Rhonda Faye Figueroa

MS Psych, MS Ed, L-CAT #000988

Trauma

Relationships

Transitions

Client Focus: Children, Preteens, Adolescents, Young Adults

Specialties: Relationships, trauma, transitions, anxiety, stress management, executive function, ADD/ADHD, social-emotional challenges

Treatment Methods: Creative Arts Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Journaling, Solution-Focused Techniques, Expressive Arts, Mindfulness, Acceptance-Based Approaches, UCLA PEERS

Rhonda Faye Figueroa is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist who specializes in working with children, teens, adolescents, and young adults navigating relationships, trauma, and life transitions. Creative expression offers a valuable approach and insight to support clients' needs, especially those who may struggle verbally. She believes it is important for clients to be able to recognize and label their emotions freely, without judgment. Rhonda has been a 'helper' to others for as long as she can remember, as a child, she was the class mentor, the tutor, and the one who provided guidance to others without judgment. As a Special Educator teaching emotionally challenged children and adolescents, there was no greater reward than observing her students develop resilience and transformation.

Her therapeutic approach is integrative and multimodal, using expressive arts, narrative therapy, journaling, and solution-focused techniques. She incorporates mindfulness and acceptance to identify and build strengths for clients to meet their goals. Rhonda believes that words have power and the stories we tell ourselves shape our beliefs and behaviors. Sometimes, our narratives are restricting or challenging. Through the use of creative arts, creative writing, journaling, and narrative/talk therapy, clients can reframe stories about themselves and create new, more empowering ones. Re-authoring our stories can have a powerful impact on our ability to navigate life's challenges. Over time, she found that by combining her artistic talents with her ability to navigate with words, a whole new perspective came to life.

With a Master of Science in Psychology (with an Addiction Specialty), a Master of Science in Education (in Special Education), and credentials as a UCLA PEERS certified provider (for children, teens, and adolescents presenting with relational social-emotional challenges), Rhonda brings extensive expertise and multiple NYSED credentials to her practice. She believes that the process is more important than the product, and when we integrate art and the narrative, we create a whole new picture of ourselves that has never before been seen. Her hope is for clients to realize their potential by exploring their emotions, fostering self-awareness, and developing coping skills that can provide support to foster positive change.

Outside the therapy room, family time is most important to Rhonda. She also enjoys crafting, gardening, reading, and learning about astrology.

  • Narrative Reframing Through Creative Expression
    Rhonda believes that by exploring and expanding alternative life narratives, we can recognize our thoughts and feelings, set boundaries, and prioritize our well-being. Self-care is how we take our power back. Wellness and positive mental health are essential and within our reach to improve our coping skills and gain increased resilience. Through creative arts, creative writing, journaling, and narrative/talk therapy, clients can reframe stories about themselves and create new, more empowering ones.

  • Special Education Background
    As a Special Educator who taught emotionally challenged children and adolescents, Rhonda witnessed the power of resilience and transformation firsthand. She employs child-centered therapeutic techniques to help young clients explore their emotions, develop coping skills, and foster self-awareness in a non-threatening environment. Her dual expertise in psychology and special education informs her developmentally appropriate and compassionate approach.

  • UCLA PEERS Certified Provider
    Rhonda is a UCLA PEERS-certified provider for children, teens, and adolescents presenting with relational social-emotional challenges. Working with diverse techniques of therapeutic writing and elements of art, she encourages teens and young adults to broaden their perspectives and build tolerance for life's challenges while increasing their self-awareness and self-esteem.

"I have been a 'helper' to others for as long as I can remember. I was the class mentor, the tutor, and the one who provided guidance to others without judgment. As a Special Educator, I taught emotionally challenged children and adolescents, and there was no greater reward than observing my students develop resilience and transformation. Over time, I found that by combining my artistic talents with my ability to navigate with words, a whole new perspective came to life."

- Rhonda Faye Figueroa, MS Psych, MS Ed, L-CAT