The Sanctuary Mindset Action Framework: Restoring Immigrant Justice and Healing

Join us for the 8th annual Patricia Arredondo Speaker Series

Join the School of Counseling and Counseling Psychology, part of ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, for the eighth annual Patricia Arredondo Speaker Series. This year’s event welcomes Germán A. Cadenas, a nationally recognized scholar whose work centers on immigration, mental health and social justice.

In “The Sanctuary Mindset Action Framework: Restoring Immigrant Justice and Healing,” Cadenas will explore community-based, justice-oriented approaches that promote healing and well-being for immigrant and underserved communities. His presentation will highlight how critical consciousness and collective action can support systemic change across educational and public systems.

Join us for an opening reception with the speaker to connect, converse and enjoy light refreshments.

About the speaker

Germán A. Cadenas (he/his/él) is an associate professor of clinical psychology in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. He also serves as the inaugural associate director of the Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW) and leads the Lab for Immigrant Rights and Mental Health. He holds a PhD in counseling psychology from Arizona State University and has completed a doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Health Service Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Before joining Rutgers, he was a faculty member at Lehigh University.

His academic work is community-based and focused on the psychology of immigration and on critical consciousness as a tool for social justice. This includes the development and validation of strategies to support the psychological well-being, education, career/work, and health of immigrants and other underserved communities. His advocacy and research have informed the implementation of policies and programs to support undocumented students and families in higher education and in K-12 schools. At the national level, his research and testimony have reached the policymaking process in the legislative, executive and judicial branches. He currently serves as senior advisor on public policy for the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA). On the global stage, Cadenas was a featured speaker at the 17th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the American Psychological Association (APA) Award for Distinguished Early Career Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest.

About the Patricia Arredondo Speaker Series

The Patricia Arredondo Speaker Series celebrates the legacy of Professor Patricia Arredondo, a trailblazer in multicultural counseling and psychology, and highlights scholars who continue to advance these fields.

A leader in education and entrepreneurship, Arredondo, a doctor of education, has dedicated her career to advancing multicultural counseling and psychology in different professional sectors. Her contributions to the field have earned her numerous accolades and fellow status with both the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association, where she served as the first Latina president. Arredondo was the founding president of the National Latinx Psychological Association and is a best-selling author addressing topics such as culture-centered consulting, women leaders navigating higher education, Mujeristas as changemakers, and culturally responsive counseling, among other areas of social justice and responsibility.