Dr. Aranda received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1998, with a specialization in child and adolescent psychology. Prior to entering her Ph.D. program, Dr. Aranda graduated summa cum laude from St. Joseph's University, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 1992. Subsequently, she was awarded a three year fellowship from the American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship Program to pursue her graduate degrees at Catholic University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Mt. Vernon Community Mental Health Center in Virginia. She then completed her post-doctoral residency at Northside Community Mental Health Center in Tampa, Florida, where she worked with toddlers, children and adults.
Dr. Aranda worked ten years for the Pinellas County School District, providing comprehensive psychological services to hundreds of children and their families. She also provided clinical supervision to school psychology interns and psychology residents. Dr. Aranda opened her own private practice in 2001 in Tampa, Florida, providing psychotherapy services to children and adults as well as completing psychological and psycho-educational evaluations. She has collaborated with the Hillsborough County School District, Mayor's Youth Corp, WFLA Channel 8 Daytime program, the University of South Florida, and Vocational Rehabilitation of Florida. A past president of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Florida Psychological Association, she remains an active member of the Florida Psychological Association and serves as an occasional contributor of a mental health column for the World of Westchase magazine.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dr. Aranda practices with a culturally sensitive lens. An active runner who has completd many triathlons and road races., she volunteers with Girls On the Run. Dr. Aranda is also the proud mother of three young women who have taught her invaluable lessons regarding parenting, motherhood and life.
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