Meet Dr. Jose Cholula Bruno (M.A., Ed.D.), Senior Clinical Trainer at Child Guidance Center (CGC). Dr. Cholula has been a part of the CGC family since 2015 and has accomplished so much during his time with the agency. He is a certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) provider and trainer and is certified in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Parent Child-CARE (PC-Care.) Dr. Cholula also develops and provides free trainings designed for mental health providers, teachers, parents and community members through the Behavioral Health Training Collaborative. 

Did you grow up in the Orange County area?

Yes, I grew up in the heart of Santa Ana. I pursued my undergraduate degree at Concordia University Irvine, my master’s degree in Colorado, and my doctorate degree in a combination of both. During my college years I always knew I wanted to return to Santa Ana and give back to the community to help children and families to thrive.

How did your career begin at CGC?

I returned to Orange County and was introduced to CGC by fellow therapist Monica Cruz. I was motivated by CGC’s mission of providing quality services to families. In March 2015, I began working at CGC as a registered psychologist.

In the process of providing individual, family and group services, CGC equipped me with additional tools to better support families in Orange County. For several years I led parenting group specifically designed for father's and co-led parenting groups for support and education. In my first year at CGC I became a certified PCIT provider. I am now a regular presenter at the PCIT Annual Conference and a trainer and leader of the PCIT Spanish Coalition. I am a certified TF-CBT provider and provide supervision and consultation to CGC clinicians. I recently earned my certification in PC-CARE and am currently providing this highly effective model through telehealth.

Can you tell us more about your current role at CGC?

As a Senior Clinical Trainer, a majority of my time is spent providing direct services to children and families and conduct free trainings on a variety of mental health topics in both Spanish and English. These virtual trainings help us to reach a wide audience. We have even trained participants from other countries.

What is your favorite thing about working at CGC?

I am very proud to work at CGC. I enjoy working with professional staff that provides support and guidance through professional development. I am grateful that I am at the point of my professional career that I can look back and say that CGC has shaped me to be a better mental health provider. I am looking forward to continuing to provide services to our community in Santa Ana and improve mental health outcomes for children and families through educational trainings and opportunities throughout the world.