Dr. Pratima Pathania, a 2021 graduate of the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program, was born in India and moved to Hollister, California when she was twelve years old. Her father was a fashion designer in India and transferred to the US for work. Several years later, he was able to bring Dr. Pathania, her brother, and her mother here as well. “My mom was technically a single mom for four or five years, which was tough,” she recalled. “We had family there, but it's not like having two parents in the home - she was responsible for taking care of so many things.” Moving to the US as a preteen was very challenging for Dr. Pathania. Although she already spoke English, adjusting to American English and the education system here took some effort. “My parents were immigrants and they could not really help me or guide me in the educational world because they didn't know this system,” she reflected.

Obituary: Dr. Charles Alexander

Dr. Charles "Chuck" Alexander, former dean of the Wright Institute's Clinical Psychology Program, passed away at home on February 18th, 2026.

Chuck was a great leader and a strong advocate for students and faculty alike. He developed many friendships with people at the Wright Institute and many of the current administrators at the Wright are indebted to Chuck for his leadership and guidance during his years at the school. Chuck also came to the Wright Institute as renowned for his deep knowledge, understanding, and skills regarding the detection and treatment of chemical dependency.

In keeping with Chuck’s wishes, please consider a contribution to Delancey Street Foundation in lieu of flowers.

Read the full obituary here.

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Adrienne Rosenberg

“A combination of my temperament and my Jewish and Queer identities has made me generally skeptical of authority and interested in people that redefine the good life outside of dominant social norms,” shared Dr. Adrienne Rosenberg, a 2020 graduate and current faculty member in the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology Program. “You can draw a direct line between that, my dissertation on clinical failure, and my love of working with the neurodivergent, queer, immigrant, and disabled communities.”

Student Spotlight: Emily Angstreich

“I think back to my high school days when it was a big deal for me to talk about my depression and anxiety openly, then I think about how much harder it is to be open and honest about more stigmatized diagnoses,” shared Emily Angstreich, a fourth year student in the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program. “I believe the key to therapy isn’t to focus solely on symptoms, but to witness all the complexities of a person; I want to help people who are misunderstood become understood.”

Congratulations Dr. Shapiro!

Dr. Lauren Shapiro, a professor in the Wright Institute's Clinical Psychology program from 2014-2021, wrote a screenplay called "Still Life" that is premiering at the San Francisco Independent Film Festival on February 7th.

The movie, which is a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story based on Dr. Shapiro's own experience of losing her mother to leukemia as a teenager, was filmed in the East Bay and stars local actors. Dr. Shapiro left her position at the Wright Institute to pursue the dream of creating this film and we congratulate her on her success!

Click here to view the trailer and sign up for updates about the film.

Alumni Spotlight: Shonali Shome

Shonali Shome, a 2023 graduate of the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology Program, grew up in a small town in Virginia, where her parents taught at Virginia Tech. “I’m an only child, but I have a large extended family on my dad’s side in India,” she explained. Shonali attended small public schools from first grade through high school. She enjoyed growing up in a small town and is still close to some of her elementary school friends. “Southwest Virginia was a very conservative area, but Blacksburg itself was more diverse and progressive because of the large university," Shonali recalled. “It was an interesting juxtaposition.”

Congratulations Professor Greivel!

Professor Beth Greivel, a Part-time Core Faculty Member in the Wright Institute's Counseling Psychology Program, had an article published in Psychoanalytic Inquiry this month. The article, titled "Dreaming of Global Kinship: The Dilemma of Disability in Capitalism in Powers’s Bewilderment and Psychotherapy," explores disability, capitalism, and psychotherapy through a psychoanalytic and relational lens, using Richard Powers’s Bewilderment alongside clinical material.

"This article grew out of my teaching, clinical work, and ongoing questions about how disability is understood within capitalist frameworks that prioritize productivity over care," Professor Greivel shared. "Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, literary analysis, and a composite clinical case, I explore the concept of global kinship as an alternative way of thinking about value, dependence, and relational responsibility. I’m sharing it here in the spirit of collective learning."

Student Spotlight: Sean Daugherty

Sean Daugherty, a third-year student in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology Program, was born and raised in a small suburb outside of San Diego called Lemon Grove. He grew up in a working class neighborhood with his parents and his older brother. Sean attended public schools in Lemon Grove and the surrounding areas and still has many close friends from his neighborhood and schools growing up. His father managed a fireplace store and his mother did administrative work at a local community college, but both are now happily retired and still living in the home where Sean and his brother were raised. Neither of his parents attended college and his older brother didn’t complete his college journey, so when Sean graduated from high school, he was setting out on an uncharted path.

Faculty Spotlight: Professor Cristina Biasetto

Professor Cristina Biasetto, a part-time member of the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program’s core faculty, was born and raised in Italy. After high school, Professor Biasetto attended the University of Milan in Italy where she studied Arabic and earned her bachelor’s degree. She was the first person in her family and the only one of her siblings to attend college. “I was drawn to studying Arabic because I was surrounded by immigrant communities where I lived, many of whom were from Arabic speaking countries,” she explained. Professor Biasetto had been very interested in languages from a young age. She learned English in high school, then was eager to expand her knowledge base at the University of Milan.

Student Spotlight: Alisha Ahmed

“What I’ve loved most about being at the Wright Institute is creating meaningful spaces for connection within the larger community,” shared Alisha Ahmed, a fourth year student in the Wright Institute’s Clinical Psychology program. “I’ve learned that those moments require showing up, speaking up, and being willing to take risks by being vulnerable and inviting others to do the same.”