Meet the Counseling Team

Eduardo Fernández-Cruz. Ph.D.

Director of the Counseling Center
eduardo.fernandezcruz@slu.edu
Ext. 230

Eduardo Fernández-Cruz Sarrate was born in Madrid and raised in San Diego, California, and in Madrid. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University Foundation San Pablo CEU. Later, he completed advanced studies in neuroscience and holds a Ph.D. from Complutense University of Madrid.

Eduardo has a strong interest in group and individual humanistic approaches, and he specialized in psychodrama at the School of Psychotherapy and Psychodrama in Madrid. Eduardo is a founding member and member of the Board of Directors of the Asociación Para el Estudio de la Psicoterapia y el Psicodrama (A.E.P.P.) and worked at the School of Psychotherapy and Psychodrama for 10 years. Also, he specialized in tobacco addiction by completing a master's degree in tobacco cessation and treatment from the University of Cantabria.

Eduardo has been a professor, scholar, and counselor at SLU-Madrid since 2010. He also supported students for many years as the coordinator of the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources.

Carla Aparicio

Coordinator of mental health outreach and prevention
carla.aparicio@slu.edu
Ext. 285

Carla Aparicio Gallardo was born and raised in the Republic of Panama. She began her studies at Pace University in New York and completed them at Saint Louis University-Madrid, graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology with minors in philosophy and English. In 2020, she was granted the Regis 100 Merit Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue a Master of Arts in Spanish at SLU-Madrid. In 2025, she completed her training in Gestalt Therapy at Equipo Centro in Madrid.

In recent years, Carla has dedicated her work to providing support to LGBTQ+ folks, specifically transgender individuals. Carla is also an author: her first book, Madreselva, was published in 2023. She has been working at the SLU-Madrid Counseling Center since 2023.

Sara Ortiz Rovira

Counselor
sara.ortiz@slu.edu
Ext. 218

Sara was born and raised in Madrid. She holds a degree in psychology from the Complutense University of Madrid, specializing in neuropsychology, and further academic training from Maynooth University in Ireland. She also holds master's degrees in clinical \psychology and educational guidance, alongside specialised training in coaching, trauma, EMDR, sexual abuse and eating disorders.

Her professional background includes academic collaboration with the departments of psychobiology and methodology, as well as early research and cognitive stimulation work with the Parkinson's Association of Madrid. She has clinical experience with adult, child and adolescent populations, including international clients, providing therapy in English and Italian. She later specialized in equine-assisted therapy and developed her professional focus on counselling and educational guidance through her work as a secondary school psychologist at King's College Madrid. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, grounded in cognitive-behavioural and systemic frameworks.

Outside her work, Sara enjoys spending time with animals in nature, traveling, and engaging with music and all forms of art. 

Jacob P.

Counselor
jpirogovsky1@slu.edu
Ext. 230

Jacob was raised in the United States, and went to college at Syracuse University, where they studied TV-radio-film as well as psychology. During their undergraduate experience, they studied abroad in Madrid, where they fell in love with the Spanish culture and lifestyle.

Jacob later completed a degree in psychology at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, as well as a Master of Clinical Social Work at Rutgers University, completing the addiction counselor training program, specializing in both substance use and gambling addiction. 

Jacob is passionate about supporting students adjusting to Spanish culture, learning to navigate life in Madrid, dealing with relationship difficulties, or struggling to meet their academic needs. As a child of immigrants, Jacob is attuned to the various challenges of cultural integration, code switching, and structural inequality. As a counselor, Jacob is committed to supporting students of diverse backgrounds as well as students in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Carolina Rico

Counselor
carolina.rico@slu.edu
Ext. 230

Carolina Rico is an Argentine psychologist who graduated from the Universidad Católica Argentina. She later completed the official degree-validation process in Spain through the UNED and obtained the professional qualification as a general health psychologist (Psicóloga General Sanitaria).

In Argentina, she completed the Residency Program for Psychology Interns (PIR) at Hospital Álvarez, gaining extensive clinical experience in both hospital and community mental health settings.

At SLU-Madrid, Carolina brings her integrative approach to support students in their academic journeys, personal growth and overall well-being.