Carlina Ramirez Wheeler, Ph.D.

Director of Clinical Training

Dr. Carlina Ramirez Wheeler (she/her) is a multi-racial/cultural psychologist with specialized training and experience working with youth ages 0-21. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology, with a Legal Studies minor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. After working at a group home for adolescents for a year, she was inspired to continue her education by obtaining her master’s and doctorate degree at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, with a Child and Family Emphasis and Forensic Psychology Proficiency. Her early clinical and research experiences related to the multicultural and familial impacts on risk and resiliency factors for children and adolescents deepened her passion for improving access to high-quality mental health treatment.

Dr. Wheeler feels privileged to serve her child and family clients by promoting wellness, healing, and growth. She aims to provide high-quality services by delivering strengths-based, developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed clinical care. She has dedicated her career to bringing a range of evidence-based services to children and families from underresourced and diverse communities (e.g., Functional Family Therapy, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Parent-Child Care, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). She also has a strong background in conducting comprehensive psychological testing, informed by a collaborative therapeutic approach.

Dr. Wheeler is excited to serve as the Director of Clinical Training for the robust and highly regarded Psychology Training Programs at the Children’s Health Council, including co-directing the APA-accredited and APPIC member CHC- Stanford Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Internship Training Consortium Program. Dr. Wheeler’s commitment to promoting excellence in clinical psychology training extends to her position as the Chair for the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center (APPIC) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Prior to joining the team at CHC, Dr. Wheeler was the Training Director for the UC Davis Health Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (CCAP) Doctoral Internship Program and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.

Combining her strong interests in systems theory, workforce development, psychological assessment, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), Dr. Wheeler also serves as a consultant to CultureWizard, an award-winning, international leader in web-based training to large companies. She was the primary developer of the Global Inclusion Calculator (GIC), a psychometrically validated and reliable measure that assesses the dimensions that informs a user’s propensity toward inclusivity when navigating the complexity of multinational organizations.

When Dr. Wheeler is not immersed in the world of psychology, she fills her cup by spending quality time with friends and family. She enjoys a range of outdoor activities, especially going to the beach, hiking, traveling, and camping. A lot of nights and weekends are devoted to reading, painting, arts and crafts (such as creating Mandalorian jetpacks from delivery boxes), and improving her visuo-spatial and construction skills with MagnaTiles and Legoes.

Education

  • Ph.D, Clinical Psychology, Child and Family Emphasis, Forensic Psychology Proficiency, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP) at Palo Alto University
  • MS, Clinical Psychology, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP) at Palo Alto University
  • BA, Psychology, Legal Studies Minor, University of California, Santa Cruz

Licenses

  • California Board of Psychology (Licensed Psychologist, PSY26556)
  • Credentialed Health Service Psychologist (55266)

Professional Affiliations

  • Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Chair
  • American Psychological Association, Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Division 53), Member

Languages

  • Spanish

Recent Presentations

  • Odom, T., Lakhan-Pal, S., Wheeler, C., Loyola, E., and Hopkins, M. (2024, March). Improving access to equitable pediatric mental health services at UC Davis Health by implementing a Collaborative Care Model. Panel Presentation at UC Davis Health Quality Forum, Sacramento, CA.
  • Loyola, E., Wheeler, C., Peerson, S., and Long, R. (2018). A client-centered approach to psychological testing feedback with youth. Presented at Sacramento Valley Psychological Association (SVPA) Conference, Sacramento, CA.