Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea.
Hi Andrea, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to the mental health field stemmed from my very own personal experience at an early age. I first received counseling as a child, though I eventually stopped. It was not until my young adult years at Whittier College that I returned to therapy, during a time when I was navigating the overwhelming pressures of student life, work, and the constant pull of perfectionism. I felt as though I was always on, living in flight mode, and carrying grief from losing someone young in my life. This grief took a toll on my health, manifesting in physical symptoms that I now recognize as stress responses. I am deeply grateful to a professor who recognized what I was going through and referred me to counselng services. She later became someone who supported me further by writing a letter of recommendation for my graduate program.
As I moved into adulthood, I began working with cognitive behavioral therapy, which became a turning point in my healing journey. At the time, I did not realize this path would eventually lead me to graduate school. Before then, my focus was on teaching, supporting children and families in low-income communities. In that work, I witnessed firsthand the social-emotional challenges that arise in children’s lives. These experiences not only allowed me to practice empathy and resilience but also connected deeply to my own journey of navigating trauma and growth. They inspired the work I do today and strengthened my commitment to the humanity inherent in every person I serve.
This inspiration led me to pursue my master’s degree at the University of Southern California with a concentration in Children, Youth, and Families, as well as my Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC). These experiences and credentials equipped me with the knowledge and tools to better support individuals and families navigating emotional, social, and academic challenges. Throughout my journey, from personal therapy to teaching, graduate training, and now practicing as a mental health therapist, I have seen the profound impact that care, guidance, and connection can have on someone’s life, and it is this work that continues to inspire and fulfill me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. I was raised by a single mother, and being Latina, I had to learn all the steps to navigate school and life, often figuring out the gaps on my own. Early in my career, I worked for the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, which led to constant burnout and made the work feel unsustainable at times. During the pandemic, I switched roles and worked for a school district, which brought its own set of challenges. It was burnout from system approaches, however, very valuable work with every human I encountered. Around that time, I also experienced a physical injury that required me to take time off from the field to recover.
That period of stepping back is what led me to re-enter the mental health field with renewed purpose. The group practice I currently work with has been incredibly supportive, allowing me to re-enter at a pace that meets my nervous system’s needs. This support gave me the foundation to start my own private practice, The Inner Flow Collective, where I now integrate EMDR and somatic experiencing modalities. My approach focuses on healing from the body up, because true healing begins in the nervous system. These experiences, both personal and professional, have shaped how I support individuals with compassion, understanding, and practical tools for resilience.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a somatic therapist specializing in trauma-informed care, with a focus on women and young teens. I take a holistic approach that tends to mind, body, and spirit, helping clients heal from the body up using EMDR and somatic experiencing. My work goes beyond traditional talk therapy to address negative automatic thought patterns, habituated over- and under-coupled responses, and physiology through tracking sensation. By tuning into the body’s messages, clients are able to access and release trauma stored in the nervous system, creating space for greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Many of my clients are women navigating high-functioning anxiety, perfectionism, and attachment trauma, as well as millennial and Gen Z clients who may appear to have it all together on the outside but are struggling internally with anxiety, negative self-talk, and emotional masking. My approach is especially helpful for those who have tried talk therapy and feel ready to explore deeper layers of healing that require attention to the body, nervous system, and habitual patterns.
I am also the founder of The Inner Flow Collective, my private practice where I create a safe, supportive, and integrative space for clients to reconnect with themselves. I am known for blending clinical expertise with compassion and a deep understanding of the human experience, guiding clients toward growth, empowerment, and lasting healing. For me, therapy is not just about managing symptoms. It’s about helping clients reclaim their vitality, reconnect with their inner resources, and cultivate a sustainable sense of wholeness. It’s where healing finds its rhythm.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories wass mewandering the aisles of Blockbuster with my mom, scanning the shelves for the perfect movie to take home. At the time, I did not know it, but I was a highly sensitive child, and movies became a way for me to dive into the full spectrum of human emotion. I loved getting lost in the stories, feeling the characters’ joys, fears, and heartbreaks as if they were my own. Sometimes we would even watch the cheesy at-home movies my mom picked out, and I would laugh at how over-the-top or silly they were. Those simple weekes with my mom, popcorn in hand, shaped my empathy and curiosity about people’s inner lives, and these qualities continue to guide me today in my work as a therapist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theinnerflowcollective.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerflowcollective/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/andreahdz_lcsw/
