LEAPS Experience Inspires SCU OTD Student’s Vision for Latino Caregivers

Selected for a national interdisciplinary leadership development program, Doctor of Occupational Therapy student Gabriella Ulloa is turning lessons in integrative health into a community-based initiative supporting Latino caregivers.

When Southern California University of Health Sciences Doctor of Occupational Therapy student Gabriella “Gabby” Ulloa was selected for the Leadership and Education Program for Students in Integrative Medicine (LEAPS), she saw more than an opportunity to expand her education. She saw a chance to explore how occupational therapy, integrative healthcare, and personal wellness practices could come together to improve the lives of others.

Now, the experience is helping shape ARMONÍA, her proposed doctoral capstone project, which aims to support the mental well-being of Latino caregivers through culturally responsive, nature-based programming.

Connecting Occupational Therapy and Integrative Health

LEAPS brings together students and educators from healthcare disciplines across the country to explore evidence-informed integrative health practices, leadership, collaboration, and personal well-being.

Ulloa first learned about the program from Dr. Joanna Seber, an SCU OTD professor and her faculty advisor at REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program. During her fieldwork at REINS, Ulloa explored occupational therapy’s role in promoting mental wellness across the lifespan while discovering the therapeutic value of nature, meaningful activity, and social connection. That experience sparked her interest in expanding access to nature-based care, social support, and other wellness promotion resources for underserved communities.

Dr. Seber encouraged Ulloa to apply for the LEAPS program because it complemented those interests and offered an opportunity to learn more about leadership and integrative health, alongside students and faculty from medicine, acupuncture, psychology, nutrition, health coaching, and other disciplines.

“As an OTD student representing SCU, I felt a strong responsibility to represent the occupational therapy perspective within an interdisciplinary setting,” Ulloa said.

For Ulloa, one of the greatest takeaways was seeing how different healthcare professionals can work together to understand the physical, emotional, social, and environmental factors affecting a person’s health.

Learning by Doing

Rather than simply discussing integrative health, LEAPS immersed participants in it. Throughout the program, students participated in guided imagery exercises, mindful movement, meditation, nature reflection, and equine-assisted learning. Rather than discussing these approaches only in theory, they experienced them firsthand and reflected on how each practice affected their own awareness and well-being.

Ulloa was particularly influenced by the program’s daily structure. Mornings began with movement, gratitude, and guided meditation, while dedicated periods of nature reflection encouraged participants to slow down and pay closer attention to their surroundings.

“As a current student, I recognize how challenging it can sometimes be to take a moment away from coursework,” Ulloa said. “This experience reminded me that intentional practices such as movement, mindfulness, and nature reflection can help us feel grounded.”

Those activities expanded her thinking about how occupational therapists might use practices such as breathwork, guided imagery, mindful movement, or time outdoors to support an individual’s goals. Ulloa emphasized that these approaches should be informed by available evidence and adapted to each person’s abilities, routines, preferences, cultural values, and lived experiences rather than applied the same way for everyone.

LEAPS also broadened her understanding of healthcare leadership. She came to see leadership as a combination of collaboration, community advocacy, personal growth, and self-awareness. The program’s emphasis on well-being also reinforced the importance of developing sustainable practices as a future healthcare professional.

“Caring for ourselves before providing care to others is an essential component of becoming a sustainable and compassionate healthcare provider,” Ulloa said.

Turning Her Experience Into Community Impact

Ulloa plans to apply what she learned through ARMONÍA, the doctoral capstone project that she hopes to develop in collaboration with REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship and the Center for Senior Well-Being as a culturally informed mental wellness promotion program for Latino caregivers in the Fallbrook community.

The proposed program would combine occupational therapy principles with modalities such as breathwork, gentle yoga, guided meditation, and nature-based experiences. Ulloa hopes it will support caregiver well-being, strengthen social connections, and increase access to culturally relevant community resources.

“This project is personally meaningful to me, especially as a Latina, since I have witnessed the commitment to caring for others and resilience that is often conveyed by Latino families,” Ulloa said.

Through ARMONÍA, Ulloa hopes to create an inclusive space rooted in community and nature where caregivers can focus on their well-being, connect with others, and explore practices that can be incorporated into their daily routines. The project would also allow her to demonstrate how occupational therapy and integrative health approaches can be used in community settings to address disparities and respond to the needs of underserved populations.

Beyond her capstone, Ulloa hopes her experience will encourage other SCU students to consider how their disciplines can contribute to collaborative and culturally responsive healthcare. “My goal is to contribute to a culture at SCU where future healthcare professionals feel empowered to provide compassionate, evidence-based, and whole-person care.”