Page 7 - Diane Musgrove Issue

Women of Distinction

uring the 16 years I
have been running
DSan Diego Wom-
an Magazine, I have been
honored to interview some
of the most amazing women.
Dr. Rita Romero certainly
fits into this category. Dr.
Romero has received many
well-deserved honors from
the patients she has helped
over the years and the com-
munity here in San Diego
and was selected as one
of the top three best rated
psychologists in San Diego
both in 2022 and 2023. We
now honor her as a Woman
of Distinction for San Diego
Woman Magazine.
As CEO of San Diego
Psychotherapy Associates,
Dr. Romero is a licensed
psychologist heading up a Dr. Rita Romero, PhD
practice with four psycholo-
gists in various specialties to By Judith A. Habert
help meet the needs of San
Diegans. “I am a licensed Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
psychologist myself and have
an amazing staff of female in that stage of questioning Having experienced the in- how easy it is to become
psychologists, not to men- the status quo, and 20 years timate details of growing up so focused on profession-
tion an incredible support of child held beliefs, or I may with a family member with al goals you can comprise
staff. We feel privileged to have just stayed stuck there mental illness, Dr. Romero personal relationships and
walk hand in hand with in the comfort of familiarity. feels more in tune with the health which is what I did
many patients on a week- I love San Diego and com- struggles that some of her while pursuing my Master’s
ly basis hearing intimate pleted my undergraduate patient’s experience. I feel degrees (and this was before
details about them and their and graduate degrees here very fortunate to have found I was married or had chil-
relationships, supporting or with 12 years in Northern a career that gives me such dren.) Later when returning
teaching them how to resolve CA. a sense of meaning and pur- for my doctorate and now
past traumas when appro- I asked Dr. Romero if she pose. “Carl Jung, the influen- being married with two
priate; how to effectively always knew she wanted to tial Swiss psychiatrist, refers children, I was more invested
confront current challenges, become a psychologist. “Yes, to humans being born with in developing better strate-
utilize existing strengths or human behavior has always a life force, a life energy that gies to balance the multiple
develop new coping strate- intrigued me. I was fascinat- needs to be expressed. My roles.”
gies to successfully navigate ed studying what challenges work as a psychologist is a “As women, I think
this adventure called life” or blocks us and what moti- perfect way for me to express sometimes we can get so
Born on the outskirts vates us to move past those that energy both for my own caught up in doing for others
of Los Angeles in a little blocks. I also grew up with a and others’ transformation”. that we sometimes sacrifice
town called San Gabriel, Dr. brother who was mentally ill; Dr. Romero says many our own health”, Dr. Romero
Romero has had the pleasure it was traumatic for him and patients come into therapy referenced a study done in
of recently returning for my family. However, with the because they are feeling 2013 by the Pew Research
reunions with classmates, right professional guidance overwhelmed emotionally Center. The study’s find-
some of whom never left and support, I found it is and physically by trying to ings said that women, more
this small town. “Being back possible to transform trauma balance the multiple profes- than men, have difficulty
home, I thought how im- into resiliency, growth, and sional and personal demands balancing all the roles they
portant it was for me to leave empathic understanding of we all have. She says, “I know undertake. “I don’t know
in my early 20’s when I was others who face challenges.” from personal experience why, but we think we can do

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