Senior, BS in Psychology and Social Action

Shirin Aghakhani, a senior in PAU’s bachelor’s program in Psychology and Social Action, recently took a break from her busy schedule to talk about her interest in psychology and what drew her to PAU. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she attended community college before applying to PAU to finish her four-year degree. She is currently President of the Undergraduate Student Council.

What drew you to psychology?

Mark Elliott graduated from PAU in 2017 with an M.A. in Counseling and soon after, started working as a mental health clinician with Humboldt County's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Children's Mental Health Division. He was recently instrumental in developing a side project intended for fellow employees in the building where he works. His ‘Serenity Room’ project is aimed at mitigating the impact of Secondary Traumatic Stress, which can be challenging for mental health providers.

Happy New Year! I hope 2020 is off to a great start for you. As the new alumni engagement manager at Palo Alto University (PAU), I’m excited to connect with you on campus, at one of our upcoming events, or through one of our online social networks.

Please visit us at the expanded Alumni Association website and start taking advantage of your alumni benefits—and numerous meaningful ways to stay engaged with PAU.

PAU professor Lisa Brown, an expert in the evaluation and development of mental health programs related to catastrophic events, will participate on an oversight committee that is looking at the public health impact of the October 2015 Aliso Canyon disaster – the largest gas blowout in the history of the U.S. Dr. Brown will serve as a member Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study Scientific Oversight Committee.

Nicole Inlow

Joanna Servin

  Yenys Castillo, Ph.D. was the Director of Psychology, Clinical Training, and Forensic  Services at South Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center in 2016, when an attorney asked her to offer expert testimony on a death penalty case. She sought out professional development opportunities to expand her skills and found CONCEPT Professional Training’s online workshops and webinars.

PAU Joins “Friend of the Court” Brief in Support of Training for International Students 

Palo Alto University has joined over 110 colleges and universities from across the country in signing an amicus brief supporting the continued existence of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM OPT expansion. The brief was coordinated by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Many years before Nike launched its famous tag line, “Just Do It,” Diane Raleigh, Ph.D., co-founder and graduate of the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP), now Palo Alto University, coined the phrase. This clinical psychologist doesn’t just talk the talk, she has walked the walk her entire life, and inspired countless others to do the same.

 

C. Barr Taylor, M.D., to Serve as Chief Investigator on $2.5M Risk Reduction Grant

Research Professor C. Barr Taylor, M.D., who is working to ‘move the needle’ in providing digital mental health interventions embedded in health care systems, will serve as a Chief Investigator on a $2.5M Australian grant focused on cardiometabolic risk reduction over the course of five years. The grant comes through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Center for Research Excellence in Interactive Digital Technology.

 

Palo Alto University Professor Advocates for Global Approach to Preventing Depression