ACT on Health Lab Members

My career is focused on developing pragmatic and innovative psychotherapeutic interventions to improve the mental health and functioning of patients suffering from co-occurring psychiatric and chronic medical conditions. My training in clinical psychology underscored the value of psychotherapeutic interventions in medical settings, but also highlighted areas for growth. These include identifying novel treatment delivery methods that increase access and treatment adherence; developing new strategies to both identify and treat underreported and undertreated mental health difficulties in patients with chronic medical conditions; and elucidating the mechanisms by which effective treatments work. As a first step towards addressing these gaps, with an NIMH K23, I developed a one-day (five hour) behavioral intervention (based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy- ACT), presented as a “workshop”, for patients with co-occurring migraine pain and depression. The results were striking – patients experienced significant drops in depression and disability. The promising findings motivated me to obtain NIH and VA funding to develop and test brief and accessible interventions in other medical populations including civilian and Veteran patients with chronic pain, cardiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and “at-risk” patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Central to the success of these treatment trials has been my collaborations with medical specialists and members of the health care team. These partnerships allow for the tailoring and refinement of the therapeutic treatment and delivery strategy to meet the specific needs of the specific patient population.

Fresh out of graduate school, with no career goals, on a whim I took up a job as a research assistant. This was in 1998! I have been hooked ever since. It’s like the words of Hotel California: “you can check out anytime but never leave!” I have been a part of the ACT on Health lab since 2016 & my role involves keeping all the projects in check, ensuring we meet our project goals & are compliant with all regulatory aspects. Sound like a task master, right? Well, someone’s got to do it. And there’s never a dull day! While my research interests are multifaceted, I am drawn towards projects that are geared at improving mental health and wellbeing. Prior to joining the ACT on Health lab, I worked in research at Washington University in St. Louis. I enjoy dancing, all things home interior decoration and shopping.

I am a veteran of the United States Army (101st Airborne Air Assault Division), and the United States Air Force Reserves. Upon completing active duty in the Army for six years I enrolled at Houston Baptist University graduated with a B.S. degree and went on to attend the University Houston-Victoria and earned my M.B.A. I have been working with veterans since leaving the military and officially joined the MIRECC Department here at the Houston VA in 2007 and have been enjoying being a part of this team to help and serve my fellow veterans as a health sciience specialist working on various projects.

After completing 10 years in the United States Air Force, I found myself searching for a fulfilling career path. After many personality and career tests, starts, and stops, I ended up in a Master of Counseling program, with a specialization in marriage, couples, and child therapy. I immediately knew that I had found the match! As a licensed professional counselor, I found myself continuing to work with the military population and their families, predominantly serving veterans who had experienced combat post-traumatic stress and/or military sexual trauma. Somewhere along the journey, I developed an appreciation for mindfulness-based/mind-body approaches to treatment because of the many benefits. I had so many questions and wanted to know more and more as time went on, so in 2020 I enrolled in a Mind-Body Science Ph.D. program at Saybrook University. I am brand new to the ACT on Health lab and will serve on many other projects. I am looking forward to serving and deepening my knowledge and experience in research. Ultimate goals are to teach on a college level and to author many works about the applications of mind-body medicine and mindfulness. When I’m not working or studying, I’m singing, dancing, or trying out a new/local restaurant.

Malena Gimenez-Zapiola, MA, Research Coordinator II: After graduating from the University of Houston at Clear Lake with a M.A. in Clinical Psychology, I joined the ACT on Health Lab in the Spring of 2022. Having completed an undergraduate internship at the VA, I am happy to be back here to continue working with the Veteran population in a variety of research projects at IQuEST and the VA. By merging my research skills, clinical competence, and multicultural sensitivity, I hope to help better serve the unique needs of this population. As a native Spanish speaker who migrated from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Houston at the age of five, I also aim to utilize my bilingualism whenever possible to reach underserved individuals. In my free time, I enjoy engaging in daily physical exercise, reading anything and everything I can get my hands on and spending time with loved ones.

I am from Houston Texas, born and raised. I graduated with a B.S. in Psychological Sciences from the University of Texas at Dallas (2017) and earned a M.A. degree in psychology from Houston Baptist University (2020). I joined the ACT on Health lab in February of 2020. Being part of the team has contributed immensely to my understanding of research and passion for helping others. 

After graduating from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Business, I joined the ACT on Health lab in the fall of 2021. I am passionate about finding diverse treatments and resources to help as many people as possible find ways to take care of their mental health and improve their relationships, activities, and quality of life. Being part of the team has provided continuous opportunities for me to grow personally and professionally. I hope to further my education by pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. In the meantime, you can find me learning about different cultures, reading the latest thrillers, or explaining to someone that my name comes from a Mayan legend (a result of my Guatemalan roots)!

I joined the ACT on Health Lab in the fall of 2019 after graduating from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Biology. I try to ensure everyone I speak to feels heard and valuable. I’m a native Houstonian, born and raised alongside four siblings, three dogs, and a large Mexican immigrant family. I am always up for learning more about the people around me, and making sure I help everyone I speak to feel valuable and heard. I’ve loved to draw since I was little and have worked to develop my skill since then and now, creativity is something I try to incorporate in everything I do! I aspire to begin studying medicine in the coming years and am excited to see what challenges are in store for me along the way.

After graduating from Texas A&M with a B.A. in Psychology, I joined the ACT on Health Lab in the fall of 2021. I have never worked with the veterans population; however, it was not long before I developed an immense appreciation and respect for the veterans. My passion and goal is to better understand and help underrepresented populations in research, and this team has tremendously guided me towards that goal. I learn something new every day in this lab and have loved every second of it! My hope is that I return to school for a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and work with ethnic minority populations and diversity science.

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas I came to Houston to further my education in which I attended The University of Houston and earned my B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration in 2022. During my time in college, I was a registered behavior technician working with children with autism providing ABA therapy. A main goal that I have in life is to make a positive impact on someone's life. I believe it is important to do what will bring you happiness and for me, that is impact! I joined the ACT on Health Lab in the Fall of 2022 under the supervision of Dr. Lilian Dindo. In the future, I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with research interests focused on perseverance within the African American community as well as those who have experienced traumatic life events. In my free time, I love to listen to music, try new places to eat, go on new adventures, and binge watch TV shows.