In loving memory of Ginamarie Scherzi, the Tía of the Ánimo emphasis, your gifts will be matched dollar for dollar up to $1,000.
The Ánimo Latinx Counseling Emphasis in the Department of Counseling is a set of five courses—within the total 63-unit program— that provides additional instruction to students conducting psychotherapy/counseling with Latinx and Spanish speaking clients. Ánimo students are specifically trained to provide culturally sensitive services to clients in both Spanish and English. As a result of this specialty, Ánimo students are easily able to find practicum/internship experiences at agencies because there are so few therapists and counselors who have these skills. Community mental health agencies also struggle to find bilingual and bicultural associates (post degree therapists) who are qualified to provide psychotherapy/counseling in Spanish and administrators who can provide supervision to counselors-in-training. Ánimo students will be able to fulfill these community needs.
Ánimo is one of the few programs in the nation training bilingual and bicultural counselors at a public university. Most of our Ánimo students are first-generation college students who can benefit from the financial support through their training.
Your support is essential to building student success in the Ánimo program and it will help us strengthen the mental health services available to Spanish speaking/Latinx communities in Southern California. Donations will provide: