Advanced Practicum Students

NICOLÁS A. AlVarez-FranK, MA

Title: Advanced Practicum Student

CHOIR Role: Study Clinician

Research Interests: Intercultural psychology, decolonial psychology, and indigenous psychology, with a focus on Process-Based Therapy and the integration of ancestral medicine in psychotherapy; community-based participatory methodologies to develop holistic interventions, aiming to create culturally relevant and counter-colonial mental health solutions.

Clinical Interests: Interplay between psychological and emotional factors and physical illness; dedicated to understanding how these dimensions can be leveraged to improve health outcomes, particularly for culturally diverse populations, with a specific focus on Latinx immigrants; emphasizes a holistic approach to health, viewing connection as a multilevel concept that fosters overall well-being and supports mind-body-spirit integration; believes that addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of health is crucial for promoting comprehensive wellness

  • Nicolás is a bilingual (Spanish/English) and bicultural (Ecuadorian/Argentinian) Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Candidate at Clark University, where he received his MA in Clinical Psychology. His research and clinical focus stems from the understanding that humans heal trough developing meaningful connections. Thus, Nicolás has been trained in multiple psychotherapies that allow him to guide and facilitate the process of remembering, nourishing, and creating meaningful connections, including: ACT, DBT, Integrative Gestalt and Humanistic Therapy, Body-Emotional Psychotherapy with Ancestral Medicine, and IBCT (Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy). He has work extensively with culturally diverse families, practicing individual, dyadic, couples, and family psychotherapy at Seven Hills Behavioral Health, Clark University Psychology Clinic, and at Svital Integrative Therapeutic Center. Currently, Nicolás is training at the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital Center of Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR), at Arammu Relationship Checkup, and is completing his studies in Andean Medicine at Svital Integrative Therapeutic Center in Ecuador.