Clinical Psychologist · Researcher · Advocate
Bilingual · English · Spanish · Español
Clinician. Scholar. Advocate. En dos idiomas.
You deserve care that was built with you in mind. Dr. Ayli Carrero Pinedo is a bilingual licensed clinical psychologist, scholar-activist, and national policy leader whose work is grounded in community, driven by science, and committed to the full humanity of Latinx, immigrant, and marginalized populations.
Her clinical work centers the person, their context, and the multiple systems that shape the presence and intensity of what they carry — including their sense of belonging, safety, and dignity. She practices with deep cultural humility, holding space for the identities, values, and lived realities each person brings. Therapy is offered in English and Spanish.
Her research is organized around a straightforward question: what does it actually take for communities that have been historically excluded to access, persist in, and be genuinely served by systems never designed with them in mind? Her work has been published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, and the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, among others.
Change at the individual level is necessary. Change at the systems level is what makes it last. As an elected national leader, task force chair, and policy reviewer, Dr. Carrero Pinedo brings community-rooted perspective into rooms where decisions about psychological practice, immigration health, and racial equity are made at scale.
About
Dr. Ayli Carrero Pinedo is a bilingual licensed clinical psychologist, researcher, advocate, and national leader whose work lives at the intersection of psychology and public health. She began her career as a Spanish-English medical interpreter at a rural Nebraska hospital, witnessing firsthand the barriers that keep people from care — families discouraged by language, stigma that traveled with them across borders, and a mental health system that offered no room for the fullness of their lives. That experience became the foundation: a body of research that names structural harm, a clinical practice that centers the whole person, and a sustained commitment to policy work that reaches the national level.
She holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology (APA-Accredited) from the University of North Dakota and a Graduate Certificate in Public Health. Her doctoral research examined legal status as a social determinant of health, a framework that continues to shape her practice, her science, and her advocacy. Through In Alignment Wellness Services, she brings this integrated expertise to individuals, organizations, and public audiences across sectors, in service of communities that have historically been asked to leave too much of themselves at the door.
"Tu bienestar, en tu idioma, en tu verdad." — Your wellbeing, in your language, in your truth.
Services
Whether you are an individual ready to start therapy, looking for a group where your experience will be understood, an organization navigating complex equity challenges, or a conference seeking a keynote that goes past talking points, Dr. Carrero Pinedo brings the science and the lived experience to meet you where you are. All services available in English and Spanish.
Individual Therapy
You are managing responsibilities, carrying the weight of past and present experiences, and maybe wondering why things feel so stuck. Therapy here is relational, collaborative, and culturally informed — a space to understand what's beneath the surface and build the insight to move forward. Sessions available in English and Spanish, telehealth only.
Group Therapy
Healing is often collective. Therapeutic groups for adults navigating depression, anxiety, racial trauma, and the particular experiences of first-generation daughters and first-generation leaders. Groups are culturally grounded, bilingual where needed, and designed for people who want to heal alongside others who understand what they are carrying.
Keynote Speaking
A keynote that shifts how an audience understands a problem — not just one that describes it. Dr. Carrero Pinedo speaks to policy audiences, healthcare systems, academic institutions, and cross-sector gatherings on racial trauma, immigrant mental health, public health equity, and the psychology of structural change.
Organizational Consulting
Structural change requires more than awareness. Dr. Carrero Pinedo partners with healthcare systems, corporations, nonprofits, and institutions to build health equity strategies and inclusive program designs that are evidence-based, measurable, and built to outlast the moment that inspired them.
Group Programs for Organizations
Facilitated group experiences designed for corporate teams, tech companies, ERGs, academic institutions, and nonprofit staff navigating workplace stress, identity, and the psychological dimensions of systemic inequity. Programs are evidence-informed, experiential, and adapted to your organization's culture and goals — not a one-size-fits-all training.
Policy Consulting
Research without translation is incomplete. Dr. Carrero Pinedo has shaped evidence-based policy frameworks at the federal, state, and institutional level — with expertise spanning immigration and mental health, gender equity, access to education for minoritized communities, and education and training for underrepresented trainees in psychology and healthcare.
Speaking
Available for Booking
"The rooms I've been invited into have ranged from congressional briefings to community health fairs. What I bring to all of them is the same: research that holds, language that lands, and a genuine understanding of what it costs when systems choose comfort over change."Book a Keynote
Available for conferences, healthcare systems, academic institutions, and advocacy organizations. Delivered in English, Spanish, or bilingual format. Custom workshops and training engagements also available.
Clinical Services
You are managing a lot — responsibilities, expectations, and the weight of experiences both past and present. Maybe you feel stuck, or like you keep hitting the same walls. Maybe you are carrying something that is hard to name, let alone explain to someone who hasn't lived it. You don't have to figure it out alone.
Dr. Carrero Pinedo offers individual and group therapy for adults navigating trauma, stress, life transitions, identity-related concerns, and the real psychological weight of existing in systems not built with you in mind. Her approach is relational, collaborative, and culturally informed — in English and in Spanish.
Telehealth only · California licensed · PSY34224 · Free 15-minute consultation available
About Me
I see you. Thank you for being here.
I am Dr. Ayli Carrero Pinedo, a bilingual licensed psychologist practicing in California. I work with adults who are navigating the kind of experiences that are hard to carry alone: trauma, depression, anxiety, stress from major life transitions, and the particular weight of moving through the world in a body and identity that systems were not built to serve. Many of my clients are Latinx, immigrant, or communities of color — and I offer care in English and in Spanish, not as a translation of the same approach, but as a practice rooted in cultural truth.
Before I was a psychologist, I was a Spanish-English medical interpreter at a rural Nebraska hospital. I watched families try to get help in a system that made it nearly impossible — language barriers, providers who didn't know how to ask the right questions, mental health treated as something shameful or secondary. People were struggling and the doors kept closing. That is exactly why I chose this field — to develop sustainable models of care and policies that center the dignity of those most often left out, prioritize communities carrying the greatest vulnerability and risk, and make space for the people who have been told, in a hundred different ways, that the system was not built for them.
My approach is relational, collaborative, and evidence-based. I integrate Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), CBT for Depression and Anxiety, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and liberation psychology frameworks that treat the context of a person's life as clinical information, not background noise. Therapy with me is not about fixing you. It is about helping you understand yourself more clearly and building the insight to make changes that actually last.
If any of this resonates, I invite you to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. Let's see if we are a good fit.
"You owe it to yourself to honor the fullness of your story. Do not let your silence be part of the betrayal too."
Approach
Therapy begins with building a strong therapeutic alliance, which means creating a space where you feel safe, heard, and respected. I take time to get to know you, understand what brings you in, and move at a pace that feels comfortable, so we can work together in a way that feels collaborative and supportive from the start.
I believe therapy works best as a genuine relationship, where we work together at your pace and in a way that feels supportive, respectful, and attuned to what you need.
I approach each client with openness, curiosity, and respect, honoring the many identities, experiences, and cultural influences that shape who you are.
I pay attention to the ways that stress, identity, power, and systemic experiences can affect your wellbeing, and I aim to create a space that feels affirming and empowering.
I use approaches supported by research, while also tailoring therapy to fit your unique goals, experiences, and needs in a way that feels thoughtful and grounded.
My training includes formal certification and extensive experience in the following evidence-based treatments — each adapted, where needed, to align with cultural values and the specific concerns people from my communities often carry.
Sessions are 45 to 55 minutes, depending on your needs, and conducted via secure video. We start with a thorough intake to understand your history and what brings you in. From there, we build a treatment plan together. Therapy is typically weekly, especially early on. Many clients begin to notice meaningful shifts within the first few months, though the timeline varies depending on your goals and what we are working through together.
I work with adults (18+) throughout California. My clients often include people of color, women, immigrants, and first-generation Americans navigating identity, life transitions, and the weight of experiences that feel too heavy to hold alone. I see individuals and groups. Your nervous system is deserving of ease and comfort — and that is what we are working toward.
I offer facilitated therapeutic groups for adults working through shared experiences. Current and developing group offerings include groups focused on depression, anxiety, racial trauma and resilience, first-generation daughters, and first-generation leaders. Groups provide a space to heal alongside others who understand what you are carrying — not just as support, but as a clinical intervention with real therapeutic benefit. Please reach out to ask about current group availability.
"Your culture is not a deficit. It is the antidote for your healing and liberation."
Dr. Ayli Carrero Pinedo · In Alignment Wellness Services
Training & Experience
My clinical training spans more than a decade and includes specialized fellowships, APA-accredited doctoral training, and direct experience serving communities that are chronically underserved by the mental health system. Every degree, every practicum, every fellowship was oriented around one question: how do we make psychological care actually work for the people who need it most?
2021–2022
Postdoctoral Fellowship — Women's Mental Health & Diversity
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (APA-Accredited)
Inaugural national fellow in a specialized postdoctoral program focused on culturally competent care, trauma treatment for women veterans, transgender health evaluations, military sexual trauma, and health equity policy development.
2021
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology
University of North Dakota (APA-Accredited)
A social justice-oriented program with specialty training in advocacy and rural health. Coursework and clinical training were infused with attention to structural inequity, community psychology, and the psychological impact of marginalization.
2021
Graduate Certificate in Public Health
University of North Dakota
Complementary training in public health frameworks, health equity, and the social and structural determinants of population health — informing how clinical work connects to broader community and systems-level outcomes.
2016
M.A. in Counseling Psychology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Graduate training in counseling theory, clinical practice, and multicultural psychology, with practicum experiences serving diverse university and community populations.
2014
B.S. in Psychology & Sociology
Wayne State College
Undergraduate foundation in psychology and sociology with early exposure to research methods, community engagement, and the social forces that shape individual behavior and well-being.
Active
Licensed Psychologist · PSY34224
State of California
Alumna
Minority Fellowship Program — MHSAS Fellowship
American Psychological Association
Active
Verified Therapist Profile
Psychology Today
My training and career have taken me across a range of care settings, and I bring that breadth into how I practice. I have worked with adolescents and adults in federally qualified health centers, community health centers, partial hospitalization programs, inpatient settings, Veterans Affairs medical centers, and general outpatient clinics. Each of these environments has shaped how I understand what people are carrying when they walk through a door — or, these days, log into a session. I am skilled in both in-person and telehealth care, and I bring the same level of presence and attunement to both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read through the sections below before reaching out. This page is designed to give you a full picture of how the practice works so you can make an informed decision about whether we are a good fit.
Availability is limited. Please reach out via the contact form to inquire about current openings. A free 15-minute consultation call is available to help us both determine whether we are a good fit before scheduling an intake session.
The first session (60 minutes) is an intake and diagnostic interview. We will cover your history, what is bringing you in, and what you are hoping to get out of therapy. From there, we will develop a treatment plan together. You will not leave the first session without a clear sense of next steps.
This depends on your goals and what we are working on together. Focused, structured treatments (such as CPT for trauma) typically run 12–16 sessions. More open-ended therapy addressing ongoing patterns, identity, or life transitions may continue longer. We will check in regularly on your progress and adjust accordingly. Sessions are typically weekly, with the option to move to biweekly as you make progress.
All sessions are conducted via secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform (telehealth only). You will need a private, quiet location and a stable internet connection. Sessions should feel as close to an in-person experience as possible — please join from a private space, fully present, without distractions. I am currently licensed in California.
Individual sessions: $250. A sliding scale is available for clients who may not be able to afford the full fee — please ask.
Insurance: I am in-network with Aetna. For all other insurance plans, I can provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance for out-of-network reimbursement. Contact your insurance provider to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits before our first session.
Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Health Savings Account (HSA/FSA).
Yes. I offer fully bilingual therapy in English and Spanish. This is not simply a translation of English-language practice — my training and clinical approach are grounded in the cultural context of Spanish-speaking communities, including the particular experiences of Latinx immigrants and first-generation clients. Tu idioma, tu historia, tu verdad.
I work with adults experiencing trauma and PTSD, depression, anxiety, racial stress and racial trauma, immigration-related stress, life transitions, identity-related concerns, relationship patterns, self-doubt, and the psychological effects of navigating systems not built with your community in mind. I see individuals and groups.
My approach is relational, collaborative, and culturally informed. I work from a liberation psychology lens, which means your lived experience, identities, and environment are central to our work together. Therapy here is not about fixing you. It is about helping you understand yourself with more clarity and compassion, so that any changes you make are real, sustainable, and aligned with who you are.
Click the button below to submit a clinical inquiry. I will follow up to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. That call is a chance for you to ask questions and for both of us to get a sense of whether we are a good fit. If it feels right, we will schedule your first intake session from there.
I offer and continue to develop therapeutic group programs for adults. Current and upcoming group offerings include:
Group availability changes. Please reach out to ask what is currently forming or open for enrollment.
This practice does not provide crisis services. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room. The Crisis Text Line is also available — text HOME to 741741.
Still have questions? Reach out through the contact form below and I will get back to you.
Submit a Clinical InquiryYour Rights
Effective January 1, 2022. The information below is provided in compliance with federal law and is intended to help you understand your rights as a healthcare consumer.
The Department of Health and Human Services has mandated that self-pay patients and patients with non-participating (out-of-network) insurance plans must be given three documents before services begin:
These documents must be provided at least 72 hours in advance of scheduled services. When services are scheduled less than 72 hours in advance, they must be provided at least 3 hours before the scheduled appointment. Emergency services are exempt from the good-faith estimate requirement.
Notice, consent, and good-faith estimates must be obtained from you — the patient — or from an authorized representative as defined by state law. Once obtained, these documents must be retained by the provider for at least 7 years from the date of service.
If notice, consent, and estimate are not obtained in accordance with the No Surprises Act, the provider must not bill you and must not hold you financially liable. Additional information is available in federal regulations § 149.410 and § 149.420.
If you believe a provider has violated any provision of the No Surprises Act — including billing in excess of the good-faith estimate — you may file a dispute with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Need to File a Dispute or Learn More?
Call 1-877-696-6775 or visit the DHHS website to learn more or obtain a dispute form.
Your Rights
Effective February 16, 2026. This notice explains how your health information may be used and disclosed, your privacy rights, and how to get help or file a complaint. It also includes updated federal information about substance use disorder records where applicable.
Download or Review the Full Notice
Download or review the full Notice here.My Pledge
I am committed to protecting health information about you. I create a record of the care and services you receive from me to provide quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all records of your care generated by this practice.
How Your Information May Be Used
Your health information may be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations without your written authorization. It may also be disclosed as required by law, for public health activities, for oversight or legal proceedings, or to coroners, researchers, or government functions as permitted by applicable law. I will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes or sell it.
If applicable, substance use disorder ("SUD") records are subject to additional federal protections under 42 CFR Part 2, which requires separate written consent for most disclosures. These protections are described in full in the complete Notice.
Your Rights
How to File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by calling 1-877-696-6775 or visiting hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
In the Media
Dr. Carrero Pinedo's expertise has been featured in national publications, podcasts, and media covering mental health, immigration, equity, and psychology. She brings the science to audiences that too rarely hear a psychologist who has lived what she's studying.
Coming Soon
Video features in progress.
Check back soon for interviews, conference talks, and featured appearances. In the meantime, explore the Listen and Read tabs.
Podcast
Intersections with Dr. Russell
Trauma and Mental Health: Immigration, Racial Stress, and Behavioral Health Equity
Dr. Carrero Pinedo joins the conversation on how immigration policy, racial trauma, and structural barriers intersect to shape the mental health of marginalized populations — and what it takes to build systems that serve them.
Podcast
Fault Lines with Dr. Richard Roman
Healing What Systems Break: Liberation Psychology, Veterans, and the Real Work of Trust
A young medical interpreter picks up the phone at 3 AM in a rural Nebraska hospital and hears a parent learn their child is gone. That moment changed everything. Dr. Carrero Pinedo and Dr. Roman discuss liberation psychology as a diagnostic framework, building trust in systems not designed for the communities they serve, and what it costs leaders when asked to act against their values.
Wondermind
Dr. Carrero Pinedo provides expert commentary on trauma-informed care and what it actually means to make mental health services accessible to communities historically left out of the conversation — bringing both research and personal experience to the analysis.
Read the Article →Wayne State College Foundation
Featured in Wayne State College's inaugural 10 Under 10 Young Alumni Award profile for contributions to psychology, equity advocacy, and national leadership — documenting a career defined by community, persistence, and purpose.
Read the Profile →Trauma Psychology · APA Division 56
Profiled in the Division 56 Who's Who series as an emerging expert on culturally responsive trauma care, highlighting her research on structural determinants of health and her commitment to improving access for communities of color.
Read the Feature →American Psychological Association
Received the APA Presidential Citation in recognition of her leadership, dedication to early-career psychologists, and creation of the CHANGE Grant — a permanent funding mechanism at the American Psychological Foundation for psychologists dismantling systemic racism.
Read the Citation →SAMHSA
Named SAMHSA Fellow of the Month for August 2018 in recognition of sustained contributions to behavioral health equity and service to underserved communities — an early milestone in a career defined by community-centered advocacy.
Read More →Recognition
2026
Rising Star Award
2025
Appointed Member, Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee
2023 · 2025
Karimian Spirit Award — Caring Spirit & Commitment to Social Justice
2024
10 Under 10 Young Alumni Award
2022
Presidential Citation — Leadership & Dedication to Early Career Psychologists
2021
Outstanding Dedication to Social Justice & Liberation in Counseling Psychology
2018–2021
Minority Fellowship Program — MHSAS Fellowship
Tu bienestar, en tu idioma, en tu verdad.
This work is for those who have been underserved, undertreated, and told their story is too complicated to be understood — for individuals ready to heal, organizations ready to transform, and communities ready to build something that was made for them from the start.
Whether you need a keynote that challenges an audience to think differently, a consulting partner who brings both science and lived intelligence to the table, or a policy voice grounded in community. This is where we start. All services available in English and Spanish.
Contact
Every inquiry is welcome — whether you are a conference planner looking for a keynote that leaves the room changed, an institution ready to align your programs with evidence and community, a media outlet seeking a credentialed and community-rooted expert voice, or an individual looking to better understand the work. All services available in English and Spanish.
How can Dr. Carrero Pinedo help you?
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General Inquiry
Collaborations, consulting questions, community partnerships, or anything on your mind.
Speaker Request
Book Dr. Carrero Pinedo for keynotes, workshops, panels, webinars, and training engagements — in English, Spanish, or bilingual.
Clinical Inquiry
Questions about clinical services, care-related consultations, or information about In Alignment Wellness Services.
Media & Press
Interview requests, expert commentary, podcast appearances, and press inquiries.