Instructor Spotlight: Latoya Conner, PhD

“Psychology first chose me, then I chose psychology,” says Dr. Latoya Conner, PhD. “As a child, I told my family that I wanted to be a doctor that helped people not hurt and that I wanted to live in NY and Africa. I took psychology classes in high school, majored in psychology in college, and minored in dance and theater.” Thinking back, she shared, “Psychology has always been a calling as much as a career path.” We were fortunate that Dr. Conner’s path led her to join the Wright Institute as an instructor in the Clinical Psychology Program this spring.

Instructor Spotlight: Nico Storrow, LMFT

“My approach is warm, client centered, and grounded in the belief that each person is an expert in their own experiences,” says Nico Storrow, a new professor in the Counseling Psychology Program at the Wright Institute. “Each client has lived their life in their body and their brain. They are the ones who really understand and know themselves best and I'm here to help them move towards their values and the things they want in their lives.”

Anita Barrows, PhD, releases new book The Language of Birds

Anita Barrows, PhD, long-time Wright Institute Clinical Psychology Program Faculty member, has just had her newest novel released, The Language of Birds. A story based in part on Dr. Barrows' work with a child many years ago, The Language of Birds is about coming to understand what seems unfamiliar and indecipherable, and of finding authentic ways to be with the people that you love.

Advance Praise for The Language of Birds:

"This novel contains passages so deep that they will literally take your breath away, and you will think: You must remember these words forever."
– Jeffrey Masson, New York Times best-selling author of Dogs Never Lie About Love

Clinical Program Alumni Publish Dissertations in Asian American Journal of Psychology

The Asian American Journal of Psychology recently published its first special issue on Filipino American Psychology. Three Wright Institute Clinical Psychology Program alumni published their dissertations in this peer-reviewed journal.

Sthefany Alviar '20, PsyD, contributed "'You should pray about it': Exploring mental health and help-seeking in Filipino American Catholics." Alviar's study examined the relationship between religious identity, mental health, and help-seeking in Filipino American Catholics.

Alumni Spotlight: Andre Jackson, Class of 2019

"It took a lot of introspection and exploration for me to figure out what I wanted to do," says Andre Jackson, "but once I started to feel the connection to the mental health world, everything fell into place."

Before coming to the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology Program, graduating in 2019, and embarking on his journey as a clinician, Jackson spent time in a few different careers. His first career was in studio art. "I really loved it, but I never had the courage I needed to become a professional artist," he says.

Get to Know Ritchie Rubio, PhD - Adjunct Faculty, Counseling Psychology Program

Ritchie Rubio, PhD, has been teaching at the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology Program since 2014. He spoke with the Wright Institute's Dalton Green about immigrating to the United States, the importance of cultural humility in the mental health field, and how he forms strong connections with students in the classroom.

Dalton Green (DG): What attracted you to the field of psychology?

Ritchie Rubio (RR): I grew up in the Philippines. Growing up, psychology was not necessarily something my parents wanted me to pursue. In the Philippines, at that time, if you enjoyed and did well in math or science (like I was), you'd try to become a medical doctor.

Student Spotlight: Izzy Smith

"It's taken me a long time to figure out what is right for me," says Izzy Smith, "but I knew from the first day I started grad school that I had made the right choice." In her first year of the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology Program, Smith has had to juggle both in-person and at-home classes. She has excelled with both and has also found the time to co-lead a BIPOC student affinity group.

Wright Institute Students of Color Present 2022 Multicultural Symposium: Community Care

From April 22 to May 1, 2022, the Wright Institute Students of Color Group (WISOC) will host their 18th annual Multicultural Symposium. This year's theme, "Community Care," highlights and celebrates the diverse communities represented by WISOC. Due to the continued uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Multicultural Symposium will once again be held mostly online, and the events of this year's symposium will be centered around collective healing during uncertain times.

Bowbay Liang-Hua Feng '13, LMFT, on Mindfulness and Resilience

"What does it mean to be in this moment without judgment, to be fully present, and to be able to incorporate a sense of compassion and kindness toward ourselves? That's the benefit that mindfulness provides," says Bowbay Liang-Hua Feng, LMFT.

"I've been interested in mindfulness and meditation for most of my life, so it was a natural transition to incorporate that into my career," says Feng. A part-time faculty member at and 2013 graduate of the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology Program, Feng incorporates mindfulness practices into nearly every aspect of her life. Her career in the mental health field officially began in 2011, when she enrolled in the same program where she would later teach.

Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Montes

"I love studying body language, whether it's online or in person," Elizabeth Montes says about returning to the physical classroom after spending her first year in the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology Program online.

As a result of the switch to online classes at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montes is only now getting accustomed to in-person classes. After seeing only faces on a screen for a year, she is excited to get to know her classmates and instructors in new ways. "Different personalities come out when you're sitting in a room full of people. People tend to be more relaxed and show up more authentically," she says.