Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) partners with La CASA to provide embedded counselors and liaisons for Latinx and Chicanx students in need of mental health and wellness support. La CASA’s Embedded Counselors serve and support the the larger Latinx and Chicanx student community, and are located in La CASA (Student Union 400).
For students who desire to work with an Embedded Counselor from La CASA and the other Student Equity and Inclusion Programs centers, including: CBCSA, APASS, LGBTQ+ Student Center, Veterans Resource Center, and First Gen+ Success Center, individual therapy appointments can be made through the mySHR portal (https://usc.edu/myshr). Students can also work with embedded therapists with the Office of International Services.
After establishing care, your therapist will discuss your care and a treatment plan to meet your goals. The treatment plan might include additional sessions; referral to psychiatry and medication management; open-ended therapy with an insurance-based private practice (including the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services practice, located on the 5th floor of the Engemann Building); or recommendation for an appropriate therapy group in USC Student Health.
CMHS also provides 30-minute Let’s Talk drop-in sessions, individual 1:1 appointments with a counselor, group counseling, and workshops0
Meet La CASA's Embedded Counselor
Zuleyma Acevedo MS (she, her, hers)
Zuleyma Acevedo is a cis-gender female first-generation college graduate and first in her family with a master’s degree. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Law and Society at the University of California, Riverside, and her Master’s Degree at Columbia University School of Social Work. She is a product of immigrant parents from El Salvador, and had the pleasure of living in El Salvador when she was 8 years old.
Zuleyma says, “My interest in working with Latinx population comes from my own experience as a first-generation college student and giving back to my community. When I attended college, I felt overwhelmed navigating the various systems, feeling pressure, fear of failing, and constant desire to make my family proud. I want to help students feel supported during difficult times and provide them with resources. My goals are to provide students with coping skills to help them succeed, find their confidence, and have a life worth living.
My professional interests include anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, first generation students, family issues, intergenerational trauma, crisis intervention, identity development, and deepening personal connections.”
Her favorite quote is, “Prove yourself to yourself, not others.”
To destress, Zuleyma says, “In order to de-stress, I like to blast my music and dance. I find that moving my body through dancing, exercise, or going on a walk always helps to quiet the mind.”
Hours: Monday 9-5pm, Wednesday 8 AM – 4 PM
Walk-in Hours: Monday 1 PM -2 PM, Wednesday 11 AM – 12 PM
Email: Zuleyma.Acevedo@med.usc.edu
SEIP Embedded Counselor
Dr. Ekta Kumar (she/her)
Dr. Ekta Kumar (she/her)
SEIP Embedded Counselor