Dr Alejandra Ruiz’s journey into psychology started with a deep curiosity about human behavior and a natural sense of empathy. Since she was young, she’s been fascinated by how people think, feel, and act, which led her to pursue a career in psychology. Her work has taken her to some intense places, including a maximum-security prison in the USA, where she used cognitive behavioral therapy and learned a lot about human resilience. In this interview, Dr Alejandra shares insights from her professional journey and personal reflections on the power of empathy and emotional regulation.
Name: Maria Alejandra Ruiz
Instagram: @draruiz.mentesana
Website: www.mentesanaus.com
Title: Clinical Psychologist
City you live in: Tampa
Most recent city visited: CDMX
I was born in: Medellin, Colombia
When I was younger, I wanted to be: an astronaut, the idea of exploring space and experiencing zero gravity was incredibly fascinating to me.
A typical day: wake up, have coffee and spend the morning with my baby, travel to the office or log in from home if working remotely. Attend meetings, work on projects, and respond emails. At launch break, take a break have lunch, possibly with colleagues. I return home have dinner and spend time with family, engage in hobbies or relaxation and interact with my Instagram community until is time for bed.
My first job was: at Forever 21 in New York, Manhattan as customer representative.
My favorite thing about traveling is…I am a people watcher, I find fascinating exploring new cultures, traditions and ways of living. I love gaining new perspectives and broadening my understanding of the world. Additionally, I have a strong interest in visiting historical sites, museums, and learning about history.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be: the world’s cruelty and lack of empathy for others. Just having empathy would have a significant impact on any aspects of life. People would treat each other with kindness and understanding, leading to healthier and more fulfilling relationships. Also, greater empathy would drive stronger efforts towards equality and justice and would reduce war and global conflicts. It scares me the lack of empathy of some individuals and their ability to cause damage to others.
The perfect day would be… in the beach or somewhere in the mountain.
My favorite place I’ve visited: the Swiss alps, visiting this place was a dream. I can still remember their breathtaking beauty.
My top 3 bucket list destinations: Bali, Africa, Japan
Can you tell us about your journey in psychology? What inspired you to enter this field?
I’ve been always curious about human behavior. I had an interest in learning and understanding how people think, feel, and behave and what influences these processes. Also, since I was a child, I was told I have a natural sense of empathy and compassion for other’s struggles.
You worked in a maximum-security prison in the USA, can you share some insights into the methodologies you implemented there?
We used cognitive behavioral therapy for most patients, which consist on. However, something that l learned throughout my experience working in prisons was that we tend to underestimate our ability to adapt to circumstance and deal with severe stress and suffering.
How has your work influenced your own personal growth and understanding of emotional regulation?
To teach others how to regulate their emotions I had to learn how to regulate my own specially when feeling anxious, sad or experiencing uncomfortable emotions.
Pictures: Beto Ramos.