Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosa Portillo
Hi Rosa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a first-generation college graduate, the daughter of immigrant parents from El Salvador who came to the United States during the civil war in search of a better life. I grew up primarily in Compton, CA, but moved around different cities in LA County throughout my childhood. One of the most pivotal moments in my life was when my parents lost their home to foreclosure. As a young child, that experience left a deep impression on me—I never wanted to feel that kind of loss again.
My parents were hardworking and taught me that with great sacrifice comes great reward. Unfortunately, I internalized sacrifice as struggle and suffering in pursuit of the American Dream. My parents worked in factories, doing grueling jobs, and my father eventually became a welder, which significantly helped our family’s financial stability. I remember thinking, *I need to do well in school so I can work an office job and not have to break my back like my parents did.* So I pushed myself academically, graduating high school with high honors.
But despite my academic achievements, I had no mentors or family members who had gone to college to guide me. I didn’t know how to navigate higher education, and I ended up falling in with the wrong crowd. I turned to drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with feelings of uncertainty, isolation, and self-doubt. I dropped out of community college and found myself in a cycle of addiction, depression, and legal troubles. For a long time, I was in denial that my drinking was at the root of my struggles—until I reached a breaking point and finally surrendered to getting help.
I entered a facility that supported my sobriety, and slowly, I began rediscovering myself. In my darkest moments, people kept showing up for me, and that became my greatest inspiration for entering the mental health field. I returned to school and earned my associate’s degree in psychology from Compton Community College. From there, I transferred to California State University, Long Beach, where I earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology—something I never thought was possible given where I had started.
I went on to work with individuals with disabilities, advocating for them to access mental health services. That work gave me a sense of purpose, and I eventually earned my first master’s degree in psychology from Azusa Pacific University. But I still felt a calling to do more. During the pandemic, I reflected deeply on what I wanted to contribute to the world and decided to pursue a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from California State University, Dominguez Hills. I graduated in 2023 and have been practicing ever since.
Today, I am an associate marriage and family therapist working under the supervision of Alexia Kutzner, LMFT, in private practice in Long Beach. I work with children, adults, and couples dealing with a range of challenges, including ASD, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, addiction, and the impact of addiction on families. I also help couples struggling with communication issues build stronger connections. Additionally, I specialize in supporting individuals facing low self-esteem, life transitions, school and work stress, and general anxiety and depression.
My journey has been shaped by resilience, perseverance, and the belief that healing is possible. I know firsthand what it’s like to feel lost and hopeless, and I bring that understanding into my work. My goal is to create a safe space for others to navigate their struggles, just as I was given that chance when I needed it most.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Returning to school while rebuilding my life wasn’t easy. I had to learn how to believe in myself again, to trust that I was capable of more than just surviving. There were moments of deep self-doubt, financial struggles, and the constant battle of imposter syndrome—wondering if I truly belonged in the spaces I was stepping into. But with support and determination, I pushed forward.
Another major challenge was navigating the path to becoming a therapist. The process of earning my degrees, accumulating thousands of supervised hours, and working in a field that often requires holding space for others while managing my own emotions has been demanding. The journey to licensure is long and can feel overwhelming at times, but I remind myself why I started: to help others who feel lost, just as I once did.
Despite the struggles, I wouldn’t change my path. Each obstacle has shaped who I am and how I show up for my clients. My experiences have given me a deep sense of empathy, allowing me to connect with those who feel unheard, unseen, or misunderstood. The road has been anything but smooth, but every challenge has reinforced my belief in the power of healing and growth.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am extremely proud of the work I do as a Latina, as a Salvadoran American, and as someone who had to fight to be part of academia and corporate spaces where people like me are underrepresented. I know what it’s like to battle addiction, to wrestle with self-esteem, self-worth, anxiety, and depression. I know what it feels like to have your freedom taken away, to sit in a jail cell wondering how you ended up there again. I know the weight of being judged by a rap sheet rather than being given an opportunity.
But I also know resilience. I know what it means to rise, to rewrite my story, and to claim a life that once felt out of reach. I’ve been to hell, and I’ve fought my way back into the light. Every hardship I’ve endured has shaped the way I show up for my clients. My practice is rooted in the belief that no one is beyond healing, no one is beyond hope.
My mission is to help others see that their struggles do not define them. Whether they are dealing with addiction, anxiety, trauma, or the pain of feeling unseen, I want them to know that they are not alone. I want them to know that there is a way forward, that authentic joy and healing are possible. I am living proof of that, and I bring that unwavering belief into every session, every conversation, and every connection I make in my work.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Resilience.
Pricing:
- Individual Therapy $120
- Couples Therapy $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.healingwithrosa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingwithrosa
