Rodrigo Xavier Caldera (he/him) is a gay identified, cis gender Latino male, third cultural- naturalized North American citizen, who immigrated from Argentina, and was born in Nicaragua. He graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) with a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, specializing in Somatic Psychotherapy, and is now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. He also holds a certification from Tamalpa Institute, and is a Movement Based Expressive Arts Practitioner and Educator. As an EMDR trained Clinician from the Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute, he supports individuals in re-processing trauma and compassionately working through trauma symptoms.
His professional psychotherapeutic work expands to various types of settings and populations, including the Center for Somatic Psychotherapy serving multi-cultural individuals and couples in San Francisco's Downtown Financial District at sliding scale fees, The Liberation Institute providing low fee movement based expressive arts groups for the Queer commmunity exploring grief, Pathways Home Health and Hospice working with the bereft from diverse socio-economic, age, gender, and cultural backgrounds in individual and group sessions, AGUILAS supporting the Latino Gay, Trans, and Bisexual community through evidence based practices, harm reduction, and motivational interviewing techniques to manage risky sexual behavior, substance addiction and dependence, and trauma from persecution in their country of origin, HealthRIGHT 360 working as an all female substance use disorder and mental health residential therapist providing individual and group sessions to clients on Medi-cal, as well as an Outpatient therapist serving individuals, families, youth and adults, also struggling with co-occurring disorders and at times mandated to program by the courts, and as a Telehealth provider offering therapy services via telephone and through a video screen during the Covid-19 early pandemic years to people suffering from mental health disorders such as Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bi-polar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Major Depression, as well as addiction to drugs and substances, and at times homelessness, and at ARM of Care (art, recreation, and movement) offering trauma informed care for empowerment using Art Therapy with groups and individuals who have been commercially sexually exploited through human trafficking or are at risk for being trafficked. And currently as a Clinical Supervisor at the Center for Somatic Psychotherapy, a clinic of the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Prior to becoming a therapist, Rodrigo worked in the non-profit sector and in the world of academia. At CIIS, counseling graduate students enrolled in the MA in Counseling Psychology degree program; with gay and bisexual Latino MSM at AGUILAS, fostering self empowerment through the arts and community building; and supporting survivors of domestic violence through his advocacy work at the Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project in Massachusetts. His early work years expand to include working with a triply diagnosed adult population at the Leland House and Transition Aged Youth at the Guerrero House, both programs of Catholic Charities.
Meet Rodrigo, a multi-talented artist who finds solace in creating paintings that reflect the world around him. He is also a dancer, performer, writer, and illustrator who expresses his lively world of sensation through words, movement, and images. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and contemplating in nature, which helps him connect with gratitude and eco-regulation. As a therapist, Rodrigo creates a warm and welcoming environment for his clients to explore their thoughts, sensations, and emotions. He is dedicated to building strong and trusting relationships with them, allowing them to feel seen, heard, and valued. He is a wonderful ally.
