Welcome! I'm Ivan, a queer, Latinx, immigrant therapist.
I empower individuals and couples in the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and immigrant communities to embrace their identities and find belonging within.
Ni de aquí, ni de allá
Ni de aquí, ni de allá (neither here nor there) is a phrase in Spanish that accurately reflects my experience as a queer, Mexican-born, 1.5 Generation American.
There’s power in holding so many identities. It has allowed me to shift, code-switch, and participate in many different spaces. However, being able to fit in many places and none at the same time has also been challenging. The biggest challenge has been feeling like one or more parts of who I am may be ignored, overlooked, or at worst, rejected in most spaces I belong to.
My lived experience has led me to create a therapeutic space where others can feel seen in their fullness and begin to embrace the nuance, beauty, and richness in their lived experiences.
In our work together, we will talk about…
The connections between your mental health, identities, and life stressors (work, health, relationships, etc.)
The impact of homophobia, racism, sexism, and xenophobia, amongst other forms of discrimination
Shame, guilt, impostor syndrome, and fear
Setting boundaries
Coping strategies and resources that support who you are and who you want to be!
Using my training as a family and couple’s therapist to explore the impact of relationships on your life
Encouraging gentle curiosity about how fear, shame, guilt, and/or impostor syndrome have impacted you
Supporting you to clarify your needs so that you can set boundaries that work for you
Empowering you to understand and manage the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that impact your goals
Supporting you to analyze and rewrite the stories about you (told by you and others) that impact your life
For Couples/Partnerships: We’ll do all of the above AND discuss how each factor impacts the relationship. We’ll explore how each partner contributes to the relationship dynamic(s) looking at which pieces you want to keep, discard, and modify.