Equipo ejecutivo
Founder/Therapist
Karla Arroyo, LCSW, PhD
Karla Arroyo was born and raised in Mexico City where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (UAM). Karla moved to Provo, Utah in June of 1999 and earned a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah in 2006. Her clinical practice has focused on trauma survivors, specifically, domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking victims. Karla enjoys working with children and their families
Behavioral Services Program Manager
Illiana Toledo, SSW
As a BSW graduate, I have always had the passion to help people live healthy lifestyles and enforce the importance of mental health in diverse communities. I started my professional journey at the Multicultural Counseling Center in April 2020, as a BSW intern where I learned how to do my current role as a skills counselor. As a skills counselor, I work with families and youth to reinforce the therapy that they receive from our amazing therapist, by teaching them skills that aid in their mental health like, mindfulness, healthy copping skills, practice interventions, education on healthy lifestyle, communication skills, psychoeducation etc. In my free time, I love to spend time with my loved ones, be in nature, travel, try new food, hike, ride my bike (spring and fall) and practice yoga. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi
Therapist Supervisor
Chelsea Montoya, CMHC
I am from Las Vegas, Nevada and I got my Bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in Child and Family Studies at Weber State University. I got my Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During my internship experience in graduate school, I interned at the site for two years where I worked primarily with the Latin X population who were uninsured and undocumented. This is a population that I am truly passionate about because I have seen firsthand the challenges and obstacles that this population faces when it comes to mental health services. I also think that this population is underserved when it comes to the mental health field and I would love to make a positive difference in this community. During my free time, I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with my 5-year-old son and family. During winter I enjoy skiing and snowboarding, and during the summer I like being at the lake and hiking.
Therapist
Javier Campos, CSW
Javier received his Master's in Social Work from the University of Utah with an emphasis on Mental Health and Global Social Work. He also received his Bachelor’s in Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching Spanish. He works as a Mental Health Therapist and teaches at Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah. His goal when he finishes his Ph.D. is to continue working and serving diverse communities in need. During his academic career, he had the opportunity to travel to Ghana and Mongolia to participate in social work research and present to university students as well as local and governmental organizations. For the last fourteen years, he has been working with nonprofit organizations as an instructor and coordinator serving disenfranchised communities in the areas of Glendale, West Valley, Kearns, Rose Park, and North Salt Lake. He has developed curricula and delivered programs centered around increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors for youth and families. Mr. Campos has also served rural communities as an ally with other agencies presenting and delivering workshops and training on domestic violence and sexual assault. He has collaborated with state, private, nonprofit, and local institutions on multiple prevention programs. He is certified in the State of Utah as a 40 Hour Sexual Advocate. He is trained in Couples Counseling and Trauma FocusedCognitive Behavioral Therapy. He is a certified Children’s Mental Health Case Manager. He has completed the UADVT Survivor and UADVT Offender training. He is also trained in the C-SSRS and Danger Assessment tools. He was born and raised in Colombia, South America. During his spare time, he loves to cook, write poetry, and spend time with his biggest treasure, his family.
Therapist
Luis Torres, CSW
Hello, my name is Luis Torres I first started working at Utah Youth Village with Juvenile Delinquents who were involved in the court system with their parents. This was the start of my mental health field journey. With the teenagers, as the clients and their parents, I was able to teach both parties new skills to help their relationships. The teenagers entered the program involuntarily, so I enjoyed helping them, seeing them improve over the course of the intervention, and eventually watching them leave the court system. I later worked with children with autism, a very special experience for me. I was a Registered Behavioral Technician at the Advanced Behavioral Services working with children with autism and their parents. There are many misconceptions when it comes to this population. They have different sensory needs and social skills. While I worked with these clients and their parents, I was able to teach the clients new skills to improve their speech, social interactions, and independence. After this experience, I worked as a Social Worker for DCFS on the Sex Abuse Team for child abuse survivors. During this time I worked with children and teenagers doing forensic interviews to allow the survivors to share their experiences of being victimized. I helped connect them to resources such as a victim’s advocate, victim’s reparations, and therapeutic services. Now I am able to be one of those mental health providers. As stated, I’ve had many different experiences with clients and am open to helping all. I specialize in the LGBTQA+ community and BIPOC individuals. I am a 3rd and 2nd generation Mexican who has studied in this field to help people know their own truth. A fear many of us have is the fear of being honest. The truth can be difficult, it can be sad, it can even be painful but when we give ourselves that honesty we can start to heal and grow. I want to help people start healing, processing, and starting that conversation. Growing up in Utah, there isn’t a lot of diversity. I grew up where the only time I saw people within my race and culture was at church. I never had a doctor or therapist that looked like me. I realized I wanted to be an advocate for people within the Latin community. I always wished I could talk to someone without explaining my culture or what it’s like to have an experience other than “the norm”. I wanted to be that person for others. I made sure to go through my education with dedication and determination. I wanted to make sure that I was able to help my community and be seen as an advocate, not just because of my race representing people like me, but because I’m more than capable
Executive Director/Therapist
Gina Toledo, LCSW
We all deserve a space where we can feel safe and free to be open.To show our vulnerable selves and work through our barriers, to be whole no matter how old we are. I am a firm believer of allowing the person to be the expert of their own journey. I understand that life is challenging however, there is no need to find your purpose alone. As a therapist I feel privileged to accompany you and others in your inner circle to a path of healing by supporting you to explore your strengths ,resilience and how to cultivate happiness. I have experience working with children, teens and young adults that are facing different life challenges. Such as, depression, anxiety, and different life transitions. I value effective and research supported therapeutic techniques and innovative mindfulness approaches for those needing to process trauma and adverse life experiences. Life is a journey in itself. My focus is to empower you to follow your path and embrace the uniqueness you bring to your experiences. We don't stand alone and community healing can bring healing to the wounds of the past and peace to your tomorrow.
Therapist
Joanna Onorato, LCSW
Joanna is from Alaska, but after living in Montana, Argentina, Oregon, and Ecuador has found her home in Utah's desert and the small community of Moab. Before becoming a therapist, Joanna graduated from Montana State University majoring in philosophy, political science, and Spanish. She then served the community as a certified medical interpreter and advocate. In 2020, Joanna earned a Master of Social Work degree from USU-Moab and began working at the Multicultural Counseling Center. When she’s not working, you can find her in nature: mountain biking, snowboarding, or spending time with her dogs. As a therapist, Joanna is guided by approaches that are trauma-informed, client-centered, strengths-based, and empowerment-focused. Joanna utilizes a generalized practice model influenced by techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness.
Community Liasion
Jeannette Villalta
Jeannette was born in Guatemala and has been living in Salt Lake City for 20 years now. She has worked as a Community Wellness Coach for the Hispanic Healthcare Taskforce and Cancer Program Coordinator for Alliance Community Services. She studied Business Administration in Guatemala City, Certified as a Case Manager, Peer Support Specialist, and Health Coach by the University of Utah. Certified as a Victim Assistance Advocate by the Office of Victims of Crime. Certified as a Sexual Assault Advocate by Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Graduated from Humanities course Westminster College, Humanities in Focus Filming, and Westside Leadership. She is an active member of the Community working as a Community Health Worker for over 18 years and constantly learning new things for the sake of being able to teach the people around her for that effort she was a recipient of the Trailblazer Award by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Utah
Therapist
Andrea Ochoa, CSW
Andrea was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She immigrated to San Francisco, CA at the age of five with her family. Growing up in the Bay Area she gained a love for working with children from low-income neighborhoods and volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club as well as worked in many Summer Programs in the area. Andrea then moved to Utah with her family and recently Graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Social Work and a minor in Criminology. She is now in the MSW program and hopes to finish her degree and attend law school in the future. Her goal is to help immigrant families and all other minorities receive the resources and access to mental health services they need.
Therapist
Patricia Aguayo, CSW
Patricia was born and raised in Ventura, California. At a young age, she moved to Utah with her family, who is originally from a small town in Jalisco, Mexico. She is fluent in English and Spanish. Patricia quickly gained a passion for social work and helping and giving back to the Latinx community. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at Utah Valley University in 2017. Since then, Patricia has gained experience working with young children and teenagers in a school setting through an internship at Alpine School District in Utah County. Patricia has also worked as a case manager for Wasatch Mental Health where she works with individuals who suffer from severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. She is certified as an Adult Case Manager by the Utah State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. Patricia graduated with her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Boise State University in December 2020 and has begun working at MCC as a full-time therapist since then. Patricia finds pleasure in helping others, giving back to the community, and is a strong advocate for women’s rights. She enjoys music, hiking, reading, and traveling.
Skills Counselor
Adriana Rodriguez, SSW
Adriana was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and moved to Utah at the age of four. She graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Social Work in 2020. As an undergraduate, Adriana interned with the Multicultural Counseling Center's Case Management Department and gained invaluable experience in the mental health field. Since early 2022 she has been working full-time as a Skills Counselor. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.