Graduate Researcher
Jocelyne Gomez
First-Year Graduate Student
Loma Linda University · Department of Psychology
LORRAINE T. BENUTO, PH.D. · PSYCHOLOGIST
Evidence, adaptation,
and access to care.
We study how treatment evidence is generated, adapted, and delivered, and how these processes affect access, engagement, and clinical outcomes for populations underserved by existing systems.
Explore our research
Research Advancing Implementation of
Culturally Equitable Services
RESEARCH CONTEXT
How systems shape
mental health care.
Language, treatment design, representation in research, and the organization of care shape who receives mental health services and whose needs those services meet.
The RAÍCES Lab examines these conditions alongside clinical mechanisms of distress. Our research focuses on Spanish-speaking and racially and ethnically minoritized communities and the systems that influence their care.
OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM
Evidence, implementation,
and mental health equity.
We identify gaps in the evidence base, test culturally responsive adaptations, and develop implementation strategies for minoritized communities.
Representation, adaptation, and delivery
The program examines who is represented in treatment research, how interventions fit the populations they serve, and how services are delivered.
Client and community context informs the entire program. We attend to cultural meaning and structural barriers while examining access, engagement, retention, and symptom reduction.
01Equity in the Evidence Base
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Whose experiences establish what counts as an evidence-based treatment?
We examine who was studied, how evidence was generated, and for whom treatments were validated. Systematic reviews address representation in trials of prolonged exposure, behavioral activation, coordinated specialty care for psychosis, the Unified Protocol, and parent management training.
Explore related publications02Culturally Responsive Adaptation & Implementation
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What makes an intervention acceptable, feasible, and meaningful in a particular context?
We study treatment acceptability, engagement, provider behavior, and cultural humility. This work examines culturally responsive clinical practices, interpreter–clinician collaboration, and the implementation of established interventions with Latinx communities.
Explore related publications03Innovation in Delivery & Mechanisms
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How can delivery change to reduce barriers while preserving the active ingredients of treatment?
We investigate telehealth, bilingual delivery, code-switching, and telenovela-based psychoeducation and intervention. These approaches connect language and emotional processes with practical questions about access and treatment participation.
Explore related publications04Racial Trauma & Structural Stress
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How does exposure to racism shape distress, emotional responding, and intervention targets?
This extension of the program examines race-based traumatic stress, emotional avoidance, distress tolerance, and trauma-related cognitions. It connects structural exposure with clinical mechanisms while keeping the source of harm in view.
Explore related publicationsPEOPLE
Research team
and mentorship.
Dr. Benuto and her mentees at the National Latinx Psychological Association conference.
Principal Investigator
Lorraine T.
Benuto, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Loma Linda University
Clinical psychologist and implementation researcher studying treatment adaptation, service delivery, and barriers to care.
Dr. Benuto’s scholarship examines culturally responsive interventions, barriers to mental health treatment, and the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized populations. Her work combines intervention research, mixed methods, and critical examination of the evidence base.
She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and completed her clinical internship at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Before joining Loma Linda University in 2026, she served on the psychology faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno.
She founded La Clínica VIVA, a specialized clinic for Latinas, and THRIVE, a treatment program for survivors of domestic violence. Her record includes extensive student mentorship and edited volumes on culturally responsive assessment and clinical practice.
CURRENT RAÍCES LAB TEAM
DICE Lab Alumni & Former Trainees
Researchers mentored by Dr. Benuto at the University of Nevada, Reno, working in clinical practice and academia or completing doctoral internship training.
DICE Lab Alumna
Frances Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Kaiser Permanente · Santa Rosa, California
Professional profileDICE Lab Graduate
Rory Newlands, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
El Pueblo Health Services · New Mexico; also publicly affiliated with Three Hearts Therapy
Professional profileDICE Lab Alumna
Jena Casas Kiser, Ph.D.
Clinical & Police and Public Safety Psychologist
Founder and Owner, The Ridge, PLLC · Nevada
Professional profileDICE Lab Alumna
Cyndy Soto-Lopez, Ph.D.
Psychologist
Northern Arizona University
Professional profileDICE Lab Graduate
Francisco A. Reinosa Segovia, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Los Angeles County mental health system · Postdoctoral training at UCLA
Professional profileDICE Lab Alumna
Rosy Chavez-Najera, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Renown Health · Reno, Nevada
Professional profileDICE Lab Alumna
Monica Zepeda
Psychological Services
State of Nevada
DICE Lab Graduate
Alan Garcia, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Private Practice
DICE Lab Alumna
Stephanie R. Reyes, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
UNLV · Psy.D. Program
Professional profileFormer DICE Trainee
Natalia Duda
State Hospital Psychology
California Department of State Hospitals · Coalinga
Advanced Doctoral Training
Cossette Canovas
Doctoral Researcher
University of Nevada, Reno · Completing dissertation
Professional profileDoctoral Internship
Jorge A. Cao-Noya
Doctoral Psychology Intern
University of Nevada, Reno Counseling Services
Professional profileDoctoral Internship
Brenda Zavala
Doctoral Psychology Intern
The Guidance Center
Doctoral Internship
Edwin Jurado
Doctoral Psychology Intern
Phoenix VA
SELECTED SCHOLARSHIP
Publications by
research area.
Explore publications by the three pillars of the research program and its extension into racial trauma. Papers may contribute to more than one area.
RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE
Tools for culturally responsive clinical work.
Therapist’s Guide to Clinical Intervention
A toolkit for working with Spanish-speaking clients.
Find the bookPrejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression
A behavioral health handbook connecting social conditions and clinical work.
Find the bookHandbook of Cultural Factors in Behavioral Health
A guide for helping professionals attending to culture in service delivery.
Find the bookCONNECT WITH THE RAÍCES LAB
Research collaboration
and doctoral inquiries.
For research collaboration, community partnerships, or questions about doctoral research, connect through Loma Linda University’s Department of Psychology.
Dr. Benuto will be accepting graduate students for matriculation in Fall 2027. If you are interested in joining her lab, please email her at lbenuto@llu.edu. If you would like to apply to the doctoral program at Loma Linda University, you can apply here.
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