Today we’d like to introduce you to Eden Garcia-Balis.
Hi Eden, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sure, I received a BA in psychology with a minor in criminal justice, and my first job was as a case manager for youth on probation. I quickly developed a passion for working with youth and their families. As I worked more with these families, it became evident that most of them were disadvantaged and of low socio-economic status, and I wanted to do more than provide linkage to resources for these families. So, I went back to school to earn my Master’s in Counseling and then my license as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Throughout my time as a therapist, I have worked in low-income communities, providing direct services to families and youth – many of whom would otherwise have not received the mental health services they need. I believe strongly that everyone should have access to services like these and that the stigma associated with therapy needs to be removed. I never planned on being in management but I realized that taking a management position would mean I could ensure that an entire clinic, not just me, could provide quality mental health services to people regardless of their socioeconomic status.
I believe that sometimes things are just meant to be. Eight years ago, I decided I needed a change in my professional life, but I wanted to make sure that the next step in my career evolution was a good fit. So, naturally, I created a list of the elements of my “dream job.” For example, it had to be a position where I was surrounded by supportive and committed professionals. It had to be a position where I felt I was really making a difference in the community I served, specifically with low-income families. And it had to be engaged with supporters who believed in the mission of mental health as passionately as I did. So, when I came across the job posting for the Chief Executive Officer for Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS), I was thrilled. The clinic’s mission aligned with my core values and beliefs. Their sole purpose is to serve the community and to help the neediest of families. Their job description literally reads like the description of my dream job! I’ve been with AMCS for eight and a half years and have never been happier!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say my road was bumpy, but it was certainly not smooth. As I have mentioned earlier, everything happens for a reason. I always knew I wanted to be in the helping profession and when I first graduated with my BA, my intention was to be a case manager and that was it. I never expected I would have the desire to go to graduate school. When I decided to go to graduate school, I knew my lifestyle would have to change. In order to focus on school, I cut my work hours in half and got myself on a budget. Graduate school was not easy, it took a lot of time and energy, but I was focused and kept my long-term goal in mind, to become licensed as a marriage and family therapist and help the most neediest of families. After graduation, I got a job as a clinician at a community mental health clinic working with low-income families, treating children with severe trauma and helping families deal with the sudden, unexpended death of a loved one due to gang violence.
As I have mentioned before, my intention was never to be in management. I went back to school to be a psychotherapist. I quickly learned that I needed more training in business management and that learning by trial and error was not going to work for this kind of position. So, I enrolled myself in any and all training I could find about business management, finance, managing people, effective leadership and running nonprofits. The road is still not smooth, and there are always unanticipated challenges. I am always learning because the mental health landscape is constantly changing; and in order to be an organization that is innovative, attractive, and competitive to the workforce and to volunteers, we need to change with the times. An example of this is the unexpected pandemic. AMCS had to quickly transition to telehealth – something that was not on our radar before the pandemic. I’m happy to report that our clients did not experience a lapse in services. Now, in addition to in-person therapy services, clients have the option of doing their therapy over video. Today, telehealth is part of our normal operations and is here to stay. I recognize that it’s convenient for clients and can be just as effective as in-person therapy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS)?
Founded in 1962, the mission of AMCS is to provide accessible, community-based mental health services and to train mental health therapists. As stated in the mission, AMCS provides accessible services and aims to reduce barriers to mental health treatment. This is what sets us apart, which is why we work on a sliding fee scale based on gross income and why we are open seven days a week, offering both in-person and telehealth options. AMCS has no geographical boundaries, and with telehealth, the clinic can service anyone in California. We offer low-cost mental health services to the underserved and underprivileged. Therapy in the private sector is very expensive and impacted. AMCS offers a wide array of services from individual and couples counseling to family counseling and psychiatric services. Our At-Risk Kids Program provides individual/group counseling and parenting education on-campus at local schools and at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice to address school/home-related issues, risky behaviors, and familial stressors, including child abuse. In addition, the clinic provides a variety of therapy groups addressing community needs ranging from coping with grief and learning parenting skills to support groups for men, women and even youths. We are also proud of our LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Therapy Center. AMCS, in partnership with Antioch University, operates one of the few centers in Los Angeles specializing in psychotherapy specifically geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual population and specializes in training therapists to work with this under-served population.
Client fees cover approximately one-third of our costs, and we rely on private philanthropy and donations from the community to help provide care for those who are economically disadvantaged. At AMCS, we are dedicated to promoting mental wellness and supporting the most vulnerable members of our community. We believe that everyone deserves access to quality mental health care, and we are committed to making that a reality.
It’s not hyperbole to say that AMCS has changed thousands of lives for the better by helping people learn better-coping skills. That means people of all walks of life and socio-economic levels have the opportunity to live more fulfilling lives, becoming better employees, better parents, better partners and more. We often underestimate the importance of mental health, but without it, we struggle.
Getting help from our clinic is easy. If you want to learn more about our services, please visit our website at www.AMCShelps.com. If you or someone you know could use supportive services, have them call the clinic for an initial consultation at 310-670-1410.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My childhood memories all surround my family, from my mom’s home-cooked meals to our family barbecues on Sundays.
My mom was a stay-at-home mother. With dad being the only breadwinner, going out to dinner was a rarity and a treat. My mom cooked home-cooked meals every night from scratch, including chilies rellenos, enchiladas, tostadas and albondigas. I didn’t appreciate her excellent cooking at the time, but once I grew up and realized that not everyone had homemade meals every night, it made me appreciate her cooking and not only appreciate her cooking but want to learn her recipes. My friends are always surprised to hear that my Mexican cooking only consists of fresh ingredients, nothing canned like my mother taught me!
Our Sunday barbeques with my aunts, uncles, and cousins is comparable in size to a wedding. Both of my parents come from families with 10 children and most of them have at least four kids so when we would have our Sunday barbeques, it was a huge party and so much fun. The women were cooking in the kitchen, the men would be playing cards in the backyard, the girls would be playing jump rope and hopscotch and my brothers and male cousins had wrestling matches in the front yard. What memories! I thought everybody had big families like mine – only to realize that most households in the U.S. have two children and that most people have few cousins, not in the double digits as I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AMCShelps.com/about
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amcshelps/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airportmarinacounselingservice
