GSEP Spotlight: Adrian Rodriguez
The GSEP Spotlight Series highlights students and alumni whose journeys reflect Purpose, Service, and Leadership in action. In this spotlight, we feature Adrian Rodriguez, a dedicated therapist and advocate whose career centers on expanding access to trauma-informed mental health care for underserved communities.
As a licensed therapist working with individuals experiencing anxiety, trauma, and grief, Adrian Rodriguez is passionate about ensuring that accessible, culturally responsive care is available to those who need it most.
Adrian currently serves as a therapist with Headspace, a leading meditation and mental wellness company, while also maintaining a private practice in Los Angeles. His work is deeply rooted in the belief that healing begins with compassionate curiosity, cultural competence, and connection.
Adrian’s path to clinical psychology began at Pepperdine GSEP’s West Los Angeles campus, where he earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2017. During his time at GSEP, Adrian’s passion for advocacy and equitable mental health care took root. As an academic adviser within the GSEP department, he gained invaluable experience while being mentored by staff and professors who encouraged him to pursue his vision of supporting BIPOC communities.
“Through the mentorship I received, I discovered how I could use my background and identity to empower others—especially those who feel unseen in traditional mental health spaces,” Adrian reflects.
His clinical work has included serving as a Spanish-speaking therapist in community-based nonprofit settings, where he helped families navigate local resources and address a broad range of mental health needs. As a first-generation Latinx therapist, Adrian brings a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to helping clients tap into their resilience and overcome emotional challenges.
Adrian also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology from the University of California, Irvine, and his work continues to reflect the values of service and leadership instilled during his time at Pepperdine.