Café Con Joes Centers Around Mental Health
Thursday, March 5, 2020
"Café con Joes" is a monthly series for the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute scholars and students involved in the Institute. Every month, the series covers a new topic, ranging from arts, sciences and business to philanthropy, communications and professional development. The March edition will serve as a round-table discussion about mental health.
Mercedes became the first of his family to attend college in the U.S., completing his Bachelor's in Psychology in 2002, Master's in Psychological Studies in 2005, and Doctorate in Counseling Psychology in 2013, all at Seton Hall University.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on a small farm town, his family eventually immigrated to the U.S. in 1990 in hopes of giving his two younger siblings and him a better future. He would grow up in Newark, New Jersey, and encountered several obstacles, including the language barrier, adjusting to a new culture, having limited resources, and having limited knowledge of the opportunities available to them.
Despite his parents receiving a college education in the Dominican Republic, their inability to speak English prevented them to apply their degrees in the U.S. However, Mercedes said, "they transmitted to us the importance of having education and pushed us to take advantage of the opportunities that were afforded to us."
Today, he serves as a licensed psychologist in New York and New Jersey, an educator, public speaker, entrepreneur, and mental advocate. With over 17 years of experience in counseling and clinical psychology, he currently works as a staff psychologist at Zufall Health Center, a community health center in New Jersey where he coordinates and provides integrated behavioral health care to a largely underserved, mostly immigrant, community. Also, he runs a private practice in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he works with individuals and families seeking to improve their quality of life by improving their mental health.
His wife and him are owners of E. Mercedes Consulting and Services LLC, a company focused on assisting organizations with creating and sustaining a culture that promotes and fosters emotional wellbeing for its members.
Over the past years, Mercedes has received several accomplishments. He was the Past-President of the Latino/a Psychological Association of New Jersey and the 2018 Avance Award by the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute, which recognized his outstanding leadership and service to the Latino Community.
The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is an on-campus service that provides counseling, consultation and referral services to students. Mazzetti is fluent in Spanish and specializes in health psychology, integrated primary care, multicultural identity, acculturation and immigration, interpersonal and relational issues, mood disorders, supervision and consultation.
The event will be hosted in Fahy Hall in room 246 at 4 p.m. Empanadas and coffee will be available throughout the day for scholars and students.
Categories: Arts and Culture, Nation and World
