Our Team
The people behind the care
A bilingual, bicultural team of practitioners and clinicians who share or deeply understand the cultural contexts of the communities we serve.
Our Staff
Practitioners & clinicians
Each team member brings their own training and lived experience to the work. Bios to be added.
Joanne Rodriguez, LMFT
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I see therapy as part detective’s board, part puzzle: laying everything out and tracing the connections between things that never seemed related, then turning the pieces over to find where each one actually fits. Some of what a person carries was a solution once — it got them through something. The work isn’t to rip it out, but to understand it well enough that keeping or changing it becomes a real choice.
I don’t believe a client has to find a therapist who matches them on background or diagnosis. A good therapist is a flexible one — someone who adapts to meet the person in front of them, rather than expecting the person to fit a method. My approach draws on narrative, psychodynamic, and person-centered work, including sex therapy, with a relational and trauma-informed lens underneath, applied differently depending on who’s in the room.
I have over four years of clinical experience, am bilingual and bicultural, and also offer hypnotherapy as a standalone service outside of clinical treatment.
April Torres, LMFT
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Suzanne Algarva, LMFT
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Welcome! I hold a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy / Clinical Counseling from the University of Massachusetts Global and a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, East Bay.
I believe therapy is most effective when it’s tailored to the unique needs, strengths, and goals of each individual. I take an integrative approach, drawing from evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Somatic Therapy, and Polyvagal-informed practices.
My goal is to provide a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space where you feel safe, heard, and supported. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, or a major life transition, I look forward to helping you gain insight, develop practical tools, and move toward healing and meaningful change at a pace that feels right for you.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked in the health field and participated in international community health outreach with families and children in the Dominican Republic and Peru. These experiences deepened my appreciation for each person’s unique story and strengthened my commitment to compassionate, culturally responsive care.
Outside of the therapy room, you’ll often find me hiking with my dog, exploring nature, traveling, or enjoying live music. I know reaching out for support can feel like a big step, and I’m honored to be part of your journey toward greater well-being.
Marielena Hernandez, LMFT
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Christopher Ryskiewicz, AMFT
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Jennifer Wollinetz, AMFT
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Thomas Collins, APCC
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Greetings! I’m excited to be part of the clinical team at La Concordia Wellness Center as an APCC. I’m a graduate of Northwestern University with an M.A. in Counseling. Clinically, I enjoy using a systems perspective to treat patients with diverse backgrounds and complex conditions. I have a special interest in treating PTSD and co-occurring diagnoses. I strongly value developing a therapeutic relationship with my patients founded on empathic listening, positive regard, reflection, and collaboration. I hope to bolster positive outcomes by engaging patients in open communication throughout the treatment process and soliciting feedback to ensure I’m providing the highest level of care.
Additionally, I’m a veteran who has proudly served in the United States Armed Services (Navy). My hobbies include traveling, volunteering, reading, and being a lifelong learner.
Holistic Practitioners
Traditional & holistic healing
The practitioners who lead our Raíces Culturales wellness practices. More practitioners to be added.
Dr. Manuel Fernandez
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Dr. Manuel Fernandez holds a doctorate in psychology (PsyD) and a Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology, and has served the Contra Costa community since 2009 and called Contra Costa County home since 1997. Born and raised in Peru, he came to the United States at seventeen and began his career supporting Latino immigrants in San Francisco’s Mission District, where he provided recreational and counseling services early in his professional life.
Throughout his career, Dr. Fernandez has specialized in treating conditions that present with underlying medical and neurological symptoms, drawing on his training in neuropsychology and clinical psychopharmacology. He has also built a career in sexual education, working as a sex coach and sexologist, and brings this expertise to his coaching work with individuals and couples navigating relationships, intimacy, and related goals.
Dr. Fernandez received his Doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, with an emphasis in neuropsychology, and completed his post-doctoral training in Clinical Psychopharmacology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. He completed his internship at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek in the Department of Psychiatry and Chemical Dependency, and his residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez.
He has volunteered extensively, providing free clinical services to undocumented students who would otherwise be unable to access this kind of care, and has given talks on race, diversity, cultural competency, clinical mental health, children with disabilities, medications, and medical issues affecting Latino families at conferences and community events across the Bay Area and the state.
Dr. Fernandez founded La Concordia Psychotherapy and Wellness Clinic in 2020, followed by the nonprofit La Concordia Wellness Center in 2022, with the goal of providing culturally competent mental health care to communities facing systemic barriers and limited access to treatment. Today, he works through La Concordia Wellness Center in a coaching and educational capacity — offering life, relationship, sex, parenting, and co-parenting coaching — bringing his background in psychology, psychopharmacology, and sexology to work grounded in cultural competency and a deep commitment to underserved communities.
Brenda Gutierrez
Short bio & photo coming soon.
Deanne Waterman
Short bio & photo coming soon.
Malinda Rigel
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I’ve long believed we have the power to heal ourselves, and I’ve spent years helping people do just that. Before becoming an Immersive Meditation Guide, I used massage therapy to support that healing. In 2019 I embarked on my own meditation journey and found improved clarity of mind, better mental health, and much more. As the pandemic set in and wore on, I felt called to this work — to help others quiet the chaos so many of us experienced during that time.
The guided meditation I offer is designed for both relaxation and introspection, allowing a quiet connection to your inner self without the noise of outside influences, opinions, and negativity. My exploration of meditation led me to the power of crystals and sound baths, and how they can aid our healing process. Our bodies and brains are so amazing — and I’m excited to share how sound baths with crystal singing bowls can take you to a whole new level.
Stephanie Meriaux, LMFT
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Hi, I’m Stephanie! I blend a diverse background of experiential learning, mindfulness, psychotherapy, and global executive and relationship coaching, with over two decades of experience guiding personal and professional growth. I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), and a Somatica-trained sexologist.
I specialize in helping people master their relationships — whether in the bedroom or the boardroom. My approach is warm, grounded, intuitive, and authentic, weaving together emotional and relational intelligence, somatic awareness, and embodied connection so you can lead and love with greater presence, courage, and connection.
Want to join our team?
We’re always looking for bilingual, bicultural practitioners and clinicians who share our commitment to culturally rooted care.
Get in touch soon