FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doc Wayne Youth Services Appoints New Board Member
A bilingual, bicultural mental health leader and fitness professional, Yvonne Castaneda’s
expertise align perfectly to help guide growth of innovator of sport-based therapy for youth
BOSTON (July 18, 2023) – Doc Wayne Youth Services (“Doc Wayne”), a nonprofit innovator and provider of sport-based mental health therapy for youth, today announced that Yvonne Castaneda, LICSW, MSW, CLC, has joined its Board.
The daughter of Mexican and Cuban immigrants, Yvonne is the Director of Community-Based Initiatives at the Boston College School of Social Work, where she is also an adjunct professor. A Massachusetts-licensed mental health clinician, prior to entering the field of social work Yvonne held various leadership positions in the fitness industry, and worked as a linguist for the United States Department of Justice.
“Yvonne is a bilingual, multicultural mental health practitioner and professor with impressive credentials in the field of exercise, so she’s ideally suited to help Doc Wayne continue its mission as its growth continues to accelerate both nationally and globally,” commented Board Chair Shalini Kasida. “We’re extremely fortunate and happy to have her.”
Yvonne earned her Master of Social Work from Boston College and worked with the Latinx/Hispanic population in the greater Boston area as an integrated behavioral health clinician in community health centers. Now in private practice, she focuses on working with first-generation Latinx individuals, as well as couples and mixed-status families.
“I can’t think of a better way for me to use the insights gained from my experience in the fitness industry and in the field of mental health,” Yvonne said. “Doc Wayne is a perfect blend of mind and body, and it addresses adolescent mental health at a crucial time. I am very excited about this opportunity to serve.”
The author of Pork Belly Tacos with a Side of Anxiety, a memoir detailing her struggles with mental health, an eating disorder, and addiction, Yvonne is also a contributing writer for Psychology Today. She offers workshops and trainings for institutions and organizations seeking to develop a culturally sensitive understanding of mental health, and as a public speaker she continues to work towards decreasing stigma and shame by openly discussing her own challenges.
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About Doc Wayne Youth Services
Doc Wayne is an innovator and provider of sport-based mental health therapy for youth. We provide services, tools and training that address emotional, behavioral, traumatic, racial, gender, and cultural-based barriers by providing equitable access to better mental health for all. Our clinician-led curricula puts sport into practice; programs are held in a gym or on a field at schools, community centers and in clinical settings. The approach fosters openness and trust that enables healing, the development of life skills and learning teamwork, with the benefits of physical activity. Strengthening the social-emotional skills in young learners helps to build healthier, more resilient global communities. Doc Wayne, headquartered in Boston with an office in Allston, MA, also has a growing team worldwide.
Contact:
Heidi Boie