Brief Bio
Dr. Melissa Cordero, Psy.D., RYT, SEP is a Spanish-speaking bilingual and bicultural certified yoga teacher, licensed psychologist, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She is the daughter of immigrant parents from South America (Colombia and Uruguay) and is dedicated to serving minoritized populations. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Harbor UCLA, specializing in trauma and working with youth engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. She has been teaching yoga and meditation for over 20 years and has integrated this into her therapy with clients. She currently works as a psychologist at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), runs a small private practice, and is a Clinical Supervisor at the Pacific Pride Foundation specifically serving Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ clients. She specializes in working with underrepresented individuals impacted by interpersonal, complex, and collective trauma, as well as multicultural, spirituality, LGBTQ+ and diversity issues.
Dr. Cordero's areas of focus include the application of somatic, mindfulness, and empirically-supported interventions to underserved and minoritized populations. She is trained in non-verbal trauma treatments, which include Somatic Experiencing and Transcending Sexual Violence through yoga. She currently offers sound healing meditations focusing on psychological wellness for staff and faculty at UCSB. Dr. Cordero also initiated programs at UCSB focused on healing the body through non-verbal therapies, such as Yoga as Healing, Healing with the Beat of a Different Drum, and Healing with Yoga and Sound for sexual assault survivors. In addition, she developed a support group for undocumented students on campus focused on finding empowerment and strength through building community, advocacy, and unity.
