Faculty
Department Chair
Professor Bussolari is a full professor in the counseling psychology department, who teaches in a clinically focused program with students who are earning graduate degrees in marriage and family therapy and professional clinical counseling. She has published in numerous journals and edited books on the topics of grief — specifically pet loss, chronic illness, and positive coping.
A licensed practicing psychologist in California since 2006, Professor Bussolari has worked as a school...
- University of San Francisco, Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology
- University of Massachusetts at Boston, M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology
- University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.A. in Psychology
- Bereavement
- Trauma
- Human Animal Bond
- Life Transitions
Full-Time Faculty
Dr. Murrieta earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University. Her research and professional interests include advocacy and counseling undocumented students, first-generation students, multicultural counseling, as well as school counselor education. Professor Murrieta is credentialed as a school counselor in California and Nevada, with over 10 years of school counseling experience.
- Oregon State University, PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision
- University of Nevada Las Vegas, MEd in School Counseling
- California State University of Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts
Dr. Leyla Pérez-Gualdrón is an associate professor of the Department of Counseling Psychology at USF. She holds a licensure in psychology from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela. During her training in Venezuela, she provided mental health services and counseling in a variety of settings, including inner city schools K-12. She has a master's degree and a PhD in counseling psychology from Boston College. She has conducted group interventions in school settings such as a...
- PhD, Counseling Psychology, Boston College
- MA, Counseling Psychology, Boston College
Christine Yeh is professor of counseling psychology at the USF School of Education, and recently completed a 5-year term as co-director of the USF Center for Research, Artistic, and Scholarly Excellence (CRASE). Her research and service focuses primarily on developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally responsive school and community based programs for historically targeted communities.
Professor Yeh has received numerous grants and fellowships to support her research including a 5-year...
- Stanford University, PhD in Counseling Psychology
- Harvard University, EdM in Human Development
- Swarthmore College, BA in Psychology
- Asian American and Pacific Islander youth
- Qualitative and indigenous research methods
- Multicultural school counseling and college access
- Racism and stereotypes
Part-Time Faculty
Ling Busche received double undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Fine Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, then went on to earn a Masters of Arts in School Counseling at the University of San Francisco. As a product of public school herself, she was passionate about pursuing a career in the school system.
Over the past 13 years, she has worked in different roles within the educational arena. She started out as an elementary school teacher, then pursued the world of after...
A New York City native, Jeanmarie has lived in the Bay Area for almost thirty years. She holds both a BA and MA in Psychology and is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Jeanmarie has worked in a variety of mental health settings primarily focusing on adolescents, young adults, adults and families. She is currently in private practice in Palo Alto.
In addition to private practice and teaching, Jeanmarie has a keen interest and practice in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindful Self...
- MA, Counseling Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA
Mariana Chavez-Picazo is a native of San Francisco and a product of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) public school system. She received a bachelor of arts in liberal studies at San Francisco State University and a master’s degree of arts/PPS credential in counseling psychology from the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. Prior to counseling, she worked in youth development for five years providing programs to youth ages 6-18 in the areas of health education...
Patty Cowick, MFT, is a licensed therapist of 28 years who has worked in a variety of settings: public schools, community mental health and private practice. She has been teaching at USF for the past 20 years. She teaches in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and the School Counseling Program. Her courses include: Group Counseling, Theory and Practice, Parent and Child Therapy, Psychopathology, Life Transitions, Cross Cultural Counseling and Fieldwork Supervision. Her teaching style...
- California Institute of Integral Studies, MA in Counseling Psychology
- University of Scranton, BA on Public Administration
- Non Violent Communication
- Relationship Wellness
Brian Crites, MFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has worked for the past 10 years at local clinic The Santa Rosa Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Brian specializes in treating a variety of mental health disorders using evidenced based treatment protocols.
Brian attained both is bachelor's and master's degrees from Sonoma State University, and is pleased to help train and teach the next generation of Sonoma County mental health providers through his work in USF's...
- Sonoma State University, MA in Counseling, 2014
- Sonoma State University, BA in Psychology, 2008
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Clinical psychology
Zeyda is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Raza Studies and Sociology from San Francisco State University. She received her Master's of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco and focused on the School Counseling and Clinical Counseling dual track. Zeyda was trained as a community organizer through Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland and has utilized those skills to support youth and families to navigate systemic...
- University of San Francisco, MA, Counseling Psychology
- San Francisco State University, BA, Raza Studies and Sociology
Dr. Aaron L. Horn is a licensed marriage and family therapist and lecturer at the University of San Francisco, where he primarily teaches Counseling Across Cultures. Dr. Horn has received numerous awards and accolades, including USF’s “Edward J. Griffin Award.” He is currently the Chief Program Officer at Horn Optimal Wellness Services, located in San Francisco, and the Chief Executive Officer of Horn Development Consulting in San Francisco.
In classes, Dr. Horn uses the unique engagement...
- Ed.D. International Multicultural Education, University of San Francisco
- MA, Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco
- Teaching
- Counseling
- Mentoring
Alyssa Kianidehkian is a Bay Area native and proud USF alum, as well as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with children/adolescents, families, and young adults. Alyssa has 10+ years of experience working with youth and families in a wide range of community-based settings, including school-based, wraparound, outpatient programs, and in residential treatment centers. She has extensive experience providing individual, family, and group therapy in these settings.
...- USF, MA in Counseling Psychology, 2013
- University of California at Santa Barbara, BA in Communication, 2011
- Children/Adolescents
- Family systems
- Suicidal ideation and self-harm
- Trauma
- Relationship issues
Gibrán Méndez, LMFT is an adjunct professor of counseling psychology. He holds licensure in marriage and family therapy from the Board of Behavioral Sciences and is the director of quality improvement at Stanford Sierra Youth and Families in Sacramento, Ca. During his work as a therapist, he provided community-based mental health services to youth from birth to 20 years of age and their families to reduce barriers and empower families to solve serious challenges together. He has a master’s...
- California State University, Chico, MS in Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy, 2012
- California State University, Chico, BA in Psychology and Spanish, 2010
- Child and family therapy
- Trauma informed therapy
- Parent-child interaction therapy for traumatized children
- Bilingual and bicultural therapy
- LGBTQ+ affirming therapy
Mariya is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco. She is a graduate of the Smith School for Social Work, the Postgraduate Fellowship Program at Access Institute for Psychological Services, and the Supervision Study Program at The Psychotherapy Institute. Her training experience has included work in school-based and community mental health settings with children, adolescents, and adults.
Her interests in the field of psychotherapy...
- Smith College, Master's in Social Work, 2016
- UC Berkeley, BA in Psychology, BA in Social Welfare, 2013
- Psychoanalytic theory
- Individual therapy
- Relationship therapy
- Immigration and acculturation
- Perfectionism
Mrs. Karolyn K. Palmer is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#38766) and a Credentialed School Counselor. She currently is a School Counselor at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California and is a psychotherapist at Lafayette Family Counseling. She focuses her private practice on providing children, adolescents, and adults individual, family, and group psychotherapy. In her nineteen years of professional experience, she has gained specialized knowledge and training in the areas of...
- MA, Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco
MacKenzie Stuart is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with adults, couples, partners, and families in addition to teaching in several counseling psychology programs. MacKenzie specializes in nontraditional relationship structures, including polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy, as well as chronic depression and suicidality. Her other clinical interests include psychosis, psychopharmacology and drugs, LGBTQIA2-S and GNC/non-binary communities, kink and BDSM...
- John F. Kennedy University, MA in Counseling Psychology, 2011
- Scripps College, BA in Politics and International Relations, 2006
- Psychopharmacology and the biological bases of behavior
- Diagnosis and empirically-supported treatments
- Polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy
- Chronic depression and suicidality
Professor Uhler has over two decades of experience in community mental health. Her experience includes managing an adolescent alcohol and drug treatment program, overseeing after-school programs for at-risk youth, and facilitating groups on racial identity and the immigrant experience. She specialized in providing support for victims of crime, specifically child abuse and domestic violence.
Professor Uhler is the program coordinator for the Marriage & Family Therapy (MFT) program in the...
- University of San Francisco, MA in Counseling Psychology
- Francisco State University, BA in Clinical Counseling
- Marriage & Family Therapy (MFT) licensure
- Professional Clinical Counseling (PCC) licensure
- Collaborative counseling