Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Affiliations
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
PROPOSED REASEARCH DIRECTIONS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Sofia Djotni

Honolulu

Summary

To pursue doctoral research in sociology on the intersections of power, politics, and social identity, with a focus on how authoritarian movements mobilize fear and moral frameworks to justify exclusion and control. My work integrates sociological and psychological perspectives to critically examine the mechanisms of inequality, domination, and resistance, aiming to produce scholarship that advances both theory and social justice–oriented policy.

Overview

6
6
years of professional experience

Work History

Practicum Student

National Center for Psychological Services
09.2024 - Current
  • Provide weekly therapy to 10+ clients with anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, and trauma, utilizing evidence-based approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Develop treatment plans, document progress, and participate in regular supervision to refine clinical skills

Mental Health Worker

Royale Mission Viejo
04.2020 - 07.2023
  • Provided supervision and attentive monitoring of patient behavior and responses to treatment.
  • Assisted in the development of goal-oriented psychoeducational and activity therapy groups to enhance clients' functional levels.
  • Recorded and documented client progress in confidential files, upholding a commitment to accuracy and privacy.

Participant Coordinator

HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program
09.2019 - 04.2020
  • Observed neuropsychological testing of HIV-positive individuals with prior methamphetamine use, evaluating intellectual, attentional, memory, reasoning, visuospatial, and language skills.
  • Managed participant records and coordinated outreach and scheduling.

Participant Coordinator

HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program
09.2019 - 04.2020
  • Observed neuropsychological testing of HIV-positive individuals with prior methamphetamine use, evaluating intellectual, attentional, memory, reasoning, visuospatial, and language skills.
  • Managed participant records and coordinated outreach and scheduling.

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) -

Hawai’i Pacific University
Honolulu, HI
06.2028

Bachelor of Science - Clinical Psychology

University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
San Diego, CA
06.2021

Associate of Arts - Behavioral Sciences | Teacher Education

Irvine Valley College
Irvine, CA
06.2019

Affiliations

American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) Member

  • Division 9 – SPSSI (Social Issues)
  • Division 48 – Peace, Conflict, and Violence Psychology
  • Division 41 – American Psychology–Law Society
  • Division 52 – Global Psychology

Hawai’i Psychological Association Student Member

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

  • Advanced Statistics (HPU)
  • Dissertation Preparation Seminar (HPU)
  • Research Methods in Psychology (UC San Diego)
  • Ethics in Psychology (HPU)
  • History and Systems of Psychology (HPU)
  • Multicultural Competence in Psychology (HPU)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Dissertation Data Analyst – (07/2025–present)

Hawaiʻi Pacific University 

  • .Conducted qualitative thematic analysis (NVivo) of medical students’ perceptions of self-care culture and burnout
  • Developed codebook, performed multi-phase coding, and synthesized findings into thematic report.

Research Coordinator – (09/2019-04/2020)

HIV Neurobehavioral Program at University of California, San Digo

  • Observed neuropsychological testing of HIV-positive individuals with prior methamphetamine use, evaluating intellectual, attentional, memory, reasoning, visuospatial, and language skills.
  • Managed participant records and coordinated outreach and scheduling.

PROPOSED REASEARCH DIRECTIONS

Faith, Fear, and Obedience: Identity and Authoritarian Mobilization
Qualitative study of how authoritarian movements instrumentalize religious and moral frameworks to normalize repression, manufacture obedience, and erode democratic institutions, with implications for global governance and human rights policy.

From Sex to Rage: How Tech Platforms Engineered a New Economy of Emotion — Mixed-methods project investigating how platforms replaced desire-driven engagement with rage-driven algorithms, transforming outrage into the dominant currency of digital publics and fueling polarization, radicalization, and gendered backlash among young adults.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Conferences

  • Participant, Research Dinner & Proposal Presentations, Hawaii Pacific University (2024, 2025). Attended doctoral research proposal presentations highlighting current research in psychology.

Professional Workshops/Trainings

  • Participated in the Discover the Law workshop series at University of California, San Diego, actively engaging with presentations from the Innocence Project, to deepen my understanding of legal concepts, enabling informed decision-making and cultivating knowledge across diverse areas of law and related issues
  • Earned a Certificate of Training for proficient administration of the Suicide Probability Scale
  • Participated in a professional workshop (Lethal Means Safety Resources) focused on suicide crisis prevention and safety planning

Shadowing Experience

  • Shadowed psychiatrists weekly at the Royale Mission Viejo psychiatric facility, documenting mood fluctuations, symptoms, and medication adjustments.
  • Observed neuropsychologists administering various assessments to research participants
  • Rotated through various departments at St Joseph Hospital as a COPE Health Scholar Volunteer, observing Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Registered Nurses (RNs), Physician Assistants (PAs), and physicians

PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Hawai’i Pro Bono Mental Health Center - Administrative Coordinator (01/2024–Present)

  • Coordinate telehealth services for uninsured and underinsured individuals, improving access to mental health care and supporting community health equity.

Hawaiʻi Innocence Project - Volunteer Research Contributor (07/2025-Present)

  • Contributed to comparative research and advocacy on post-exoneration reintegration resources in Hawaiʻi and nationwide.

ACLU People Power - Member (07/2025-Present)

  • Engaged in grassroots advocacy initiatives supporting civil liberties, voter protection, and community organizing.

COPE Health Scholar - UCLA Executive Program (03/2017– 04/2018)

  • Supported nurses in direct patient care, including vital signs, hygiene assistance, feeding, and mobility.
  • Assisted with administrative tasks such as processing paperwork, handling phone calls, and responding to patient needs.

Languages

English — Native proficiency (academic and professional fluency)

French — Beginner proficiency (A1, CEFR). Actively studying via Duolingo with intention to reach professional working proficiency

Timeline

Practicum Student

National Center for Psychological Services
09.2024 - Current

Mental Health Worker

Royale Mission Viejo
04.2020 - 07.2023

Participant Coordinator

HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program
09.2019 - 04.2020

Participant Coordinator

HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program
09.2019 - 04.2020

Bachelor of Science - Clinical Psychology

University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

Associate of Arts - Behavioral Sciences | Teacher Education

Irvine Valley College

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) -

Hawai’i Pacific University
Sofia Djotni