Community Highlights: Meet Monica Nunez of Monica Nunez Licensed Clinical Social Worker Public Corporation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Nunez.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a first generation college student. I was inspired to work in the mental health field due to my father having a mental illness. However, my parents immigrating to the United States during their preteen years, made me ambitious about wanting a better your future for me and for them. I grew up, seeing many injustices and disparities in the system. I have become very passionate about social justice and well-being of society.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been difficult due to political changes, family issues such as domestic violence and codependent issues. I have met so many wonderful people along the way, and I would not be here if it were not for them. Throughout my journey my family has became more supportive as well.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I currently work a full-time position W-2 for a government entity. And I also have my private practice where I conduct psychological evaluations for immigration and criminal cases. I also provide therapy services in Spanish and English: one on one, family, and couples therapy. I am certified in eating disorders, domestic violence, counseling, and EMDR, eye rapid movement desensitization reprocessing therapy. Other therapeutic approaches are utilize our narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. I am also a co-author of 2 award winning books dedicated to empower first generation students to continue a higher education path.

I am the owner of my corporation, and my only employee, I meet patients where they are at. I am proud that I am bilingual, and have awareness of the system. I have experienced working in addictions, corrections, mental health in County programs, nonprofit, and the private sector.

How do you think about luck?
Social work is a field where if your patient is succeeding, you are the best social worker and if your patient is dying, you are the worst social worker. You have to be aware of your knowledge you have to get to know your client to be able to provide good services. You need to have healthy boundaries to be productive in your career. You have to be consistent if you want to grow in your business and you have to be a good business partner, network, be humble, be a lifelong learner. There is always room for growth in this field. You never stop learning just when you thought you had heard it all from a client. You realize you have not. As a business owner. You also have to save money because you don’t know when you are going to have less clients or when you will be short of money. So you need to prepare for the months when people do not come to therapy. This is also a field where people will come and talk to you because they need you. Clients are not going to come and tell you I need to see you to tell you that I won the lottery. I need to see you because my life is going so amazing. Clients will come to you when they are in destitute and it is your job to make yourself available and you need to be vulnerable and put your personal life aside to be there for your client. There will also be clients that do not like you because they want you to be transparent with your feedback to them yet they are not ready to work on themselves. So it’s really important to get to know your client know if they are ready for what they are ready to hear from you as the psychoanalyst without shaming them. It is also important to have healthy boundaries in being able to disconnect from work and never work harder than the client.

Pricing:

• I do work with most insurances in California. Feel free to contact me and I can send you the information to run your insurance co pay. I currently have openings on mid morning weekends.

Contact Info:

• Website: Call/ text 9513739797