About Lauren – CBT for Psychosis

Dr. Lauren Gonzales, PhD

Hi, I’m Lauren! I am a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in working with people with psychosis.

II help train other mental health professionals and students in training to support their clients who have been labeled with psychosis and other psychiatric diagnoses. I advocate for evidence-based, person-centered, and goal-oriented services. I also engage in research that evaluates social determinants of mental health including stigma, discrimination, and marginalization.

A little bit more about me…

I was raised in the United States and have earned my doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology (John Jay College and the Graduate Center, CUNY; 2017), my Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology (John Jay College, CUNY; 2014) and my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (New York University; 2011). I completed my clinical internship and postdoctoral training fellowship in clinical psychology at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center (2016-2018), where I received additional training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Since then, I have returned to my home of NYC and served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Adelphi University, where I engage in research and training regarding CBT/behavioral therapeutic approaches and social determinants of mental health.

So why did I become interested in working with psychosis?

I grew up right outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, where I met many different people who had many different life experiences. This made me interested in how we decide upon what is “normal” experience, and therefore what it means to have experiences that others consider “unusual” or “abnormal.”
In college, I decided to study psychology and sociology and was drawn to the concept of stigma as a social process. I learned that experiencing adversity and social rejection can be a powerful predictor of mental health.
In graduate school, I wanted to further explore stigma experiences of folks diagnosed with mental illnesses. I was particularly drawn to working with psychosis because this can often be one of the most stigmatized experiences in both the community and within mental health service settings themselves. I learned that the stigma that people with psychosis experience can lead to social rejection and internalization of negative stereotypes, and stigma can also severely impact quality of life beyond the effects of any mental health “symptoms” themselves.
After finishing my studies, I am now an Assistant Professor of Psychology where I conduct research and train future mental health service providers.
As someone who works with psychosis frequently, I wanted to make sure I am providing the “gold standard” of care and attended several trainings in CBTp with Sally Riggs.
In 2020, I began working with Sally as part of her group practice and eventually expanded into my own private practice working with individuals with psychosis.
More recently, I have worked with Sally to provide training for professionals interested in learning CBTp. I value the opportunity to assist in dissemination of CBTp to providers in the United States, where it has remained sorely underutilized and unavailable to those who need it!

I believe that together we can change the lives of people with psychosis, and the field as a whole.

Join the hundreds of clinicians dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals with psychosis. To learn more about our trainings, sign up for our mailing list today.

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