Akira Gutierrez Renzulli

Akira Gutiérrez Renzulli, M.S., M.A., (she/her) is a doctoral student in child and adolescent psychology. She holds advanced degrees in developmental and clinical psychology. Her professional experiences include teaching young children, conducting research related to social-emotional and positive youth development, and supporting educators in implementing social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices in the classroom. Her clinical experiences include using culturally relevant treatment approaches to support parents in helping their children adopt healthy social and emotional behaviors, build stronger emotional regulation skills, and manage symptoms of anxiety and low mood, including childhood-specific conditions. Akira’s research interests include understanding the interplay of adversity, resilience, and positive development in children and families from marginalized communities. Her work focuses on integrating trauma-informed approaches in youth systems to foster more positive childhood experiences, such as nurturing relationships with caregivers and other adults, building healthy social-emotional skills, avoiding retraumatization, and engaging in positive mental health practices. Her ultimate goal is to collaborate with others to create healthy and supportive environments that promote mental and emotional wellbeing for children and youth. She has consulted about these topics with media outlets such as The Miami Herald, Telemundo, and U.S. News and World Report.

Sub-specialties:
trauma
adverse childhood events/ adversity
resilience
trauma-informed care/ health/ education
positive parenting strategies
mental health for children and youth
mindfulness for children and youth
attention regulation challenges and supports in children
behavioral concerns in children
early childhood development and school readiness
child-centered learning approaches