Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.

Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.

Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.

Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.Erik X. Alonso, Psy.D., MSW, MS.

Dr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in Psychology

Dr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in PsychologyDr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in PsychologyDr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in Psychology

The most Successful Individuals have the Mindset of a Champion

Dr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in Psychology

Dr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in PsychologyDr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in PsychologyDr. Erik X Alonso Doctor in Psychology

The most Successful Individuals have the Mindset of a Champion

From your vulnerabilities will come your Strength

Psych Coach

Dr. Alonso holds a Master and Doctoral degrees in Clinical and Forensic Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Psychology, a second Master’s degree in Social Work with a Clinical Concentration and a Post-Doctorate residency at Miami Children’s Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine. My academic degrees, knowledge and experience enables me to offer my clients the highest level of knowledge and expertise. 


 Mental health coaching is a niche area of the broader coaching field, and while it may touch on some therapeutic elements, it aims to support children, adolescents and adults in overcoming barriers in their lives that may be caused by their mental health. Mental health is on a wide rage of spectrum, and psychotherapy may not always be the best behavioral health option for someone's specific mental health needs and challenges. Or, perhaps they've met with a therapist previously to better understand the effects of current or past experiences in their lives, and are now in a position to focus more on personal, educational or professional development. While therapy can be a great fit for many individuals, for others, there are numerous indicators that coaching may be a better match.  These include: 


  • The mental and emotional health challenges you’re dealing with are on the mild to moderate end of the spectrum.
  • You prefer a shorter-term approach to personal growth and development.
  • You want to improve your stress management, educational barriers or work-life balance.
  • You want help in clarifying your values, focus, goals, and purpose.
  • You’re interested in learning practical, actionable ways to address your personal and professional challenges.
  • Awareness, Focus and Concentration 
  • Motivation and Inspiration  
  • Gaining insight into your mental reactions
  • Visual Guided Imagery  
  • Positive Attitude Cognitive Restructuring  
  • Mental Stress Management  
  • Stressors and Pressure Management  
  • Mental Retraining 
  • Improved  Self-Esteem  
  • Body Language Nerves 
  • Anxiety Meditation
  • You’re willing to complete self-assessments, reading, journaling, or other “homework” to help overcome personal challenges.
  • You want full privacy and confidentiality.

In Life, its 80% Mental and 20% Physical

Mental Health Coaching

Mental Health Coaching is an evidence-based approach that focuses on strengths-based support for children, adolescent and adults living with mental and behavioral health difficulties.  Mental Health Coaching is the use of evidence-based strategies and interventions to actively and safely engage clients in  behavior change to better self-manage their thoughts, behavior, health risk, and other health conditions resulting in optimal wellness, improved health outcomes is action oriented with an emphasis on improving one's present life and reaching goals for the future by addressing distressing thoughts and emotions.  


Some examples of what a mental health coach may support a client with include:


  • Identifying and clarifying personal life goals relating to mental health.
  • Developing individualized action plans to support the client to achieve those goals.
  • Helping the client to identify key strengths and skills, as well as areas for focus and improvement.
  • Ensure that the client is held accountable and proactively working towards their goals.
  • Provide support, guidance, motivation, and feedback throughout the client’s journey.


Psychotherapy focuses on mental health illness; and uses a diagnosis in order to apply a series of different treatment modalities that may or may not be effective, ultimately leading to the patient being referred for medication management by a psychiatrist.  Unfortunately Psychotherapy requires a series of bureaucratic documentation steps that are overly concerned with procedure at the expense of efficiency or common sense, given that everything must be documented, as it can easily be assessable by insurance companies or any entity with subpoena  powers.  Psychotherapy focuses on mental health illness and treats the person as a patient.


Mental Health Coaching focuses on performance, solutions and goals, using cognitive and behavioral modification methods that ultimately lead to change, success and greater quality of life. Mental Health Coaching focuses on mental coaching and treats the person as an individual with full potential.

Blogs & Articles

About Me

Academia

Dr. Alonso began his professional career at Florida International University at the College of Health and Urban Affairs whereby he earned a Bachelor degree in Social Work (BSW), graduating with Honors as a distinguish Cum Laude. He then continued his graduate studies by earning a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work (MSW) and became inducted into the Social Work Honor Society, Phi Alpha.  Afterwards he continued his educational career by pursuing a second degree in Clinical Psychology and setting the path to continue into his graduate studies at Albizu University, and completing a second Master's degree in Clinical Psychology (M.S.) followed by a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) with a specialized concentration in Forensic Psychology and also inducted into The National Honor Society in Psychology, Psi Chi and awarded an Internship at the prestigious Miami Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine. Upon graduation, He continued his Postdoctoral Residency in the Department of Psychiatry in both inpatient and outpatient settings.  His Dissertation on an Adolescent Suicide Prevention Program Design using Multiple Family Group Therapy, is published and recorded in the United States Library of Congress. 


Dr. Alonso worked as a Court appointed by the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida as a Guardian Ad Litem, and by the Division of Family Court Services as a specialist in providing Extended Co-parenting Therapy, Parental Alienation Reunification, Family Therapy, and Therapeutic Supervised Visitations by way of his specialized expertise, concentrated education, and extensive training within the areas of Adolescent Behavior, Child Sexual Abuse, Adolescent Self-Mutilating Behavior/Suicide and Parental Alienation.


His expertise and diligence has placed him in the local and national media by appearing on English & Spanish National Television Networks as an Expert Speaker on topics of current events in Mental Health.


Bilingual: English (Fluent), Spanish (Fluent)


Higher Education


Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology  

Concentration: Forensic Psychology   

Albizu University, Doral, Florida 

APA Accredited


Master of Science in Psychology   

Albizu University, Doral, Florida 

APA Accredited


Master of Science in Social Work    

Florida International University, Miami, Florida


Bachelor of Science in Social Work    

Florida International University, Miami, Florida


Clinical Training 


Post-Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology   

Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine

Miami Children’s Hospital “Nicklaus Children’s Hospital”

APA Accredited


Clinical Psychology Intern     

Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine 

Miami Children’s Hospital “Nicklaus Children’s Hospital”

APA Accredited


Clinical Psychology Practicum Student   

Goodman Psychological Service Center

Albizu University 

APA Accredited


Graduate Social Work Internship     

Miami-Dade Family & Victims Services  

Victim Advocacy Center


Graduate Social Work Internship    

Jackson Memorial Hospital ~ Employee Assistance Program  

Jackson Health System


Undergraduate Social Work Practicum   

Public Defender’s Office of Miami-Dade County  

Department of Juvenile Justice ~ 11th Judicial Circuit Court


Undergraduate Social Work Practicum   

St. Luke’s Residential Drug & Alcohol Treatment Facility 


Clinical Competencies and Service Areas


Child & Adolescent Psychology

Psychological Evaluations and Testing of Children and Adolescents with disorders of intellectual and learning disabilities, Schizophrenia, Major Depression, Anxiety, Autism, Substance Abuse, Attention Deficit Disorder, Eating Disorders and Personality Disorders.  Responsible for using a broad-based approach to psychological treatment modalities including short and long term psychotherapy; group, family; and general assessment and consultation applicable to children and adolescents with severe mental illness. Responsible for establishing a consultative role with treatment teams and for  assisting to develop protocols relating to outcome evaluation and treatment planning. Administering  and interpreting psychological tests to children and adolescents; Intelligence; Personality, Achievement, Aptitude and Vocational. 


  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and Adults (English & Spanish)
  • Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence
  • Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales
  • Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children
  • Ravens Colored Progressive Matrices
  • Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales
  • Woodcock Johnson
  • Batería III Woodcock-Muñoz
  • Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests
  • Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
  • Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning
  • NEPSY Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment
  • Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory
  • Rorschach Inkblot Test
  • Vineland Adaptive Rating Scales
  • Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development
  • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (English & Spanish)


Pediatric Inpatient Consultation

Inpatient emergency psychological consultations of medically compromised children and adolescents experiencing difficulty secondary to chronic illness within a wide variety of medical services, including Hematology/Oncology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Physical Rehabilitation, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, and General Medicine. 


Behavioral Medicine

Implementation of treatment of Children and Adolescents in-patient psychiatric unit due to self injurious behavior or overdose. Treatment components included Individual, Family and Group Therapy, reduce Self-injury/Cutting, Self-Mutilation Behaviors. 


Intensive Outpatient Program: Transitioning children and adolescents from the psychiatric inpatient setting by continuing treatment to outpatient in a least-restrictive environment. Providing individual psychotherapy and  family therapy to parents/guardians in a four-hour program offered three times per week.


Adult Psychology

Implementation of Clinical Assessments and Treatment of Adults with Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Treatment components included Individual, Family and Couples Therapy, using various treatment approaches of psychotherapies. 

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Dr. Erik X. Alonso

1390 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, Florida 33146, United States

(305) 774-1007

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