Andrea (“Rea”) Navarro is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, pursuing a B.A. in Psychology. She joins The Thought Loft as an undergraduate intern learning more about mental health care.

As a first-generation Filipino student and McNair Scholar with a 4.0 GPA, Rea is committed to advancing equity and representation in mental health research and care. They plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with interests in improving culturally responsive clinical practices and digital mental health.

Rea began their clinical journey in 2021 as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), providing direct support to children and adolescents (ages 3–18) with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Their clinical experience spans home-based, school, and community settings, where they supported youth from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In addition to clinical work, Rea serves as a research assistant at the UNLV CHAMPION Mental Health Lab, where they contribute to Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to support underserved populations. Rea is also conducting an independent research experiment that bridges the fields of cyberpsychology and social psychology to explore the roles of social influence and empathy within the digital world. Through their professional work, Rea is dedicated to dismantling societal norms that invalidate those living with mental health challenges.

Being a nonbinary, pansexual individual, Rea values the importance of respecting a patient’s autonomy by first taking the time to learn their cultural identity and personal worldview. Therapy is a collaborative process between the client and therapist—one in which insight, vulnerability and growth are shared.