Hidden Gems: Meet Dr. Elisa of First Gen Journey Counseling and Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Elisa.

Hi Dr. Elisa, 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?
My story is rooted in the community I grew up in and the people who have supported me throughout my life. I was raised in a working class, predominantly Latinx neighborhood by immigrant parents. I was surrounded by people who looked like me, spoke the same languages I did, and had many of the same values my family did. It’s no surprise I grew up normalizing and being proud of my Mexican and Guatemalan heritage. Some negative stereotypes and biases certainly crept into my mind through books, movies, and television, but I also had a safe landing pad that told me my culture and identity were valuable and inherently good.

The hardships or limitations my family faced were conceptualized as stemming from a lack of opportunity, not a lack of will or capacity. As a result, education was presented to me as the path toward social mobility, success, and fulfillment. I was a good student and even though my parents had limited access to formal education in their youth, I never doubted that I would pursue a college education. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for college, what I would study, or what my eventual profession would be, but I knew college was the goal. Luckily, I had teachers and motivated friends who supported me in this goal.

I attended a prestigious university and was excited to get out of my comfort zone, meet people from different walks of life, and figure out who I was on my own. Unsurprisingly, college was the first time I felt othered. Growing up, I was acutely aware of the vast diversity within the Latinx community but once I arrived to college, I was expected to fit into a very specific “Latinx” mold. I am so grateful that I already had a strong sense of my cultural identity before college because I was able to recognize that the problem was not with me, but rather that the expectation was flawed. I found myself relating more to the global experience of being a first-generation college student than to the experience being advertised at specific cultural centers. I connected with the idea of a community striving to break barriers, betting on themselves, taking chances, and pursuing opportunity.

My path to psychology started my senior year of high school after taking an Introduction to Psychology course. I knew I wanted to study psychology, but I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with that degree. As a first-generation college student, I didn’t have much guidance or awareness of the different careers that were available or what it would take to access those careers. During college, I decided that getting my doctorate in psychology would open the most doors, but I still wasn’t sure what a career as a psychologist would look like. Over time, hard work, being open to opportunity, and leaning into my unique perspective on the world led to a focus on clinical practice. I found that building a one-on-one connection, helping people recognize the strengths and wisdom within themselves, and supporting people as they strive to change their lives for the better were essential components of the job I wanted to have.

I started my career working at university counseling centers and absolutely loved working with students – their courage, determination, and adaptability made the work exciting and meaningful. It also gave me the opportunity to support first-generation college students using the clinical skills I developed throughout graduate school. Although I hadn’t planned on starting my own practice, changes in my personal life and the profession as a whole after Covid created the opportunity to set out on my own.

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 wouldn’t say the road has been “smooth,” but it hasn’t been as rough as it could have been. I would describe the road as having many unexpected detours. I’ve been lucky in a lot of different ways, and the detours have led me to people, experiences, and relationships that have changed my life. I was woefully underprepared for the graduate school application process and didn’t get accepted to a doctorate program on my first try. That was an unexpected blow to my sense of self and my first real experience with failure. It was the first time my dedication and self-reliance weren’t enough to achieve my goal. But through that process, I found important mentors who helped better prepare me for my second round of graduate school applications. My parents also experienced some serious health issues when I started my doctoral program, and I often credit the compassion, support, and understanding of my advisor with keeping me in the program. I have found that the support of mentors, advisors, and friends have been instrumental for overcoming the challenges that are part of striving for something difficult.

Today, in my career, I am in a place where I never expected to be, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. My values and priorities have changed over the years, and I’ve been able to think through those changes and adapt. I was actually the biggest obstacle to starting my business. I had been thinking, planning, and dreaming of having a private practice for years before I was able to take the leap. I decided that I needed to work with a business coach to understand my hesitation and get out of my own way. I was so focused on getting every aspect of the business just right that I wasn’t able to move forward. My coach helped me understand and move through my insecurity, doubt, and fear and just take the first step.

Even though it was difficult and nerve-racking to start my private practice and become a business owner, I knew it was going to be the best fit for my life at this moment. I’ve had to confront the mind traps of imposter phenomenon and hustle culture and accept that I am living the life I designed – one filled with rest, time for family, and a chance to serve my community on my own terms. Once I took the first step, it was easier to take the next. I still have a lot to learn but I am doing it, and I can sincerely say that I’ve been successful.

We’ve been impressed with First Gen Journey Counseling and Consulting, 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?
I am the founder of First Gen Journey Counseling and Consulting, a teletherapy private practice. As a licensed counseling psychologist, I provide individual therapy for adults with a focus on the experience of first-generation college students, graduate students, and professionals. When I reflected on my experiences working in universities, I found that I was always drawn to serving individuals who identified as First Gen. My own First Gen experience helped me connect with this population and there was such a palpable need for support. There are many unique aspects of being First Gen that require specific attention – crossing class boundaries, navigating intergenerational trauma, and developing a strong sense of self while feeling pulled in different directions are just a few of the themes I encounter in my work.

Most of my clients are seeking help to address issues of anxiety, depression, and trauma but using the First Gen lens helps me gain a more thorough understanding of their experience. In my clinical work, I tend to focus on emotion processing. I have found that many people, myself included, were taught how to suppress and ignore emotions instead of trying to understand and process emotions as a source of information. I help clients get more comfortable with feeling and labeling their emotions, identifying their values, and re-writing their personal narratives using a strengths-based lens.

In addition to individual therapy, I also lead training sessions on how to work with the First Gen community in therapy settings and deliver presentations for corporations and organizations who want to celebrate and learn how to better support their first-generation professionals. I have always been skeptical of the deficit lens used to describe the First Gen population (a focus on the things this population is “missing”). Yes, there are realistic challenges to being First Gen but there is also so much wisdom, beauty, and power in First Gen individuals that have reached new heights despite those difficult challenges. With this in mind, I strive to put a spotlight on the strengths, resilience, and adaptability of the First Gen community and combat the over-emphasis on the deficit-based lens that adds stigma to the First Gen identity.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
My parents are definitely my biggest supporters. Even when they didn’t specifically know what I was doing or how to help me, they never limited me and constantly reinforced the belief that I could do whatever I set my mind to. My mom, in particular, led by example and gifted us with the perspective that anything is possible with effort, creative problem solving, and determination. For her, barriers were problems to be solved instead of insurmountable obstacles. My dad also valued education, but the greatest lesson I learned from him is that life is so much more than just a career. He provided a tangible example of what it is to be a lifelong learner and to value fun and relaxation. My husband is also an unshakeable pillar of support; he has a knack for believing in my gifts while following my lead and not putting pressure on me. He often tells me that I get the credit for making him look good with his First Gen mentees when he shares my wisdom with them. Whether it is brainstorming with a friend from graduate school, consulting with colleagues, dinner with friends, or spending time with my family, community is and always will be central to any success I experience in my life, and I am so grateful to my community and support system.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.firstgenjourney.com
• Instagram: @firstgenjourney