Luis Plascencia, Psy.D.

Dr. Plascencia earned his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2023 from the University of San Francisco. Prior to his doctoral education, he completed a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, a Master of Education in Psychological Counseling, and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Sexuality, Women, and Gender Issues in Psychology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. Dr. Plascencia’s clinical training includes working various treatment settings including community mental health clinics, psychiatric inpatient, intergrated behavioral health settings, outpatient hospital settings, and forensic work with adults. He completed his predoctoral internship with Marin County Health & Human Services in their Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Program and went on to his postdoctoral training with Kaiser Permanente’s Sacramental Valley Training Consortium in the Psychiatry Department.

His clinical focuses include working with adults across the life span managing issues of anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, and other psychosocial stressors. Trained in a relational and psychodynamic practice, Dr. Plascencia understands the importance of understanding attachment, relational patterns, and systemic/environmental issues that contribute to mental health challenges. His treatment approach includes both processing emotions and issues of the past while learning Cognitive Behavioral and Acceptance and Commitment treatment skills to help with the present by developing a sense of agency and control. As Bilingual (Spanish)- Bicultural clinician, Dr. Plascencia understands the importance of incorporating conversations of social identity into the dialogue of mental health and how much of a critical component it can be. Other clinical interests and populations that he focuses in include individuals from the BIPOC community, Immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Dr. Plascencia is a member of both the American Psychological Association and the National Latinx Psychological Association.

Dr. Plascencia is a Bay Area native and has devoted the past 10 years advocating for, learning about, and working in mental health services. He currently is in lovely Sacramento, California and is joining as Aloha’s Northern California telehealth provider. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his family, traveling, and engaging in Sacramento’s vibrant and growing community.

“Though we tremble before uncertain futures, may we meet illness, death and adversity with strength, may we dance in the face of our fears.” – Gloria Anzaldúa