David Rivera

David is a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s (UC Santa Barbara) Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology program accredited by the American Psychological Association. As a scientist-practitioner, he has authored 16 peer-reviewed publications (with 3 additional manuscripts under review) with a research focus on improving mental and physical health outcomes.

He brings several years of hands-on experience in both clinical research and real-world implementation. David has served as a lead doctoral research assistant on a $17.5 million statewide public health initiative contributing to program evaluation and has also worked on National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trials. At UC Santa Barbara, an R1 institution, he has taught undergraduate courses in applied psychological research and helping skills.

David’s clinical focus is on providing responsive mental health care that is both validating and evidence-based. He has delivered care in a range of settings, including community mental health, residential treatment, and college counseling. As a clinician, David has provided individual and group therapy to address a range of mental health concerns and has conducted psychological assessments.

His experience in varied clinical and research settings, working with individuals from all walks of life, drives his strong interest in using tech to increase access to responsive, validating care. He is passionate about bridging clinical science and tech innovation to support mental health in ways that are engaging, scalable, and user-centered.

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