Carmen Ochoa-Galindo
Carmen Ochoa-Galindo is a seasoned educator, mental health therapist, and advocate based in Chicago, Illinois. With a career spanning of 20 years, she currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she teaches a wide range of undergraduate courses such as Psychology of Interviewing, Psychology of Groups, and Practicum Course. In addition, Carmen serves as the Director of Undergraduate Internships in Applied Psychology and coordinates practicum experiences for junior and senior students. She also developed a faculty led study abroad program for the psychology department. She takes a group of students to Siena, Italy as part of a summer course on Positive Psychology: Resilience and Wellness. On the mental health side, Carmen provides mental health consulting at Childcare Network of Evanston, where she provides short-term counseling services to parents of children in head start.
Carmen holds a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University and a Master’s in Psychology from National Louis University. She is licensed in the state of Illinois as a clinical professional counselor. Her professional path reflects a deep commitment to social justice, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive teaching and therapy. Whether she's in the classroom or the counseling space, Carmen is known for her compassion, clarity, and ability to connect. Her advocacy work, especially around domestic violence awareness and Latinx representation in media and mental health, underscores her belief in the power of voice, visibility, and healing through education and community support.
• Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
• National Louis University-Chicago- M.A.
• Argosy University-Phoenix Online Division- Ed.D.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a strong work ethic and an incredible support system that has encouraged and grounded me throughout my journey. In addition, believing in myself, having confidence and high self-efficacy have contributed in not playing it safe, taking risks professionally, and being up for a challenge. Lastly, my compassion and drive to want to give back, make a difference and help others, whether it's through education or mental health has also impacted my success.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice is to stay true to who you are, seek community and support, and never stop looking for opportunities to grow and learn something new.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to believe in yourself, seek out a support system, and a mentor, and explore every opportunity that comes your way. Also, be confident of what you bring to the table both professionally and personally.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—in my field right now is securing adequate funding to support vital mental health programs as well as lost of grants and research funds in many universities, including where I work.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are humor, harmony, knowledge, compassion, and fairness