The Backstory to The Dream, To Vision, To Reality:
Happy One-Year Anniversary For Tri-Synergy Counseling
The Backstory to The Dream, To Vision, To Reality:
The Dream:
In 2013, I had a baby while working on my Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in criminology. Seven days after popping out my 7.4-pound baby, my supportive research methods and statistics classmates gave me my first standing ovation as I carefully tried to sit down without bursting my painful post-birth lady part stitches. After months of in-class pumping and library breastfeeding sessions, my supportive mother and stepfather ensured I could do it by bringing my baby to university for me (it truly takes a village): I completed my degree and moved on to my next phase, getting a masters degree in marriage & family counseling so that I could a empower, motivativate, and be a facilitating healing force to children and families. I always knew I wanted to help children who had been through hard, challenging, or terrible situations and help them transform into thriving adults, breaking the chains of generational traumas. I knew I wanted to help these kids because I am these kids. I wanted to give them a fighting chance, show them, and help them believe in themselves and believe that not even the sky was the limit.
The Vision:
I pushed through a 2.25 year master's program, about a 40-hour course load weekly, and a 40-hour student therapist clinical caseload, and what was left of my days went to my two children and husband. There were tears and times I felt like giving up, but I knew quitting was never an option. With the love and support of my family and my spiritual connection to God, I made it through the program. It was in the last six months of my master's program that a bit of seed was planted, a possibility, a vision that I could be a Chingona Latinpreneur. I don't know where it came from, but what matters is it took root. I remember an instructor from my program told us in class towards the end, "Don't jump into private practice after you graduate…(something, something, blah blah.."). I don't remember exactly what he said about why we should not, but my brain is a YES brain, so when it's told "No", that means "Let's Go!". The day after graduation, I put up my little but mighty private practice flag, "Victoria Valdez Child & Family Counseling Services". The next step in my journey is to work towards my marriage and family counselor license. One year later, I was hungry for more. I am an extrovert, a seven on the Enneagram, and an ENFP: I need community and connection, and I want to heal our communities more than one person or family at a time. How can I help more when there is only just one of me? That's when it hit me. I wanted to create a group practice.
The Reality:
2019, I knew I wanted to build a group practice. But I had to follow a certain order of operations. First comes my license, second comes a group practice plan, third comes a baby in a baby carriage, wait, what? Facts. In 2021, I had a baby, little Othniel, Hebrew for "Lion of God". I'm three kids in and had to put my group practice plan on delay for a while. Fast forward to 2022 Tri-Synergy CounselingTN.LLC was born. I spent 2023 planning a launch date of August 2023 when Tri-Syenrgy Counseling went live. I am so thankful for my family, especially my husband, who, while I was pregnant, did nearly all my office remodeling and moving. I'm grateful for my mom and mother-in-law and those who helped me. I went from a team of 2, me and my excellent executive administrator Gaby, to a team of 7 by August 2023 and, by August 2024, a team of 9. I accomplished my dream of having a team that is representative of our beautiful, diverse community. Our Team at TSC provides counseling services in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Our Team represents the following communities: Latinx, Black, Native American, North Africa/Asian/Arab, and European descent.
Reflections:
Last year, TSC donated $54,000 worth of services, primarily by myself. The 2024 vision was to build more partnerships in the community that could help community members gain access to quality counseling services by paying for a portion of therapy sessions. We have collaborated with two non-profits, started a community-based mental health counseling donation fund, and expanded our wellness programming services.
TSC has donated reduced fee services counseling services (and free sessions) combined from December of 2024 to now August 2024:
- $25,640
Webinars & Community Events total of donated services: $10,000
- *Victoria Valdez LMFT professional clinical Supervision services: $2,600
- 1st Minority Mental Health & Wellness Popup Event (in collaboration with Black Mental Health Village: ($3000)
Community Partners
Women's Residental Cottage Services Donations and sliding scale [due to confidentiality purposes, we will not name them without consent]:
- Counseling Services: $2,340 (donation of services through fee reduction)
- Counseling Intensive $3,250 (donation of services through fee reduction)
- Free Neurofeedback Services: $10,125
- 6 weeks of group counseling social-emotional services (children ages 6 through 14 were served) through grants they secured. About (25 lives were touched)
- Counseling Session for Teens
- Total of services that were paid: $7275
This community partner's dedication to allocating resources and responsibility to serve our community members is healing families today and setting the foundation for transformation for generations to come.
Reflections of a Group practice owner:
I am a daughter, sister, mother of 3, wife, social justice warrior, poet, Latina dancer, Latinpreneur, therapist, and so much more. I'm also neurodivergent, and my superpower and challenge is my ADHD. Being the founder, owner, clinical director, and main clinical supervisor, face of TSC, is a blessing, but it has also been challenging. It's something I love, but it is also a challenge. I want my family to live well, and I want to help others. I want to always be ready and available for my children, spouse, and family, but I also want to serve my clients. I am proud that TSC is a counseling site practicum for over three universities, and it is a privilege to be selected to train future therapists. My job goes unrecognized, hidden, and unpaid, but it is always what allows TSC to provide affordable counseling services to the community. I am proud of the work my Team of therapists do and the work of my administration and wellness team. The LENS Neurofeedback providers and more!
I look forward to how TSC will grow, continue to be a light in our community, and continue to facilitate healing.
Ways you can support our mission to bring healing to our community consider the following:
Share Tri-Synergy Counseling and our services with as many people as possible.
Donating to our TSC Community Counseling Fund | Bridging the Mental Health Counseling Gap, this fund pays for therapy sessions for community members at TSC.
Share with others about our TSC Community Counseling Fund | Bridging the Mental Health Counseling Gap.
Sign up for our Newsletter