Jose Arreola is a proud community college graduate whose own educational journey began at East Los Angeles College, where he earned his A.A. in Psychology for Transfer. He went on to earn a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Clinical Psychology from California State University, Northridge; an M.A. in Social Ecology and a Ph.D. in Psychological Science, with emphases in Developmental and Health Psychology, from the University of California, Irvine.

As a faculty member in Psychology and Trauma Studies, Dr. Arreola is passionate about understanding people within the broader contexts of their families, communities, cultures, and lived experiences. His teaching and scholarship explore how these interconnected influences shape our development, mental and physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, and educational experiences. Grounded in community-based approaches and a developmental and ecological perspective, his work emphasizes the strengths, resilience, and lived experiences of minoritized communities.

His areas of interest include cultural resilience, family and cultural values, trauma, attachment, stigma, discrimination, addiction, violence exposure, and health disparities. Through his teaching, Professor Arreola encourages students to think critically about human behavior, connect psychological concepts to real-world experiences, and consider how culture, community, and lived experience shape who we are and how we navigate the world.

As a fellow community college graduate, he values the many paths students take toward their educational and personal goals. Whether you are curious about developmental psychology, health psychology, clinical or counseling psychology, or trauma and resilience, he welcomes your questions, interests, and conversations. Please don’t hesitate in reaching out!