Rosalba Soto De Frias
Fanwood,NJ
Overview
1
1
Certification
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Primary Therapist
Recovery Centers of America
11.2024 - Current
- Improved client outcomes by implementing evidence-based treatment plans tailored to individual needs and using objective assessment tools.
- Reduced relapse rates for clients with co-occurring disorders of substance use disorder and mental illness by providing comprehensive aftercare planning and support resources.
- Conducted therapeutic sessions for clients and families weekly, addressing substance use disorders, mental health concerns, and family dynamics.
- Led group sessions for 15+ participants from diverse backgrounds, fostering a supportive environment for sharing personal experiences.
- Collaborated with clinical multidisciplinary team to enhance patient progress through integrated treatment approaches.
- Maintained strict adherence to ethical guidelines set forth by relevant licensing boards, promoting integrity within the profession.
Crisis Mobile Responder
Robert Wood Johnson / Trinitas Hospital
01.2022 - 11.2024
- Provided 24/7 on-call crisis interventions to 7-12 families weekly, de-escalating crises such as suicidal ideation, substance use disorder, and self-harm behaviors, achieving a 95% success rate.
- Handled high-stress situations involving agitated clients in emotional distress through active listening and effective communication, fostering trust and safety.
- Completed training in Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) risk assessment techniques to enhance assessment skills.
Support Worker
Mind Australia
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Built trust and rapport through regular engagement with consumers.
- Supported clients' social, physical, and emotional needs by facilitating weekly meetings in community settings, enabling consumers to socialize and interact with their PALS for one hour at a time.
- Assisted clients with mental health support and resources.
- Collaborated with team members to improve service delivery processes.
- Managed client documentation and maintained accurate records.
Education
M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling - CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Piscataway, NJ05-2026
B.A. in Psychology -
New Jersey City University
Jersey City, NJ05-2022
B.S. in Forensic Psychology - Psychology
Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA05-2018
Certificate IV -
Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT), Australia
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA05-2015
Grief Line Day Course, Suicide Prevention Mental Health -
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC), Australia
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA05-2014
Skills
- Crisis Intervention
- De-Escalation Techniques
- Conflict resolution
- Cultural Competency
- Active Listening
- Communication
- Problem-Solving
- Detail Oriented
- Organization
- Collaborative
- Compassion
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
Recovery Centers of America
Fall/Spring 2025-2026
Counselor Intern
- Counseled clients struggling with addiction to better health through evidence-based practices in addiction counseling.
- Learned from senior counselors, supervisors, and clinical directors how to implement strategies that help maintain sobriety.
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC)
Fall 2014
Counselor Intern
- Guided consumers to better health and opportunities within the mental health sector by providing information on what benefits and care they could receive under the Mental Health Act.
- Shadowed senior mental health advocate by sitting in during client sessions to learn how to advocate best for the client.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Crisis Text Line 747747
Crisis Counselor
- Connect through live chats with 3+ individuals who text the crisis hotline for assistance and help them build a safety plan to lower the overall risk of the crisis by intervening in specific manners such as active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and assuring the individual is safe and not in imminent danger by asking open-ended questions in a compassionate matter.
Certification
Crisis Assessment Tool (CAT), New Jersey
Publications
Soto De Frias, R., Dawood, H., & Yuksel, P., A global view on complex parenting dynamics for better practices and social policy to overcome 21st century crises., J. A. Jaworski, Advances in sociology research, 36, 113-142, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2021, https://doi.org/10.52305/GPAQ8046
AWARDS
NBCC Foundation Minority Fellowship Program (MFP-AC) [2024]-[2025]
Selected as one of 540 applicants and 113 fellows nationwide for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counselors
Fellowship focused on improving mental health and substance use disorder treatment for underserved minority populations
Received a $15,000 training stipend and specialized education in culturally competent addiction counseling
Guest Lecturer- Rutgers University
- Designed a lecture on the Neurobiology of Addiction for 16 master's-level students, translating complex neuroscience into clinically applicable concepts using metaphor and case-based framing.
- Led small-group activities applying neurobiological concepts to case scenarios, prompting discussion on treatment implications for clients with substance use disorders.
Languages
Spanish
Timeline
Primary Therapist
Recovery Centers of America
11.2024 - Current
Crisis Mobile Responder
Robert Wood Johnson / Trinitas Hospital
01.2022 - 11.2024
Support Worker
Mind Australia
01.2017 - 01.2018
M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling - CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
B.A. in Psychology -
New Jersey City University
B.S. in Forensic Psychology - Psychology
Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Certificate IV -
Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT), Australia
Grief Line Day Course, Suicide Prevention Mental Health -
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC), Australia