Dr. Maria Oliva

Biography

Maria Elena Oliva is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale School of Medicine and the Director of Social Work at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. As a bilingual social worker, she has been involved in the field since 2006, initially starting at the Greater Bridgeport Mental Health Center in Bridgeport, CT. In addition to her role at Yale, she serves as an adjunct professor at several institutions, including Smith College and Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Oliva maintains a small private practice where she specializes in providing therapy to children, adolescents, and adults, particularly focusing on Spanish-speaking individuals who may have barriers to accessing private therapy. Her research interests include the supervision experience of bilingual social workers and the challenges faced within the bilingual social worker profession, as well as the impacts of delivering individual psychotherapy in multiple languages. She has presented her work at state conferences, including those organized by the National Association of Social Workers and the Women's Consortium in Connecticut.

Research Interests