness and individuals who needed crisis stabilization. I facilitated group therapy, coordinated safe discharges out in the community, provided emotional support to the patient and loved ones, and provided them with community resources. I worked at Moffitt Cancer Center for several years where I provided emotional support to patients and caregivers individually and in a support group, working with their adjustment to illness, anticipatory grief, and providing community resources. There, I worked with individuals who have severe illness, chronic illness, and with older populations.

In professional and personal settings, I have had experience working with people who have severe trauma, fertility issues, and issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community. The modalities and approaches I use (depending on what works best for the individual) are cognitive behavioral therapy, strengths-based therapy, mindfulness therapy, and I enjoy using an empowering approach. Although I love working on creating healthy boundaries, how to be true to oneself, and teaching mindfulness techniques to my patients, I am constantly learning how to be a better therapist by keeping an open mind, reading, and taking educational courses to strengthen my skills.

I strongly believe in providing individuals a safe, non-judgmental space with a caring, empathetic, and supportive style to rant about things from their week or to work through their deep trauma… your trauma and your drama! Let’s process these things together with the goal of having a good quality of life and feeling good about being your most authentic self!

I was born in California and have spent most of my life in Tampa- living here for 25+ years now. I am happily married to a wonderful man who works as a firefighter/paramedic, and we are new parents to a beautiful, smart, and silly baby girl. I have a Chihuahua/Jack Russel and a black cat whom I love very much. I enjoy learning about different cultures, trying different kinds of foods, going to concerts/festivals, spending time with my loved ones, and watching true crime documentaries and horror movies. I identify as pansexual, am a daughter of parent who migrated from Mexico, and grew up in poverty in a single parent home. I feel as though these specific parts of my life have given me the perspective to connect with many of my patients.

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