Dr. Evita Rocha, a psychiatrist in the Inland Empire, discusses her unexpected journey into psychiatry, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and being true to oneself. Initially set on family medicine, she changed course after a transformative third-year rotation in psychiatry. Rocha shares her challenges as a Latina navigating the medical field, her experiences with negative perceptions of psychiatry, and the influence of her family's healthcare experiences. Emphasizing the need for more Latino/a psychiatrists, she advocates for embracing one's cultural identity and the importance of mental health, both personally and for patients. Her story illustrates the significance of mentorship, perseverance, and staying true to one's mission and values.

Dr Evita Limon-Rocha is a Latina Spanish speaking dually board-certified Child, Adolescent, and Adult psychiatrist. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside (UCR), her Master’s degree in Public Health in Health Policy and Management and her medical degree from UCLA.

Dr Evita Limon-Rocha completed part of her Psychiatry training at University of California, Irvine (UCI), where she served as a Chief Resident of her Psychiatry Residency Program at UCI, and completed her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) in Texas. She served as Chief Resident for her fellowship program as well. As a proud UCR alumnus she remains actively involved in the Chicano Latino Alumni Association, works with the Medical Scholars Program at UCR, and serves as the Chair for the admissions committee for UCR School of Medicine.

Dr Evita Limon-Rocha remains committed to work to assuring families, especially monolingual Spanish families, will not experience the substandard medical care she has so many times witnessed. She also has engaged in work with media with networks such as Univision, Telemundo, Fox News, CBS News, ABC 7 News, and Spectrum to further this mission to decrease stigma. Her ultimate goal is to decrease stigma around the utilization of mental health services and mental health diagnoses, specifically within underserved communities, Inland Empire, and the Latino community.