Name: Dina Ochoa
Position: Mental Health Associate
What led you to your current position? Before working with Seneca I worked with children who presented with behavioral challenges and supported them by using applied behavior analysis to help them improve social behaviors and helped them to increase or decrease targeted behaviors. While working with kids I wanted to have the opportunity to work with the clients entire team, which I found in Seneca. I started as a student support assistant at Seneca in which I've been given the opportunity to work with them in the classroom to reduce negative behavior and help them increase positive behaviors. While working with these students I knew I could do more than just being in the classroom and I was given the opportunity to grow as a professional and continue graduate school to become a clinician. Working with children one on one and in group outside of the classroom to target social skills groups and help them overcome their difficulties is what is rewarding for me as I continue to build bods and relationships with the students and families. As a Clinician I am able to see my students through a different lens and be able to support them emotionally and socially is what I enjoy doing.
Fun Fact/Quote: I love to eat, I enjoy going to new restaurants and trying new food! I also enjoy cooking and hiking!
What does your average day look like? In the mornings I do CICO with students, which I enjoy because it is a way for me to have a brief conversation with my students to hear how they are feeling that morning and what are their goals for the day. I then, support some of my clients in the classroom to help them apply strategies and skills that we learn in therapy. I see students one on one in therapy, which I enjoy because this is a time that's designed for them to help them work through their healing and process of their difficulties at school. My students are very hands on, love art, music, board games, and are very creative. I also run social skills group, which is also a great way for my students to practice the skills they are learning in the moment. In addition to working with the students I find time to collaborate with my student's teachers and families.
Why do you do this work? I do this work because I want to be able to impact my students, families, and school community by doing what I do. I enjoy working with children and support them to help them be successful at school both academically and socially. Collaborating with a team is something that I value and believe it is important to help my students be successful and I get to do that at New School of San Francisco. I want my students to feel empowered, successful, and help them increase their self-esteem and in my role I am able to support them with that.
Position: Mental Health Associate
What led you to your current position? Before working with Seneca I worked with children who presented with behavioral challenges and supported them by using applied behavior analysis to help them improve social behaviors and helped them to increase or decrease targeted behaviors. While working with kids I wanted to have the opportunity to work with the clients entire team, which I found in Seneca. I started as a student support assistant at Seneca in which I've been given the opportunity to work with them in the classroom to reduce negative behavior and help them increase positive behaviors. While working with these students I knew I could do more than just being in the classroom and I was given the opportunity to grow as a professional and continue graduate school to become a clinician. Working with children one on one and in group outside of the classroom to target social skills groups and help them overcome their difficulties is what is rewarding for me as I continue to build bods and relationships with the students and families. As a Clinician I am able to see my students through a different lens and be able to support them emotionally and socially is what I enjoy doing.
Fun Fact/Quote: I love to eat, I enjoy going to new restaurants and trying new food! I also enjoy cooking and hiking!
What does your average day look like? In the mornings I do CICO with students, which I enjoy because it is a way for me to have a brief conversation with my students to hear how they are feeling that morning and what are their goals for the day. I then, support some of my clients in the classroom to help them apply strategies and skills that we learn in therapy. I see students one on one in therapy, which I enjoy because this is a time that's designed for them to help them work through their healing and process of their difficulties at school. My students are very hands on, love art, music, board games, and are very creative. I also run social skills group, which is also a great way for my students to practice the skills they are learning in the moment. In addition to working with the students I find time to collaborate with my student's teachers and families.
Why do you do this work? I do this work because I want to be able to impact my students, families, and school community by doing what I do. I enjoy working with children and support them to help them be successful at school both academically and socially. Collaborating with a team is something that I value and believe it is important to help my students be successful and I get to do that at New School of San Francisco. I want my students to feel empowered, successful, and help them increase their self-esteem and in my role I am able to support them with that.
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