Episode 10 | Pathways in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Careers
Discover how personal experiences, unexpected journeys, and a passion for helping young people shape the professional lives of these seasoned psychologists. This episode of Talking Mental Health Careers discusses the diverse pathways to child and adolescent counseling careers, emphasizing adaptability, community building, and the profound impact of supportive relationships in this field.
Join us on an inspiring journey with 'Talking Mental Health Careers' brought to you by Palo Alto University and CONCEPT, its Division of Continuing & Professional Studies
About Our Host
Chloe Corcoran (She/Her) serves as the inaugural Director of Alumni Relations for Palo Alto University. Recently, she was cast in the first of its kind audio reality show, “BEING: Trans” which explores the lives of a group of transgender people living in Los Angeles. Articles about this project have appeared in the New York Times, among other media outlets, and she has appeared on a billboard in Times Square along with being honored by the LA Dodgers for her activism. She is a 2004 graduate of the University of Rochester where she played 4 years of varsity football and then served as an assistant coach. Chloe earned her Master’s degree at Northeastern University and is currently studying part-time toward a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, where her work focuses on equity and inclusion. Chloe was the first out transgender woman to be named a “40 Under 40” award winner in her hometown of Rochester, NY. In 2019, she was one of 10 people selected from a nationwide pool of candidates for a Victory Empowerment Fellowship from the Victory Institute, and has held multiple leadership positions on non-profit Boards. Chloe has spoken at multiple community events, co-hosted 2 radio shows, and enjoys photography in her spare time.
About Our Guests
Guest 1 | Erika Cameron, PhD
Erika is the Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Palo Alto University. Prior to joining Palo Alto University, she was the Department Chair at University of San Diego’s Department of Counseling & Marital and Family Therapy. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of St. Louis, Missouri in 2009. Her M.Ed. is in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and her B.S. is in Graphic Design from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where she was a Division I volleyball player.
She has worked as a counselor where she provided mental health support to children, adolescents, and their families in a variety of settings including primary, middle, and secondary schools, residential treatment facility, and community agencies. She is an active counselor educator who enjoys teaching in creative and innovative ways. Her research interests include qualitative research methods, multicultural issues in counselor preparation, counselor professional development, individual psychology, and international education.
She believes in supporting and participating in professional organizations, because they champion the developmental and professional needs of its members. As a result, she is an active member for the American Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education, Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Honor Society, American School Counseling Association, and the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology.
Guest 2 | Michael Richards, PhD
Dr. Richards an assistant professor of Psychology at Palo Alto University and has recently become the interim director of the Gronowski Center after serving as a supervisor at the Center for the past four years, working in the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic most recently. His is also an alum of PAU's PhD Program in Clinical Psychology and was a student trainee at the Gronowski Center himself. His areas of expertise include LGBTQ+ psychology, college counseling, and working with young adult populations. He has a strong career focus on teaching and training and postdoctoral training experience at the University of California-Santa Cruz’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
Guest 2 | Wendell Callahan, PhD
Dr. Callahan is a Professor of Practice at the University of San Diego in the Department of Counseling and Marital & Family Therapy in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences. He is also the Executive Director of the USD Catholic Institute for Catholic Mental Health Ministry and the Executive Director of the USD Tele-mental Health Training Clinic. At USD, he has also served as Director of Clinical Training as well as Counseling Program Director. Prior to joining the faculty at USD, Dr. Callahan was the Senior Director for Integrated Instructional Support at the San Diego County Office of Education’s Juvenile Court and Community Schools. During his 18-year tenure at the San Diego County Office of Education, Dr. Callahan practiced as one of the first school psychologists in the Juvenile Court and Community Schools, where he was an architect of student assessment and counseling and guidance programs. He also assisted in the development of the court and community schools first special education programs, including mental health services for students with disabilities. While at the San Diego County Office of Education, Dr. Callahan also led accreditation, evaluation, planning, research, data-systems, career-technical education, student support services, operations and provided direct supervision to Monarch School in San Diego's Barrio Logan.
Dr. Callahan has researched, published, and presented on topics related to assessment, evaluation, school psychology, data usage, and best practices in California court, community, continuation, and alternative schools. He was the principal investigator in the California Department of Education’s grant-funded Best Practices in Educational Options Research and Demonstration Project from 2006 to 2009.
