Jason Fly, Chava Nerenberg, and Adrian Valadez of the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School were given the 2021-2022 Ray E. Hosford Awards for Excellence in Professional Behavior for their work at the Hosford Counseling & Psychological Services Clinic.
Jason Fly is a doctoral student in clinical psychology working in the Families and Stress lab headed by Dr. Erika Felix. He previously achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa in 2018 and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology in 2020 from UCSB. Prior to attending UCSB, he worked in a psychoneuroendocrinology lab studying the effects of stress hormones on health outcomes, and a cross-cultural emotions lab where he developed an interest in differential expressions of empathy. He was the principal investigator of an international study comparing the U.S. and Brazil on ethno-cultural empathy and racial implicit bias. Currently, his research interests include developing clinical tools to prevent and treat stress disorders related to traumatic events, specifically using narrative strategies such as cognitive empathy. His focus is around addressing socio-cultural differences that factor in prevention and treatment of at-risk and underserved populations, especially African-Americans. He is a clinician at the Healing Space.
Chava Nerenberg is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology working with Dr. Maryam Kia-Keating. Chava holds a B.A. from Cornell University in Government and Asian Studies, an M.S. from American University in International Development Management, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Before beginning her Ph.D., Chava worked for more than a decade as an international aid worker, providing food aid, psychosocial support, and community programming to vulnerable populations in ten countries. Most recently she served as the program manager for a randomized controlled trial evaluating different approaches to building resilience among Congolese refugees. Chava’s research focuses broadly on trauma and resilience. She is particularly interested in vicarious trauma, mental health care for aid workers and first responders, and therapeutic approaches for treating trauma among multicultural populations.
Adrian M. Valadez is a doctoral candidate in the Counseling Psychology emphasis working under the direction of Dr. Tania Israel. Prior to attending UCSB, she received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies and her M.S. in Clinical Psychology. Adrian was named a Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Scholar in 2018 and was awarded the Malyon-Smith Scholarship Research Award from the American Psychological Association (Division 44) in 2020. Adrian's research interests are broadly related to improving LGBTQ+ mental health services and outcomes. More specifically, Adrian's most noteworthy projects include the adaptation and implementation of LGBTQ-affirming online interventions, the development of an implicit measure to assess levels of internalized binegativity among bisexuals, and qualitative analyses of the role of stigmatization in disclosure within Consensually Non-monogamous relationships. Adrian is currently working on her dissertation which is focused on Critical Consciousness and its role in resiliency among Latinx Sexual and Gender Minority individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hosford Counseling & Psychological Services Clinic is a university-based community clinic designed to provide developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, low-cost individual, couple, family, and group psychological treatment and testing/assessment services to people living within the central coast community. The Hosford Clinic serves as a training site for students in CCSP and as a clinical-research facility for the faculty and students of the CCSP Department. It also strives to provide educational, consultation, and training services to professional and paraprofessional clinicians and educators in the tri-counties.