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Melba J. T. Vasquez (Born In 1951) is a well-known personality in the world of psychology. Her distinguished career as an American psychologist characterized by notable successes such as the Heiser Award and AAP Advocacy Award.

She has held a notable positions in her line of work which was the American Psychological Association (APA) President. In the course of her administration, she created three presidential task committees to address pressing societal challenges like immigration, racism, and educational inequality.

Notably, she has been recognized as a Fellow in various APA Divisions, including Divisions 1 (Society for General Psychology), 17, 31 (State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs), 35, 42, 44 (Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity), 45, 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy), and 52 (International Psychology).

Biography
She grew up in a large and loving Latino/a family in Texas. Despite facing racism and discrimination in school, she found solace and support in a Catholic school run by Mexican nuns.

Melba initially pursued a degree in English in college, but her passion for understanding discrimination and prejudice led her to switch gears and focus on psychology. While pursuing her master's degree, she was encouraged by her professors to apply for a PhD program. This marked a turning point in her career, as she went on to earn her doctorate in counseling psychology.

Throughout her career, Melba Vasquez has made significant contributions to the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of multicultural counseling and ethics. She has been actively involved in promoting diversity and inclusivity in the field and has served in leadership roles in various professional organizations.


 * 1) American Psychological Association (APA) - President
 * 2) Association of Black Psychologists - Active member
 * 3) Society of Clinical Psychology - Involved member.

Melba's work has been recognized and celebrated, earning her numerous accolades and awards. She has also authored and co-authored several influential publications in the field of psychology. Her contributions continue to inspire and shape the practice of counseling psychology today.

Research
The major topics of the scientist's research program were multicultural issues, gender, diversity, ethnicity and race, counseling and social justice. She became a president of the American Psychological Association (APA), the stance of psychologists of the APA opposed the abuse of human rights such as freedom denial, economical deprivation, unreasonable and unfair use of violence, social discrimination and humiliation.

The University of Texas awarded her a PhD in counseling psychology in 1978. Before going into private practice, she was a psychology professor at Colorado State University and The University of Texas. Melba J.T. Vasquez focused her field of study and research contributions on ethics, women's psychology, multicultural psychotherapy, supervision, and training.

Representative publications
Vasquez, M. J. T. (2007). Cultural difference and the therapeutic alliance: An evidence-based analysis. American Psychologist, 62(8), 878–885. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.8.878

Vasquez, M. J. T., Lott, B., García-Vázquez, E., Grant, S. K., Iwamasa, G. Y., Molina, L. E., Ragsdale, B. L., & Vestal-Dowdy, E. (2006). Personal reflections: Barriers and strategies in increasing diversity in psychology. American Psychologist, 61(2), 157–172. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.2.157

Vasquez, M. J. T. (2012). Psychology and social justice: Why we do what we do. American Psychologist, 67(5), 337–346. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029232

Vasquez, M. J., Bingham, R. P., & Barnett, J. E. (2008). Psychotherapy termination: Clinical and ethical responsibilities. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 653-665.

Vasquez, M. J. (1998). Latinos and violence: mental health implications and strategies for clinicians. Cultural Diversity and Mental Health, 4(4), 319.

Books
Vasquez is a prolific writer and editor with several published works. Three publications have been co-authored by her:

- "How to Survive and Thrive as a Therapist" (Pope & Vasquez)

- "Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling" (Pope & Vasquez)

- "APA Ethics Code Commentary and Case Illustrations" (2010, Campbell, Vasquez, Behnke & Kinscherff).

She is now working on a book for the APA Theories of Psychotherapy Monograph series about multicultural treatment. She also has been on the editorial boards of ten publications and authored over 65 journal papers and book chapters.