Gloria Gonzalez-Kruger, PhD, is an associate clinical professor who is currently serving as the director of clinical services at Drexel University Couple and Family Therapy Clinic. She is a graduate of Michigan State University, where she earned her two master’s degrees, one in Family and Child Ecology and the second in Marriage and Family Therapy. Her doctoral degree is in Family and Child Ecology with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She was an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Marriage and Family Therapy program. She is an approved “clinical” supervisor through the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Most recently, she was the director of behavioral health at a primary care clinic that is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc. This clinic provided integrated primary/behavioral healthcare to minority, underserved and marginalized populations. As a clinician, clinical supervisor, community advocate, educator, family scientist and researcher, her goal is to engage in activities that ultimately contribute to enhancing the quality of life of people in minority, under-served, vulnerable and marginalized communities. Her focus has been on increasing access, utilization and delivery of culturally relevant and competent educational and health-related services that serve to decrease health disparities and improve or enhance the overall well-being of individuals, couples and families across the life cycle.

Academic Distinctions

• Phi Upsilon Omicron, XI Chapter, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Local Honorary Initiate, Lincoln, NE, November, 2004.
• Certificate of Recognition for Contribution to Students, Sponsored by University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Parents Association and UNL Teaching Council, January 2004.
• College of Human Resources and Family Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award, Nominated, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2001 and 2002.
• Charman Outstanding Professor Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nominated, 2001.
• YWCA Tribute to Women of Distinction Award, Nominated, Received Honorary Mention, Cornhusker Hotel, October, 2001, Lincoln, NE.
• Hispanic Community Center’s Recognition for Contributions to the Community awarded to Latino Research Initiative, Hispanic Student Recognition Ceremony, 2001, Lincoln, NE.

Faculty Fellowships

• Affiliate Faculty member of the Latino and Latin American Studies (LLAS) program in University of Nebraska’s (UNL) Institute for Ethnic Studies.
• Fellow, Graduate Faculty, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Fellow, Gallup, Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Fellow, Center for Great Plains Study, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Professional Society

Research Interests

The goal of Gonzalez-Kruger's two primary areas of study is to decrease the health disparities of people from minority, underserved, and marginalized communities. The first area is the study of factors that influence health disparities, including access to and utilization of mental health services by Latino and other under-served and marginalized communities. Second is the development, implementation and evaluation of culturally based programming for youth. She studied the reciprocating influence of individual, family and social factors on the physical, mental and environmental health of Mexican immigrants in their sending community in Mexico and host community in the U.S. In addition, she has examined how Mexicans and Mexican Americans conceptualize depression, anxiety, phobias and nervios. Other areas of research include examining acculturative stress among Latino mothers and Latinos' perceptions of substance abuse, psychiatric co-morbidity and help-seeking. Her applied research has focused on working with the community to identify the needs of minority, under-served and marginalized communities followed by the development and evaluation of programs, including the Latino Achievement Mentoring Program (LAMP) and support services for youth and their families. The focus in this work is to create culturally competent models of programming and mental health services for the diverse needs of people from these populations and to increase retention and efficacy rates and efficacy when people do access mental health services.

Specialization

Marriage and Family Therapy; Integrated Primary Care/Behavioral Health Services; Women’s Studies

PhD, Family and Child Ecology with Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, 1985 – 1998
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan