Olimpia Petzold-Rodriguez author

Olimpia is a clinical psychologist graduated with Cum Laude honors at the University Rafael Urdaneta (URU), Venezuela, 1994, where she received the Outstanding Faculty Award, for her remarkable academic achievements. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, obtained in 2000, at URU, and a Master of Science in Neuroscience, obtained with an outstanding performance at the Andalucía International University, Spain, 2002. Olimpia is currently a Doctoral student assigned at the Psychosomatic and Psycho-Oncology Research Unit of the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. She also did a specialization in Art Therapy at the Haute Ecole Libre de Bruxelles and is a Certified Ontological Coach by the Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) and Newfield Consulting. Her research activities focus on the evaluation and treatment of psychological factors in cancer patients, using Art Therapy in young populations. This research was recently (May 2019) awarded with the Postgraduate Research of Psychology Award by the Interamerican Society of Psychology for its contributions in Latin America. For more than 18 years, she served as a professor at the Department of Psycho-socio-anthropology at the University of Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela. She held the position of Chief of the Department of Psycho-socio-anthropology and the Liaison Professor at the Social Work School Academic Council. Olimpia was also a professor of Organizational Psychology at the Master of Law of the University of Zulia. She conceived and currently leads the HEART (Healing Art) Program at CANOPY Cancer Survivorship Center at Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands, USA, where she serves on a pro bono basis, facilitating the HEART sessions and the the Spanish Wellbeing Group activities. She was recognized with the award Women of Distinction 2019 by the Montgomery County, Texas due to the success of these programs. She has designed and delivered numerous learning experiences for business and academic leaders in the areas of Thinking Techniques, Emotional Intelligence, Neuroscience of Learning, Art-based Learning Techniques, among other topics. She has also conducted executive coaching interactions with leaders from companies, universities, and non-profit organizations. Olimpia has been a workshop presenter and speaker at the American Psychosocial-Oncology Society (APOS) and the International Psychosocial-Oncology Society (IPOS) conferences in the past 4 years. She paints, dances, and is a theater performer. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and French.