Dr. Jason José Bendezú
(they, them)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
As a gender non-binary, LGBTQIA+, Latinx, neurodiverse (ADHD, gifted) identifying therapist, I provide a safe and inclusive space for individuals to explore and address their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral struggles. My approach is rooted in empathy, respect, and cultural sensitivity, aiming to foster a therapeutic alliance based on mutual understanding and close collaboration.
I am dedicated to tailoring interventions so that they are individualized to meet the unique needs of each client. I recognize the importance of acknowledging and honoring diverse backgrounds and experiences within therapy. By employing evidence-based practices and a person-centered, values- and strengths-based perspective, I strive to empower my clients to navigate difficulties and cultivate resilience in meaningful ways.
Education, Training, and Research
I received my Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University (PSU), where I helped develop and evaluate culturally-sensitive, coping-based preventive interventions for poverty-exposed youth and families. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) where I honed my skills in providing trauma-informed care to adolescents, young adults, and family members at the National Crime Victims Center (NCVC). I then completed my post-doctoral training in the Institute of Child Development and Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, focusing on early maltreatment experiences and adolescent risk for suicide and self-harm at multiple-levels-of-analysis (Cicchetti, 2002).
I have been an invited speaker on youth stress and coping processes at a number of prestigious academic institutions and events, including the Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research (CDASR) at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School as well as the Clinical Science Colloquia in the Department of Psychology at Indiana University (IU).
My research has shown that coping skills have the power to not only make us feel better, but also to "get underneath the skin" and improve our bodies' biological stress response systems (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic nervous system, immune system). To learn more, check out my Google Scholar profile for a list of my published work on this topic!
Select Publications
Bendezú, J. J., & Wadsworth, M. E. (accepted). Restoration of typical HPA–SAM co-activation following psychosocial intervention among preadolescent youth living in poverty. Development and Psychopathology, 1-17.
Bendezú, J. J., Handley, E. D., Toth, S. L., & Cicchetti, D. (2022). Psychobiological foundations of emotion regulation: Links to maltreatment and depressotypic functioning in a predominantly Black, economically disadvantaged sample of adolescent girls. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 143, 105826.
Bendezú, J. J., Howland, M., Thai, M., Marceau, K., Shirtcliff, E. A., Hastings, P. D., Zahn-Waxler, C., & Klimes-Dougan, B. (2021). Adolescent cortisol and DHEA responses to stress as prospective predictors of emotional and behavioral difficulties: A person-centered approach. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 132, 105365.
Bendezú, J. J., Calhoun, C. D., Findley, A., Patterson, M. W., Rudolph, K., Hastings, P. D., Nock, M. K., & Prinstein, M. J. (2021). Adolescent girls’ stress responses as prospective predictors of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors: A person-centered, multilevel study. Development and Psychopathology, 1-21.
Bendezú, J. J., Loughlin-Presnal, J. E., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2019). Attachment security moderates effects of uncontrollable stress on preadolescent HPA responses: Evidence of regulatory fit. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(6), 1355-1371.
Bendezú, J. J., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2017). If the coping fits, use it: Preadolescent recent stress exposure differentially predicts post-TSST salivary cortisol recovery. Developmental Psychobiology, 59(7), 848-862.