Dolly Sacristan

I am an assistant professor at Ramapo College of New Jersey, where I have been teaching for 8 years at the School of Social Work. I teach both graduate and undergraduate students how to practice in the field of social work, primarily focusing on clinical social work. Throughout my career, I have also taught at Yeshiva University and Fordham University, where I primarily taught practice courses in their graduate programs. In addition to my full-time teaching job, I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and have maintained a private practice as a psychotherapist for about 18 years under the name Humanistic Psychotherapy. As a bilingual Spanish-speaking therapist, I have focused much of my clinical work on girls and women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse and interpersonal violence. I get a lot of referrals and have never needed to advertise because there is always a high demand for Spanish-speaking therapists. I have been in this field for 25 years, and my most notable professional achievement is being able to contribute to the professional development of so many students who can make a difference in underprivileged communities. For me, this field is about becoming an agent of change at the macro level and having a larger impact through education. It's not about money or prestige, but about making a contribution and having a meaningful life that makes a difference in other people's lives.