Hi, I’m Patricia, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a decade of experience providing care to minority families across New Jersey. I understand the challenges providers and families face when addressing obesity in youth, especially in communities of color.

 

As a Behavioral Health Consultant with the Rutgers Center for Integrated Care, I work closely with pediatric specialists to deliver coordinated, family-centered care. I am also the Founder of Serenity Family Counseling Inc., a private therapy practice dedicated to improving access to mental health care for children and families of color.

​

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park, and my Master of Social Work from Rutgers University. As a Doctoral candidate in social work at Rutgers University, my research focuses on the equitable treatment of obesity among adolescents.

 

My work at the intersection of mental and physical health has shown me the importance of equitable, family-centered approaches in impactful obesity treatment. Through this work, I hope to empower providers and families to approach adolescent health with compassion, collaboration, and cultural understanding.