Saying goodbye to Dr. Alla Volovich
It is with heavy hearts that RAMS must say goodbye to Dr. Alla Volovich, who abruptly passed away on July 8, 2021 while vacationing in Mexico. With her generosity, passion, and wit, she leaves behind a legacy of unwavering commitment to teaching and mentoring generations of professionals in the field of psychology. She led tirelessly and humbly by example, inspiring those under her wing to develop the kind of cultural, intellectual, and empathic sophistication and sensitivity that she modeled.
Dr. Volovich started at RAMS as a staff psychologist in 1994 and, in 2000, became the Director of Training for the RAMS Clinical Training Programs, which includes the National Asian American Psychology Training Center (NAAPTC), a nationally recognized, APA-accredited, and award-winning program. NAAPTC is among very few long-standing APA-accredited Doctoral Training Programs housed in a non-profit, community-based organization serving underserved populations. Over the past two decades under Dr. Volovich’s leadership, the Training Program continuously fostered the well-earned reputation for the profoundly meaningful and, for many, life-changing experience under the consistently attentive guidance of Dr. Volovich. Keenly perceptive, attuned, and thoughtful, she created the conditions necessary for interns and trainees to discover parts of themselves that would help shape their development. Over the years, Dr. Volovich worked tirelessly to work with each trainee and intern as unique individuals.
In keeping with NAAPTC’s history as the country’s first program to focus on developing expertise in working with Asian and Pacific Islander populations, Dr. Volovich utilized curricula that honed clinical skills with a psychodynamic and culturally competent approach, resulting in graduates of her program being able to serve clients through understanding with each individual’s unique history. Training Program graduates have integrated and carried what they learned from her to their work as clinicians, non-profit leaders, writers, policy makers, professors, leading consultants, and other contributors to the mental health field. Many graduates have also joined the RAMS family as committed clinicians, supervisors, and leaders while others returned as training facilitators. These lasting relationships attest to the welcoming and collaborative environment that Dr. Volovich so adroitly created.
As she was fiercely bright, enthusiastic, creative, and compassionate, Dr. Volovich’s passing is a tremendous loss to RAMS and the hundreds of lives she touched.
Many have asked how they can support Dr. Volovich’s family. The family has requested that donations be made to the RAMS clinical training program in Dr. Volovich’s name via this link. All donations made through this GoFundMe will be for the RAMS clinical training program.
