The professionally licensed Counselor Faculty of the Counseling & Psychological Services include licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and clinical social workers trained to work with San Francisco State's multicultural student body. Several of our counselors are bilingual. To contact the team, please email caps@sfsu.edu.
*Counseling available in the following languages: Farsi, Mandarin, and Spanish.
Taghi Amjadi, PhD., LMFT*
(he/him/his)
Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: East-West psychology, mindfulness-based anxiety management, relationships, trauma work with refugees and immigrants (PTSD), impact of social justice on mental health, and transpersonal psychology.
Personal Interests: Music, nature, and movies.
Motto: "And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." ~ Nelson Mandela
Karla Castillo, LMFT, LPCC*
(she/her/ella)
Clinical Counselor & Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: Substance use disorders, EMDR, trauma, mindfulness, multicultural issues, issues affecting undocumented students, harm reduction, and crisis counseling.
Personal Interests: Swimming, biking, jogging, dancing, music, and travel.
Motto: "I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival." ~ Audre Lourde
Stephen Chen, Psy.D.
(he/him/his)
Director
Professional Areas of Interest: Multiculturalism, social justice, relationships, groups, training.
Personal Interests: Movies, sports, and nature.
Motto: "Grit is sticking with your future—day in, day out, not just for a week, not just for a month, but for years—and working really hard to make that future a reality." ~ Angela Duckworth
Susan Chen, LMFT*
Clinical Counselor & Liaison to International Programs *Only available during Spring semester
Professional Areas of Interest: Social anxiety, excessive internet and social media use, harm reduction, LGBTQ issues, anti-racism, and meditation.
Motto: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~ Various
"It is a joy to be hidden and a disaster not to be found." ~ DW Winnicott
Laurene Domínguez, LCSW
Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: cultural identity/multicultural issues, Chicanx/Latinx support, first-generation students, crisis/trauma especially sexual violence support, EMDR, somatic healing methods, anxiety, healthy relationships, and social justice issues and the integration of western and indigenous ways of healing.
Personal Interests: music, dancing, travel, watching b films on Netflix, and my puppy Maya.
Motto: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare." ~ Audre Lorde
Ana Frias-Bravo, LMFT*
(she/her/ella)
Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: Social justice, migration, interculturalism, language, issues affecting Latinx/Chicanx/Hispanic communities, first generation college students, non-violent parenting practices, narrative practices, strength-based approaches.
Personal Interests: Embroidery, yoga, music, food, collective growth and healing, bilingualism.
Motto: "Que no te digan que no." ~ Ceci Bastida, cantante mexicana
"Don't let them tell you no." ~ Ceci Bastida, Mexican singer
Yolanda Gamboa, PhD.*
Coordinator of Peggy H. Smith Counseling Clinic and Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: Multicultural issues, first-generation college students, AB 540 undocumented students, women of color, Chicano/a and Latino/a population, LGBTQ, and underserved and underrepresented students. Training and supervision of graduate and postgraduates.
Personal Interests: Spending time with family, walking my dog, cooking/baking, hiking, and meditation.
Motto: "Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow'." ~ Mary Ann Radmacher
Rick Nizzardini, LCSW
(he/him/his)
Residential Life Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: Interpersonal processes, trauma, relationships, LGBTQIIA+ issues, and University Residential Life.
Motto: “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.” ~ Carl Jung
Lightfoot Wilhite, LCSW
Clinical Counselor
Professional Areas of Interest: Thought as creation myth, deconstruction of stressful beliefs via internal awareness.
Personal Interests: Reading, music, basketball, cooking, anime, British crime/drama, and doing yoga when nobody's looking.
Motto: The Truth is also seeking the Seeker.
Administrative Support Staff
Anthony Chan
Administrative Analyst/Specialist
Professional Areas of Interest: Helping others with growth and development to become the best person they want to be.
Personal Interests: Experiencing the most of what life has to offer.
Motto: "At some point, we all have to choose between what the world wants you to be, and who you are."
Leah Paul
Administrative Support Coordinator
Professional Areas of Interest: I am committed to fostering an environment that destigmatizes mental health care, particularly within the university setting. I aim to serve as a bridge between students and the counseling services they need, making these resources more accessible and approachable for all students.
Personal Interests: art, music, films, books, philosophy, and travel
Motto: “we get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking” – Albert Camus
Justin Weiss
Administrative Support Coordinator
Professional Areas of Interest: My focus is on facilitating open lines of communication between our counselors and the student body. In my own work I’m involved in community outreach/activism, social justice, art/music therapy and equity vs equality issues.
Personal Interests: Self-expression through art and music, traveling, extreme sports, technology and basketball.
Motto: “Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” ~ Charles Schulz
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw