Dr. Valerie Leyva

PhD, Pastoral Counseling, Loyola University in Maryland, Baltimore, MD 2003
M.S.W., Families and Children, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 1991
MSc., Digital Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland 2019
Master of Theological Studies, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC 1999
B.A. History, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 1982

2005-Present
California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA
Current title: Professor Emerita

• Taught multiple graduate courses across the curriculum, focusing on HBSE, clinical practice, integrative behavioral health, field education, gerontology and trauma.
• Currently serving part time as the MSW Program Accreditation Specialist.
• Served as MSW Program Director (2019-2020) during transitional year for department and during initial stages of Covid shutdown.
• Served as Field Coordinator (2010-2014) providing oversight of all field placements and operations for 120-150 MSW students per year.
• Chaired 60+ graduate thesis committees. o Co-facilitated development, funding, and accreditation for online MSW degree program concentrating on Integrative Health and Behavioral Health.
• Developed syllabi, all course activities, and virtual learning environments for 9 online MSW courses and 11 face-to-face MSW courses.
• Co-authored CSWE reaffirmation self-study documents. o Founded the Transcend/Transverse Conference focusing on educating providers about the needs of the transgender/non-binary community.
• Served on and chaired department, college and university committees regarding curriculum, educational policy, field education, admissions, accreditation, student writing development, student affairs, and faculty searches.
• Evaluated manuscripts for publications such as Journal of Gerontological Social Work, Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, and Journal of Homosexuality.
• Reviewed conference proposals for CSWE, the Washington Campus Compact (service learning), and the UNM Mentoring Conference.
• Engaged in research, scholarship and creative activities resulting in multiple peerreviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.
• Courses taught:
  - Advanced Integrative Practice with Children, Adults and Families
  - Advanced Integrative Practice with Groups o Comprehensive Exam
  - Field Seminar & Liaison
  - Generalist Social Work Practice
  - Gerontological Social Work
  - Graduate Project
  - Human Behavior and the Social Environment, I & II
  - Integrative Behavioral Health o International Social Work
  - Policy and Practice with Adults, I & II
  - Psychosocial Assessments
  - Social Work Practice with Trauma Survivors
  - Social Work Law & Ethics
  - Thesis Supervision

2004-2015
Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC
Adjunct Assistant Professor

• Researched and developed the curriculum for, and taught the following courses, with a focus on incorporating spiritual issues into mental health care:
  - Counseling Skills for Pastoral Ministry
  - Care and Counseling of Couples and Families
  - Pastoral Care for LGBTQ Church Members
  - Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care
• Served as reader on 2 dissertation committees.

2003-2005
University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD
Clinical Instructor

• Full-time clinical instructor for MSW interns at multiple University-sponsored, community-based health and behavioral health programs, including a hospital-based clinic for asthma and respiratory services, and a school-based mental health clinic.
• Courses taught (classroom instruction):
  - Human Behavior and the Social Environment, II
  - Clinical Paradigms of Social Work
  - Psychopathology

Leyva, V.L. (2019). A Systematic Review of Instructional Practices Used in Online and Blended Social Work Practice Courses. (Master’s Thesis). University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Leyva, V.L. (2015). Mental health inequalities among LGBT elders in the United States: Curricula developments. In J. Fish & K. Karban (eds.). Social Work and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Health Inequalities: International Perspectives. Bristol, UK: The Policy Press.

Breshears, E. & Leyva, V.L. (2015). Unique experiences and needs of LGBT elders: One community responds. In J. Fish & K. Karban (eds.). Social Work and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Health Inequalities: International Perspectives. Bristol, UK: The Policy Press.

Leyva, V.L., Breshears, E., & Ringstad, R. (2014). Assessing the efficacy of LGBT cultural competency training for aging services providers in California’s Central Valley. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 57(1-2), 335-348.

O’Neill, A., Leyva, V.L., Humble, M.N., Lewis, M.L., & Garcia, J.A. (2014). Mental Health First Aid USA: The implementation of a Mental Health First Aid training program in a rural healthcare setting. Contemporary Rural Social Work. 6, 117-125.

Ringstad, R., Leyva, V. L., Garcia, J. & Jasek-Rysdahl, K. (2012). Creating space for marginalized voices: Re-focusing service learning on community change and social justice. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 32(3), 268-283.

Leyva, V. L. (2012). Online supervision of field education. Field Educator, 2(1). Retrieved from: http://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/online-supervision-of-fieldeducation/#more-621

Leyva, V. L. (2011). First generation Latina graduate students: Balancing professional identity development with traditional family roles. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 127, 21-31.

Leyva, V.L. (2010). Research to address community problems: Planning a homeless shelter. CSU Impact: Learning and Serving (Special Issue, 11/29/10). Retrieved from: http://www.calstate.edu/cce/news_pubs/ECBR/homelessshelter.shtml

Leyva, V.L. (2006) Social work: The unexpected journey. Faculty Voices, 4, 21-24. Leyva, V.L., Greer, J.M., Buckley, J.J. & Krisak, A.F. (2003) Women’s response to terrorism: The stability of psychological hope and theological hope. Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 14, 77-101

Leyva, V.L. (2003). An Exploration of the Psychological and Theological Factors Related to Hope (Doctoral dissertation). Loyola University in Maryland, Baltimore, MD.

(under previous name: Valerie F. Lester):

Lester, V.F. (2000). Wholeness in broken bread. Journeys, (2)1, 20.

Greer, J. M. & Lester, V. F. (Eds.). (1998). Abstracts of Research in Pastoral Care and Counseling, (26).

Greer, J. M. & Lester, V. F. (Eds.). (1997). Abstracts of Research in Pastoral Care and Counseling, (25).

November 2022 – Coping with Hope. Keynote Presenter/Panelist. Solution Focused
Brief Therapy Association Annual Conference. Online.
May 2020 - A Bridge to The Impossible: Pedagogies for Teaching Social Work Practice Skills in a Digital Environment. Seminar accepted at the OLC Innovate Conference, Chicago. IL. The conference was canceled due to Covid-19.
May 2019 - The Role of the Mentor in Professional Shadowing. Paper presented to The Mentoring Institute Conference, Albuquerque, NM.
March 2018 & March 2019 – Transcend/Transverse Conference. Co-founder and Convener. Turlock, CA
April 2017 - Facilitating Shadowing in Blended Learning Environments. Poster Presentation, OLC Innovate Conference 2017, New Orleans, LA.
June 2013 – LGBT Health Inequalities: Implications for Social Work Practice. Symposium presenter, 7th International Conference on Health and Mental Health, Los Angeles, CA.
November 2012 – Developing Best Practices for Online Field Seminar. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
June 2012 – The Special Needs of LGBT Seniors: Developing Understanding, Empathy, and Respect. 11th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Social Sciences, Honolulu, HI.
April 2012 - Building Community/University Partnerships to Improve Aging Services for LGBT Seniors. Poster presented to the annual meeting of the California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics, Los Angeles, CA.
October 2011 - LGBT Baby Boomers: Building Capacity and Competency in Aging Services. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA
October 2011 – Caring for LGBT Seniors. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA
March 2010 – Engagement through Independent Study Research: How Students Design Their Own Service Learning. Paper presented at the 13th Annual Western Regional Continuums of Service Conference, Portland, OR.
October 2008 – Introducing Economic Justice Pedagogy through a Classroom Simulation Exercise. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
July 2008 - Increasing Social Work Students’ Awareness of Their Role in Economic Oppression. Paper presented to the International Association of Schools of Social Work, Durban, South Africa.
July 2008 – Bridging the Cultural Divide: Developing Locally Meaningful Human Behavior Curricula and Assignments. Poster presented to the International Association of Schools of Social Work, Durban, South Africa.
June 2008 - Increasing Students’ Awareness of Their Role in Economic Oppression. Paper presented to the Society for Pastoral Counseling, Los Angeles, CA
April 2008 - Service-Learning through Community Inquiry: A Campus-Community Partnership. Paper & Poster presented to the Continuums of Service Conference, Portland, OR.
October 2007 – The Research/Practice Partnership Project: Collaborative Learning Assignments. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
October 2007 – Infusing multi-generational content in HBSE I: A social-historical-cultural approach. Paper presented to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
June 2005 – Women’s Response to Terrorism. Paper presented to the Society for Pastoral Theology, Denver, CO
October 2002 – Hope in Times of Terrorism. Keynote address presented to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Berkeley Springs, WV
June 1999 – Social Work and Social Justice: How Social Workers and the Church Interact in a World of Welfare Reform. Paper presented to the Society for Pastoral Theology, Denver, CO

2012-2022
Delta Vet Center, Manteca California
2020-2022: Readjustment Counselor (Full time) – Provided individual, group and marital counseling to military veterans who have experienced trauma.
2012-2020: Clinical Consultant - Provided bi-weekly case conference consultation for clinical cases that include complex trauma, as well as supervision for licensure.

2018- 2019
Stanislaus County Behavioral Health Service, Modesto California
Clinical Consultant
Provided weekly individual supervision for 5 ASW candidates.

2014-2018
Child Abuse Prevention Council, Stockton, California
Head of Service for Medi-cal.
Provide weekly group supervision for 12 ASW, MFTI and PCCI candidates and case
conference consultation for clinical cases that include complex trauma. Maintained
oversight for all clinical operations.

1993-2004
Pastoral Counseling Services of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland
Therapist, Clinical Supervisor and Field Instructor

1993 – 1995
Villa Maria School, Timonium Maryland
Therapist, Field Instructor, Treatment Team Coordinator and Intern Training Coordinator

1993-1995
Wellspring Counseling, Timonium Maryland
Therapist

1990-1993
Woodbourne Youth and Family Counseling Services, Baltimore Maryland
Therapist, Admissions Coordinator, Clinical Coordinator

2021 - present: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, #C-11629 (New Mexico)
2009 – present: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, #25736 (California)
1993- 2007: Licensed Certified Social Worker – Clinical #8000 Maryland, (currently inactive)
NPI Number 1437389905