Rio M., M.S., AMFT

Experience

Narrative Initiatives San Diego (NISD)
Senior Associate Marriage and Family Therapist // Oct. 2019 - Present
A Non-Profit Community Private Practice. Guided by Post-Structural & Narrative Therapy approaches.

SHARPER Future - Pacific Forensic Psychology Inc.
Staff Clinician // Sep. 2018 – May 2020
Mental health service provider specializing in the assessment and treatment of incarcerated and post-incarcerated persons with behavioral, mental health, & substance abuse diagnoses. Combining Narrative and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to meet collaborated treatment goals.

Monte Vista High School
MFT Trainee // Aug. 2017 – June. 2018
Mental health counselor at a cultural diverse high school in spring Valley, CA. Working collaboratively with families from underserved and underrepresented communities; using post-modern systemic, Solution-focused therapy, & Collaborative therapy approaches.

Real Matters Inc. - Camp LEAD
Guidance & Counseling Staff // Aug. 2017 – July 2018
Facilitate discussion around race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation with ethnically diverse high school and middle school students from the Grossmont and San Diego Unified School Districts. Working from a cultural humility framework & utilizing a trauma-informed approach.

Center for Community Counseling and Engagement
MFT Trainee // Aug. 2016 – December 2016
Provide ethical and empathetic mental health services for community members of San Diego, CA, City Heights and surrounding area. Using postmodern systemic approaches to support client needs.

Welcome, my name is Hilario, but I go by Rio, I am a registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in California. I believe that counseling should be a space that is engaging and supportive. I hope to provide a place where each person can access counseling as a method to enrich their lives.

A little about myself; my cultural location is situated in between many facets, identifying as half Salvadorian and half Filipino, also as a 1st generation child of a immigrant parents. My cultures have had a huge influence in my personal identity, as well as my professional development. This has been a unique experience being apart of each of my cultures (and sometimes feeling I’m not enough of either), that has taught me that we engage the world as intersectional beings. At times embodying ways we prefer to be can be difficult, and counseling as a supportive and collaborative space can help. 

My approach to our session work is collaborative, person centered, and honors your lived experiences and cultural influences. Highlighting the strengths that you already posses while being compassionate, mindful, and intentional in our work. With hopes to construct narratives about your life that you prefer and feel empowered to maintain.  

Areas of interest:

• Narratives of agency within experiences of depression, anxiety, and substance use

• Meditation and mindfulness practices 

• Intersectionality & LGBTQ+ experiences

• Multicultural identities & cultural humility

I offer counseling in English and Spanish at Narrative Initiatives San Diego, and my fee is $60 per 50 minute session.

COVID-19 changes & Availability: For the safety of clients and pending availability; I can only offer Telehealth services over phone or secured video conferencing at this time.
To determine if NISD and myself are a good match for you, please request an appointment/consultation here.