Mental Health and Wellness Services

Bio

Taylor Johnson is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist and has worked in the mental health field for more than nine years. She graduated with her BA in Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur and obtained her MS in Counseling from California State University, East Bay.

Over the last several years, Taylor worked for a community-based non-profit agency where she served as the Director of Wellness Centers for several northern California counties and was responsible for managing and coordinating a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians and mental health staff. In this capacity, she led the development and implementation of twenty new school-based mental health programs. The Wellness Centers she helped develop provided free mental health services to over 3,200 students. Taylor’s experience developing and managing Wellness Centers, from program development, implementation, oversight, staffing, data collection and reporting, provides a strong foundation for our collective efforts to build and grow a culturally sensitive and supportive mental health and wellness program for Los Rios.

Taylor’s work with foster youth and students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as her work to create welcoming environments for all students and staff alike, also provides a good foundation as she builds upon Los Rios’ efforts to expand mental health services for the district’s diverse student communities.

Bio

Colby is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15+ years of experience working in an array of Community Mental Health settings throughout the Sacramento area. She graduated from CSU Monterey, CSU Sacramento, and took courses through Sac City while pursuing a career in mental health. Her background includes working with children, families, adolescents, and adults experiencing life disruptions due to varying challenges related to mental health. She has been with Los Rios for almost three years, providing support to students and mental health training to staff, counselors, and faculty. Supporting students in managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and adjusting to ever-changing situations is where her passion lies.

Colby’s approach to treatment is best described as integrative and eclectic. In essence, this means that she pulls from several therapy orientations, allowing the opportunity to adapt her approach to specific circumstances. Colby utilizes short-term solution-focused interventions to achieve emotional and mental stability to aid in supporting academic success through client-identified goals. Colby’s experience and skills gained over the years greatly support the diverse populations within our Los Rios community, and on our campuses.

Colby is also a Certified QPR Trainer, providing training and education around Suicide Awareness and Prevention throughout the district and the community. Colby has a passion for increasing mental health awareness while reducing stigma. She looks forward to being a part of the Los Rios Community, and many more students' journeys, for many more years to come.

Mychi and family, along with 178 other people, escaped Vietnam in a cargo boat in March 1987. As a teenager, she lived in Malaysia and Philippines refugee camp for over a year. Since their arrival in America in 1988, Mychi's parents reminded their five children that it is important to work hard, and get a college education to have a better life than theirs.

Mychi is the first person in her family to attend college, specifically American River College (of the Los Rios Community College District) in the early 90's. She utilized supports and campus resources, such as the Learning Resource Center and the Counseling Center, and completed her general education. Mychi then transferred to California State University of Sacramento, completed her bachelor's degree in psychology, earned a master's degree in social work, and became a licensed clinical social worker.

Mychi has extensive experience in providing mental health services to children, adults, and families from a culturally diverse population and communities with low level of care to high needs. Mychi strongly believes mental health is 100% important as physical health, and she is very passionate about providing a safe space for individuals to voice their struggles, gain insight, learn skills to balance emotions, improve relationships, manage stress, process trauma, grief, and loss to reduce psychological suffering. Mychi considers herself as an integrated mental health therapist and uses different evidence-based practices, such as Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Mychi is currently serve students at the ARC campus, and she attempts to customize her clinical skills to meet each student's needs and support them to move forward with their academic goals.

Bio

Mikaela Hill is a graduate student pursuing her studies in the Psychological field of mental health. She began her academic journey at a local community college in Stockton, California, and after two years, began her studies as a Sacramento State Hornet where she received her bachelor's degree in Psychology. She then transferred to the Counseling Psychology graduate program at University of the Pacific where she currently attends. Mikaela has always had a passion for helping and assisting others with bettering their mental health and well-being. She prefers to take a CBT approach to therapy and focuses on the needs, goals, and wellness of others.

Bio

Sarah LaCasse is currently in the master’s program for Counseling Psychology at University of the Pacific. She originally embarked on her academic journey at a fellow Los Rios college, American River, where she obtained three associate degrees in Psychology, Sociology, and Individual and Society. After realizing her passion lies in the mental health field, Sarah transferred to California State University, Sacramento and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. After completing her master’s program, she plans to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and continue to work in a community-based setting. Working within the Los Rios community, Sarah hopes to expand her knowledge about various therapeutic techniques while providing the necessary tools to promote and support students’ relationships with themselves and others.

Bio

La Tisha started her educational career at San Joaquin Delta College as an EOPS/CARE student. From there, she transitioned to CSU Sacramento, where she earned her BA in Government with a concentration in International Relations. With a passion for learning, she decided to return to school, and received a second bachelor's in Health and Wellness and an MBA. She worked in higher education for several years in various roles before deciding to return to school and pursue a career shift. In 2018, she earned her master's in psychology, and pursued her passion of helping others by working towards becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist.

La Tisha's professional experience includes community based mental health, managed care setting, school based mental health, and running a private practice of her own.

As a therapist, La Tisha empowers folks to reconnect with their inner self and reconnect with their core values, so that they are empowered to live their authentic self. She uses a holistic approach where she embodies mind, body, and spirit. She also incorporates indigenous forms of healing in addition to Western Psychology to help you develop a sense of self that is whole and honors the complexity of the human experience.