Meet the Graduate Students
Marcus Cerqueira Sanzi
they/them
Hi y’all! My name is Marcus, and I am a queer, Latine counselling psychology researcher and PhD student. I am especially interested in the stories people tell about who they are, the worlds they move through, and the ways relationships, oppression, and resilience shape their mental health. Grounded in constructivist and interpretivist traditions, I use narrative, qualitative, and intersectional approaches to explore how queer people make meaning of gender, sexuality, colonial scripts, culture, race, migration, and anti-effeminacy. My community interests are similarly rooted in relationship and collaboration, particularly working alongside marginalized communities to challenge systemic inequities and support culturally responsive and affirming practices. Clinically, I am drawn to relational and interpersonal approaches to counselling, especially work involving identity development, minority stress, gender and sexuality, attachment, and interpersonal relationship concerns. Across my research, community engagement, and clinical work, I hope to keep lived experience at the center—to listen closely to how people understand their lives, relationships, struggles, and resilience, and to contribute to more equitable, inclusive, and liberatory approaches to mental health care.
Rodrigo Costa
he/him/his
Hi! My name is Rodrigo Costa, my pronouns are he/him/his, and I am a third-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at UF. I am excited to be part of a collective that explores the experiences of and amplifies the voices of marginalized populations. My research interests center on exploring the psychological effects of various forms of oppression among LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as factors that may promote resilience and well-being, such as critical consciousness, family acceptance, and social support. I strongly believe that multiculturalism and social justice should be among the most cherished values in any society. Clinically, I enjoy working with diverse populations and draw from an integrative theoretical orientation informed by feminist, multicultural, and existential approaches. I aspire to become a scholar-practitioner who conducts research with and advocates for LGBTQ+ communities. In my free time, I enjoy learning to play the piano, spending time with my loved ones, exploring new places, and learning new languages!
Yareli Sosa Atunez
She/Her/Hers
My name is Yareli (she/her), and I’m a second year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Florida. I identify as a queer, first-generation Mexican-American woman. I’m excited to be part of the Chévere Collective, where I examine the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ communities, with a particular focus on substance use, minority stress, and family and social support. Overall, I’m interested in understanding how cultural and relational factors can inform strengths-based, culturally responsive approaches to supporting Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.