The Role of a Clinical Care Coordinator

AN INTERVIEW WITH: Julian Marc Opena, MS, LMFT, I-O // Program Director

Interview

What’s the Role of the Clinical Care Coordinator?

I like to call the CCCs (Clinical Care Coordinators), kind of like your best friend in treatment, right? These are people that our clients are gonna run to in crisis when they wanna share something funny. If they’re excited, if they’re sad, well they’re the full-time staff here. So chances are we know that your CCC is always gonna be here. Their job is really to help support you from the beginning to the end. And whatever comes in between, they have a high tolerance for it. They have the bandwidth to take care of you. And we hope that even in that interaction that clients are learning that, wow, amidst chaos, sadness, I still have a bandwidth of being loved and accepted, and we think that our CCCs really offer that reparative experience for clients that haven’t necessarily had that in their life. I get to manage that team and I really love it because these are training clinicians that are about to be licensed and are really getting their foot in what it looks like to fully and authentically care for, you know, a milieu that has a lot of broken understandings of the way they view the world. It’s kind of what our CCCs do, and they’re here to love on ya.

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BIO :: JULIAN MARC OPENA, MS, LMFT, I-O

UNIVERSITIES + DEGREES: University of Southern California/Azusa Pacific University [Masters in Clinical Psychology], Harvard University [Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology], Biola University [Bachelors in Human Biology, Minor in Developmental Psychology]. Julian is currently at Cal State Fullerton for a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology.

CLINICAL SPECIALIZATION: Julian is a clinician specializing in attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology. With a deep understanding of how early relationships shape the brain and influence emotional and social development, Julian helps individuals navigate the complexities of their interpersonal dynamics. By integrating the science of neurobiology with therapeutic practices, Julian empowers clients to heal from relational wounds, enhance emotional regulation, and cultivate healthier connections. With a focus on the brain’s capacity for growth and change, Julian works to create lasting transformations in both individual and relational well-being. Additionally, Julian is trained in Internal Family Systems, Emotion Focused Therapy and is Gottman Level 2 certified. Beyond The Mental Health Collective, Julian is a psychology professor and maintains a private practice.

“My goal as a Program Director is to create a healthy, attachment-informed milieu here at The Mental Health Collective. I strive to design and implement programs that nurture resilience, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen interpersonal bonds, ensuring individuals thrive in both personal and collective environments. My hope is to remind clients, perhaps reveal to them, the weight and significance of their value and potential”. -Julian