Let’s talk with Dr. E

As a professor, I'm passionate about making psychology easy to understand and available to all, not just those who can attend university or afford tuition fees. I aim to provide resources and insights for anyone interested in learning, regardless of their educational or financial situation. Feel free to explore my lecture catalog below.

Dr. E’s Top-Requested Live & Virtual Programs

Understanding the Unhoused

Let’s talk about the societal and mental health challenges faced by the unhoused population. Learn about the impacts of housing instability, who it affects most, and recent legal developments that criminalize essential human behaviors like sleeping outdoors. This talk emphasizes effective advocacy and community actions to support and protect vulnerable groups, urging a compassionate and informed approach to policy change.

Mindful Moments

Dr. E delivers an insightful presentation on mindfulness and meditation, exploring its historical roots, psychological applications, and practical daily practices. This talk highlights mindful breathing and walking methods, tailored to enhance mental well-being among students, faculty, and professionals. It is a must for those interested in integrating mindfulness into everyday life!

Coping with Solitude

Join us for this comprehensive exploration into the physical, psychological, and social implications of loneliness, which has been declared a public health concern by the CDC. This talk covers effective coping skills to combat loneliness, delves into the relationships between solitude, grief, and depression, and provides strategies for fostering resilience and connection across all stages of life.

The Depths of Depression: Dr. E's Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing, and Treating Major Depressive Disorder

This colloquium aids psychotherapist trainees in delving into Major Depressive Disorder. Dr. Espinoza will share insights from his extensive clinical practice and literature expertise, focusing on defining, diagnosing, treating, and understanding depression in individuals and their interconnected systems.

This training educates and inspires Christian professionals to serve the LGBTQ+ community effectively. We will delve into defining key LGBTQ+ terms, addressing common questions, and exploring allyship practices. The session will interweave faith with social justice by utilizing the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy as a framework. The presentation also discusses practical strategies for promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, emphasizing the importance of respecting the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. Attendees will be empowered to create more inclusive and supportive environments in their professional and personal spheres.

Global Leadership: Navigating roles from above, between, and below

The purpose of this training is to identify and discuss techniques, skills, and qualities to become an effective leader. This workshop will equip managers and supervisors with essential skills, including active listening, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, team building, leadership styles, and effective supervision—with a heavy emphasis on cultural considerations—to foster positive work environments and effective leadership.

Separating Art from Problematic Artists: Is it Possible?

Most of us can think of an artist whose work we cherish, but is sullied by the artists' reputation, statements, or actions. This talk will explore and discuss the phenomena of fame, celebrity status, and "Cancel Culture."

Religious Leaders Coping with Mass Violence

Mass violence and mass casualty events heavily affect the mental health of those who Serve. This seminar describes, explores, and normalizes the reactions those in community service report, followed by tips on how to spot and help those who may be at risk of violence. Resources to better understand and cope with mass violence will be given.

Understanding Personal Pronouns

Join us as we celebrate Pride Month and explore the use of Personal Pronouns! We will discuss what Personal Pronouns are, why we use them to include others, how to use them correctly, and what to do when hiccups happen.

Coping with Mass Violence

Mass Violence—harm to three or more persons in public spaces—is becoming more and more common in our society. Experiencing, surviving, witnessing, or simply hearing about these mass casualty events heavily affects our personal and collective health and mental well-being. This talk describes, explores, and normalizes people’s reactions to mass violence, followed by research-backed skills and resources on how to better cope.

Dealing With Family: Navigating the winter holidays

This talk is for anyone anticipating interpersonal challenges from seeing their loved ones during the winter holidays. This talk is also open to those who feel balanced enough to provide support to others as an ally. This workshop will help attendees develop effective communication skills and conflict resolution techniques to navigate conversations and better cope with triggering situations prompted by conflict with loved ones during the holidays. Navigating sensitive topics such as religion, politics, and relationships amidst mixed company will be explored.

Coping with Climate Change

This talk provides information, tips, resources, and coping skills to reduce the distress that comes from the subtle but undeniable changes in our environment. “Eco-anxiety,” “doom scrolling,” and “climate doomism” will be discussed along with suggestions, actionable steps, and opportunities to take action in your community.

What’s a Psychologist? What’s Therapy? And How Do I Become a Therapist?

This talk is for middle & high school students wishing to learn more about what a psychologist is, what we’re not, what we do, what it’s like, and the steps it takes to become one.

Providers Coping with Mass Violence

Working in healthcare is a challenging profession that can already tax one’s bandwidth, and our bandwidth can reach depletion from the added distress with the normalization of mass violence in our day-to-day lives. Prioritizing ourselves to better prioritize the people we work with will be discussed along with more coping skills and techniques to apply as both the provider and the patient.

Talk Therapy for LGBTQ+ Folks

Bring Dr.E to your next in-person or virtual talk this Pride season on the LGBTQ+ experience. This talk’s info, tips & resources come from over a decade of patient care with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersectional, Questioning, Androgynous, Pansexual, Intersex, Two-Spirit (2S), and Asexual folks from both the San Francisco Bay Area & the Greater Los Angeles Areas of California. This talk will discuss common themes, concerns, and trends for members of the Queer community and its Allies in therapy. Resources and best practices in providing effective, culturally responsive psychotherapy to LGBTQ+ persons will be discussed.

Playing It Straight

Passing for heterosexual or "straight-acting" can be many things in the LGBTQ+ community. It can be a badge of honor for some; it can serve as one’s sword & shield, and for some, it may be an internal prison. This discussion will explore straight-acting as a coping mechanism, where we will take a look at where it comes from, how it can help, and how straight-acting can harm members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Addictive Habits for LGBTQ+ Folks

Addiction is a loaded word without one concise definition. For some it’s considered a brain disease; others see a coping behavior gone awry; many see it as a moral dilemma or lack of willpower; and others see it as a trauma response. The prompts in this talk are meant to first explore addictive habits, inspire changes to any addictive habits identified, and then set up a plan of action to recover.

Let’s Talk About Coming Out

Choosing to live more authentically and "come out" of the proverbial closet as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be a wonderful time in one's life. It may also prove to be a process that brings up uncomfortable feelings within oneself or from others. Keeping a secret this big can tax one’s mind and body over time and keeping a part of oneself hidden can get in the way of finding one’s tribe within this vast community. Grounded in over a decade of patient care within the LGBTQ+ community, this discussion will explore the complex Coming Out process, hold space for attendees’ experiences, educate on how to be a strong Ally, and aid in the development of Queer professionals & educators.

How to Ally (After June)

Allyship comes in many forms. Some choose to use their social media platforms to raise awareness, others march alongside LGBTQ+ folks, and many do a combination of both. And while allies intend to contribute positively, sometimes it doesn't turn out that way. This talk will examine what effective allyship to the LGBTQ+ community entails and what it doesn't. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and stories from their journey as an Ally or LGBTQ+.

What is Dementia?

This talk will explain what exactly dementia is and what it isn’t. Tips on better identifying signs and symptoms of neurocognitive disorders will be explored along with ways to help prevent these conditions. Resources on what to do and who to speak with if you suspect you or a loved one may be living with a form of dementia will be discussed.

Therapist Self-Care Virtual Panel

Learn tools and skills from industry leaders on how to prioritize ourselves as we prioritize the people we help. Dr. E will talk about Providers Coping with Mass Violence. Dr. Calnan will explore Stressors Specific to the Private Sector, and Dr. Mikael will discuss Healthy Aging for The Therapist.