Today, we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Vega.
Hi Desiree, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
The story of how I started as a therapist began in my undergraduate years at UC San Diego.
As a child, my father and I dreamed I’d become a doctor. I worked hard in school, got great grades, and was ecstatic to be admitted to UC San Diego. Keep in mind that my father was born in Mexico, and while my dad had a college education, neither of my parents had college degrees. I believe my mom and dad put a lot of hope into their children to live a life with fewer struggles than their own.
Fast forward to my college years. I started my pre-med education, but I wasn’t doing well. I noticed I lacked the motivation and drive as I worked through my Biology classes. I even failed a few classes, which was very difficult for me as I had always taken pride in my grades and being the best in school.
At a certain point, I met someone who became a very close friend. As we became closer friends, I learned she was struggling with a severe eating disorder and trauma. I saw a campus therapist to discuss my worries for her and took a psychology class about eating disorders. My interest and motivation were sparked, and I started volunteering for a local psychologist in the area.
Through my additional psychology classes and internship, I realized that I had a calling. It took some emotional work to let go of the premed thing and to help my dad and mom understand my decision to change direction. My grades were much better once I found what I really wanted to do with my life, and I applied and got into a Clinical Psychology graduate program with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.
I spent several years after finishing my Master’s program working in community mental health. It was rewarding work but very taxing on me, especially once I became a mother.
As a new mom, I realized I didn’t like that I felt I was missing out on so much of the day with my daughter; it felt like I barely got to see her during the work week. This led me to try private practice clients on weekends. I worked hard and eventually was able to resign from my full-time job to work for myself in private practice. Having been in private practice for several years now, I can tell you that I absolutely love it.
And my schedule is designed around my family. I get to take my daughter to her softball and cheerleading events, and I take my son to weekly appointments to help him meet developmental goals. I feel more present as a mom and feel I do better work both in my personal and professional life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. I think one of the first struggles was figuring out who I really was and wanted, which I just didn’t know as a child. It was also hard to manage the change in career goal because I didn’t want to disappoint my dad and mom.
I also had to overcome the challenge of fixing my grades in order to get into graduate school. Later, I struggled with managing work and life balance, especially once I became a mom. I’m proud of myself; I’ve come a long way!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have various specialties, including that I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), which is a therapy modality that initially started as a treatment to help people heal from trauma but can really be applied to anything that has a person internalizing beliefs about themselves, for example, “I am not good enough.”
I have experience working with individuals suffering from food and body-related challenges, anything related to Perinatal mental health, depression, anxiety, and OCD, and with anyone from childhood up to adulthood. Also, I am often sought out as a woman of color and am proud to be able to serve my community.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think what’s made me most successful is that I never let a challenge get in my way of achieving my goals. If something is difficult, it almost serves as a motivating factor for me to want to tackle it because it just feels so good once I overcome an obstacle.
I attribute that first to my parents for always believing in me and instilling in me the desire to reach for the stars, and second to my children, who inspire me to always do better for them and to be the best role model I can be.
Pricing:
- $200 per 45-minute session (private pay–some insurance accepted, please inquire)
- Free 15-minute initial phone consultation
Contact Info:
- Website: www.desireevegacounseling.com
- Instagram: @DesireeVegaCounseling
- Facebook: Facebook.com/DesireeVegaCounseling
Image Credits
Desiree Vega, LMFT
