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Dr. Calixto Garcia
Dr. Calixto Garcia was born in Guines, Havana, Cuba and was raised in New York City, where he was educated from elementary school through college. The son of an attorney and a business woman of Lebanese descent, the Garcia’s decided to send Calixto to Spain to preserve his personal freedom and liberty. A year later Calixto relocated to New York City, where he lived with a maternal uncle until his mother’s arrival many years later. The story of Dr. Calixto Garcia’s childhood resembles that of so many other children that were sent by their parents to a land of freedom to escape the Communist Regime of Cuba.

Growing up in New York City, Dr. Garcia became involved in community advocacy early on. He became involved with families, organizing rent strikes against unscrupulous landlords that refused to provide heating during the wintertime. He was also involved with community organizations such as the JOC (Juventud Obrera Cristiana) creating youth programs in martial arts, dancing and volunteerism for teenagers, to discourage them from joining gangs. As a volunteer, Dr. Garcia worked with the elderly in day programs, providing activities, case management and outreach services. In his early professional career Dr. Calixto Garcia was part of the Social Service Advisory Committee for The Lower East Side of New York City where he represented the developmentally disabled, foster care and the creation of community residences in an effort to reunite families. He was also Union Rep for 1199 in the area of health. As a free Mason, Dr. Calixto Garcia was involved in creating a job bank, a magazine (El Hara) and a retraining program for displaced brothers. For years Dr. Garcia has been a very strong advocate for education, since it is his personal belief that education is the right of every human being and the road map to achieving the American dream. Instilled early on by his parents, the concepts of freedom, liberty and fair play have led Dr. Calixto Garcia to be an advocate for the underdog, as he himself learned to do things from the bottom up. He learned to work hard in order to achieve his dreams. Dr. Garcia is a product of a grassroots movement and his platform reflects those values.

Dr. Garcia is the president of Community Technological Institute of Miami. Dr. Garcia is a licensed clinical psychologist in the State of Florida and keeps a private practice as a neuropsychologist. Previously he was the Associate Director of Florida International University, Counseling and Psychological Service Center. Dr. Garcia has a vast experience in community organization, implementation of new programs and institutional administration. He has been a lecturer and speaker at many state and national conferences on crisis intervention, behavioral medicine, neuropsychology, Cognitive Reflex Therapy (which he founded), biculturalism, gerontology, children and families, leadership and education. He has over 20 years of experience teaching at various levels of academia. He has been the Vice President of the Calle 8 Chamber of Commerce for the past 3 years, where he has been involved in business development, community enhancement and government advocacy. Additionally, he is the Senior Vice President of the Senior Hispanic Coalition, an advocate organization whose main focus is the development of community leaders in the area of aging. Most recently Dr. Garcia has been involved in the creation of a job development program in conjunction with Community Technological Institute of Miami and the Senior Hispanic Coalition.

SUMMARY OF EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Background encompasses 20 years of responsible, multi-functional positions within public-service settings, with expertise and accomplishment in the following significant areas:

• Individual, Group, Family and Substance Abuse Therapy • Crisis Intervention with Children, Adults and the Elderly • Psychological / Neuropsychological Testing and Report Writing • Behavioral Medicine-Hypnosis and Biofeedback • Design and Implementation of New Programs • Administration and Staff Development • Clinical Staff Supervision and Training Strong organizational, analytical and communicative skills and the ability to work productively in multi-cultural and multi-lingual environments.

EDUCATION:

• Philosophy Dr PhD in Clinical Psychology – Miami, Florida • Licensed Clinical Psychologist # PY0005118 – State of Florida • Master of Science in Clinical Psychology – MSCP, Miami, Florida • Certificate of Social Work – Post Graduate – CSW, NY WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Community Technological Institute of Miami, Founder and CEO • University Psychologist – Florida International University, Miami, FL • Clinical Psychologist – Private Practice, Miami, FL • Clinical Psychologist I – Youth Family Services, Miami, FL • Teaching Experience – Miami Institute of Psychology, University of Miami, Nova University, Florida International University, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL • Director of Branches – Miami Mental Health Center, Miami, FL • Clinical Supervisor - Miami Mental Health Center, Miami, FL • Crisis Worker – Northwest Dade Mental Health Center, Miami, FL • Case Manager – Channeling, Miami, FL • Assistant Administrator – Jackson Heights Nursing Home- Jackson Heights, NY • Administrative Supervisor – Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center • Social Worker – Manhattan Borough Development Service Office - Manhattan, NYC PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

-         Community Technological Institute of Miami, Founder and CEO -         Seniors Hispanic Coalition Corporation – Senior Vice President -         Calle Ocho Chamber of Commerce – Vice President -         American Psychological Association -         American Association of Social Workers -         American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists -         American Pain Association

PUBLICATIONS:

Garcia-Abid, C. (1990), the use of hypnotic suggestions as an external amplifier of emotion and its implication in the treatment of pain. Doctoral Dissertation, MIAMI INSTITUTE OF PSYCHOLOGY – Miami Florida.