Dr. Stephanie D'Costa
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Assistant Professor
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” — Arundhati Roy
About Me
Dr. Stephanie D'Costa is a South Asian, cis-gender woman living and learning on Ohlone lands (Bay Area, CA). I teach in the counseling department at St. Mary's College of California. I obtained my Ph.D in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I completed a pre-doctoral internship at BoysTown Behavioral Health (Omaha, NE) and a post-doctoral residency at WestCoast Children's Clinic (Oakland, CA).
Dr. D'Costa is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in trauma-informed practices for teens and young adults I also practice school psychology in the Oakland Unified School District. Dr. D'Costa consults with educational institutions & non-profits on building more equitable practices and integrating trauma-sensitive care.
At St. Mary's Dr. D'Costa typically teaches the Internship Seminar for School Psychology students, Assessment of social, emotional, and behavioral skills, Research Seminar I, and Intercultural counseling & social justice.
Dr. D'Costa is passionate about community-based research that empowers culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Her research focuses on a) critically exploring the impact of oppressive forces on minoritized youth and b) building culturally sustaining practices in academics, behaviors and mental health for k-12 students.
When she is not working, she enjoys going on hikes with her dog, finding a local brewery to try, and enjoying coffee with her backyard chickens.