Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabrina Viramontes.
Hi Sabrina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I don’t think I ever heard the words “depressed, anxious, or mental health” used in my family while growing up. There’s still a stigma in the Latinx community surrounding mental health, with expectations that it should be hidden and not talked about. I noticed a lot of dysfunction in my immediate and extended family, but I didn’t really register or understand it until I went to college and started learning about psychology and social work. My education provided me with the vocabulary for the feelings I felt and experiences I had but couldn’t name. It also provided a space to practice self-reflection.
I entered my freshman year of college intending to pursue a career in law in order to fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer for abused women and children. That quickly changed when I took my first political science class, and I immediately knew PoliSci was not for me. Simultaneously, I took an intro to social work class, and it immediately spoke to my soul. Everything I was learning just made sense to me. The experiential learning I was able to engage in is what made a difference for me. I was actually able to practice social work while learning, and I could see the power of social work in communities. I thought to myself, “How could I not want to be a social worker!?”.
It was during my time in graduate school that I felt a greater calling to become a therapist and pursue my clinical license. Becoming licensed would provide me the opportunity to impact someone’s life directly. Somehow, helping others heal also heals something in me.
Although my past work experiences as a child welfare social worker and community mental health clinician were challenging, I’m also grateful for them. I came to realize how important it is to work with a professional who looks and sounds familiar to you. I became a social worker at the age of 22, and I had so many doubts about my abilities and how my clients would view and relate to me. I thought to myself, “They probably think I’m this 18-year-old girl who doesn’t know what she’s doing, why would they listen to me? They won’t respect someone as young as me.” To my surprise, I only received the occasional “te ves joven mija” (you look young) but was more often met with moments of respect and gratitude. Most of the families I served were Hispanic/Latino, and they were just happy to meet someone they could communicate with and trust to be their advocate.
This is why I feel so strongly about my professional work being led and enhanced by cultural understanding and curiosity. My community needs someone like me. In my current work as a culturally conscious, trauma-informed therapist, I’ve had almost all of my clients mention the importance of having something in common with me as their therapist. Most commonly, growing up in a Mexican household and how it makes them feel seen and understood without having to explain too much. What a gift that is. Our cultural background and upbringing can be a superpower and a tool for healing. I envision my work expanding beyond individuals to embrace entire communities. There’s so much more impact therapists from diverse backgrounds can have on a community, and our communities deserve that.
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?
I would love to say that my journey has been smooth sailing, but what fun would that be? I’m a firm believer that life shouldn’t be traumatic but also should not be without formative challenges. Adversity just builds a different type of person.
As mentioned earlier, most of my clients relate to my upbringing as the eldest daughter and/or being Mexican-American. Although it can be nuanced, on some level, most Mexican/Latino families experience varying degrees of toxic machismo, alcoholism, addiction, abuse (physical, mental, emotional), domestic violence, silencing of children/women/girls, communication issues, pressure to succeed, high expectations, attachment issues and so on. Simultaneously, our trauma aids our communities to develop resilience, such as adaptability, perseverance, strength, courage, using humor to cope, and dreaming big. My immediate and extended family are no exception. My understanding and awareness of these cultural experiences help me form connections with my clients and provide them with hope that intergenerational trauma is not permanent; their future can be different.
My personal and professional challenges have given me guidance and purpose. My anger, frustration, and resentment have taught me the importance of releasing. As I continue to move through these feelings, I learn to shift my perspective, practice empathy, and break generational cycles. My education and training have shown me that I can forge my own path. That I don’t have to make the same decisions my parents, grandparents, and ancestors have. The same goes for my clients. I have been given this gift, and I am eager to pass it on to others.
We’ve been impressed with Conscious Healing Therapy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Conscious Healing Therapy is my virtual therapy practice where I serve adult clients who reside across the state of California. In my practice, I specialize in working with high-achieving women and people of color, who are experiencing high stress and anxiety, depression, difficulty with life transitions, communication issues, burnout, and trauma. I also enjoy working with college and graduate students/student-athletes, therapy “first-timers” and those who feel like they’ve lost themselves in their relationships. I help my clients understand their past and how it affects their present-self while engaging in mind-body practices to integrate healing.
My aspiration is to be the therapist I needed growing up and to create a sense of community with other people with similar experiences. My biggest hope I have for my therapeutic work is that I create a space where my clients feel comfortable to be vulnerable, to be themselves, to speak the words that have never been spoken aloud, to be heard and to know their inherent value.
At this time, I provide individual therapy virtually, but I would love to expand my work to include group therapy, support circles, workshops, courses, workbooks, merch, and community offerings! I’m creative at heart and have so many interests, which makes me want to do all the things! Who knows if and when I will get to any of these, but as with everything else I do, any new services or offerings will be intentionally thought about and planned. Intention takes time.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you’re looking for some free resources, I’d love for you to join my social media community and subscribe to my free newsletter all about mental health, wellness, and daily living (no spam, I promise)!
P.S…healing looks good on you! 😉
Contact Info:
- Website: www.conscioushealingla.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sabrinav_lcsw
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-viramontes-lcsw-0886a7aa/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sabrina_lcsw
Image Credits
Daniel Solares
