Meet Brenda Gonzalez of Hablemos Hoy Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Gonzalez.

Hi Brenda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My Story (Thank you for asking)

I’m a proud Mexican American and the daughter of immigrants. I start here because being raised by immigrant parents and growing up bilingual and bicultural in the United States shaped every part of who I am.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. We didn’t have much, but we had a lot of love. Growing up in an inner city taught me the importance of connection, community, and looking out for one another.

With the support of AVID and an incredible teacher, Ms. Ana Higuera who believed in me before I fully believed in myself, I became the first in my family to attend a four year university. Leaving everything I knew was beyond scary. I was afraid to step away from the safety of my home, my family, and my community who had been there for me since day one, but with faith, I took that step in pursuit of my educational dream.

When I arrived at college, I felt different almost immediately. It was then that I realized I hadn’t fully assimilated into American culture. My brown skin, dark hair, accent, and lived experiences set me apart from many of my peers. I felt that difference deeply.

Experiencing microaggressions and constantly feeling othered shaped how I saw myself and my place in the world. The feelings of not being enough, feelings I had carried since childhood, became louder during this time.

At Cal State Northridge, a career counselor helped me discover social work through a career and personality assessment. For the first time, I felt truly seen. Helping others, giving back, and being of service had always been part of who I was, values deeply rooted in my family and our Hispanic communities. I later learned that my empathy and sensitivity were not weaknesses, but strengths, my very own superpowers.

I earned my degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Social Welfare and went on to complete my master’s degree in social work at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Through mental health work, I found language for things I had spent a lifetime carrying quietly. I learned self compassion and began to heal parts of myself that once felt invisible. This work became more than a career. It became my purpose.

Today, I am the founder of Hablemos Hoy Therapy, a California based practice offering online therapy to adult individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, self doubt, and postpartum challenges. My mission is simple but deeply personal, to create a space where everyone who walks through our doors feels seen, supported, and safe.

To my Latine, BIPOC, and immigrant communities especially those navigating life between cultures and carrying the weight of fear, uncertainty, or invisibility; you are not alone. Your story is worthy, your presence matters, and you are not less than. You belong, exactly as you are.

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?
Life has rarely felt like a smooth road for me, as it is for most people. We all experience seasons that challenge us, stretch us, and at times leave us carrying pain we don’t yet have words for.

One of my greatest struggles, which I briefly touched on in my story, has been learning to believe in myself. For much of my life, I felt different and couldn’t quite name why. As an adult, I came to learn and understand that I am an empath, a highly sensitive and internally introverted individual, someone who has absorbed others’ emotions and her surroundings for as long as I can remember. Combined with my lived experiences, this made navigating life a bit more complex. There were many moments where I felt like I didn’t belong or that I simply wasn’t enough.

These are inner battles I still face today. What has changed is that I am now more grounded in who I am and clear about my worth. These experiences, along with my personality, deeply inform how I show up as a therapist. They allow me to meet others where they are and support them in finding their own sense of peace, worth and belonging.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Hablemos Hoy Therapy?
Hablemos Hoy Therapy is my life’s mission and purpose. We are a California based therapy practice offering online individual therapy for those navigating life’s hard seasons. We specialize in supporting adult individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, self-doubt, overwhelm, and postpartum challenges.

Our mission is simple but deeply personal: to create a space where our communities feel seen, supported, and safe. Our work is rooted in culturally affirming care, with a strong commitment to serving Latine and BIPOC communities. We strive to normalize mental health conversations and reduce stigma by meeting people where they are, with compassion, understanding, and respect for their lived experiences.

Hablemos Hoy Therapy is for those who have ever felt alone, dismissed, or unseen. For those carrying quiet battles, emotional overwhelm, or feelings of not being enough. Here, you belong.

What makes you happy?
My happiness comes my from my children, my family, my faith, dancing, and living out my life’s mission of helping others. Knowing that my work has purpose brings me deep fulfillment. And of course coffee, my small but necessary morning pick me up. These are things that ground me, bring me joy, and remind me of what truly matters.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits

Logo and Branding by Jennifer Zepeda. Website: www.jenniferzepeda.com