Sapna Batra Chopra Full-time Lecturer 714-278-5622 Office: EC-429 sapnachopra@fullerton.edu

I am a second-generation Asian Indian woman. My parents were both born and raised in India, and I am the first in my family to be born in the United States. Igrew up in southern California (in Orange County) in an upper-middle class, predominantly White neighborhood. Growing up, I remember experiences in which I felt different from my peers. Kids in school would ask if my mom wore a dot on her forehead, and teachers could never pronounce my name correctly. A few times, growing up, I found myself wishing I were White. This is painful for me to admit, but true. Things began to change for me as I transitioned into high school and then the University of California at Irvine for my undergraduate studies. My closest friends were Indian, I sought out opportunities to learn more about my heritage, and I studied abroad in India for six months. I was proud of who I was and where I came from. These experiences have had a significant impact on me,both personally and professionally. I began college as an English major, but was disappointed when I was told that a class I took in India on Indian literature would not count. I questioned why it was that only the work of White men was considered “fine literature.” I was interested in studying diversity, and how diversity and various forms of oppression affect people. I changed my major to Psychology and Social Behavior with a minor in Women’s Studies. From there, I went on to the University of Maryland at College Park to complete my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. My interest in multicultural issues grew, and was the focus of my research and clinical interests. For example, I facilitated a support group for Asian American women, and my thesis and dissertation focused on the experiences of Asian American women and Asian American college students, respectively. I went on to complete my internship at the UC Irvine Counseling Center, and have been teaching here at Cal State Fullerton since 2001.

I am also a licensed psychologist. I have worked with diverse clients in university counseling centers, Veterans Affairs hospitals, and community agencies. My clinical interests include trauma, cultural identity issues, parenting, and counseling South Asians.  My current research interests focus on parenting in Asian American families and on the experiences of South Asians in particular.

In the Counseling program here at Cal State Fullerton, I teach Human Development, Counseling and Culture, Practicum courses, Pre-Practicum, Couples Counseling, and Science of Human Inquiry. My philosophy of teaching is that it is a collaborative process in which I seek to facilitate my students’ learning, growth, and self-awareness through experiential exercises, discussions, and counseling role-plays. I see myself, not just my students, as an active learner in this process in which I am also challenged to learn and grow in new ways.