Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Esther Quiroz Santos, Ph.D. (Providence VA Medical Center, 9/3/24-9/2/25) graduated with a B.A. in psychology and criminal justice from Rhode Island College in 2018. That same year, she began her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Rhode Island, with a multicultural focus area. Esther completed her psychology pre-doctoral internship with the APA - accredited University of Miami/Jackson Health System program in Miami, FL in 2024. She is now completing her postdoctoral fellowship in the Clinical Psychology Program at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. During the initial stages of her postdoc, Esther was able to successfully publish her dissertation titled, “The Impact of Peer-Based Recovery Support Services: Mediating Factors to Client Outcomes.” This paper focused on client self-efficacy and relationship with peer support specialists as mediating factors in the association between received services (e.g., mental health or substance use services, benefits applications, relapse prevention) and health outcomes (e.g., decrease in client substance use, improved health, reduced use of emergency services). Esther is passionate about working with individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, particularly Spanish speakers, and hopes to continue this work in the long-term. She would like to thank her incredible supervisors and mentors throughout her training experiences (too many to mention!), and her family, friends, and pets for their unwavering support and strength.