Dorrinda and I sat down with community member, Ana Gonzalez, who tells about living with severe childhood mental health issues and how she came out the other side.
Ana was raised in a Mexican household, facing significant barriers of poverty, trauma and cultural assimilation at a young age. An experience that profoundly impacted her path to healing and instilled a deep belief in the power of boundaries and forgiveness--- two of her essential tools for growth & learning.
She also highlights the challenges of single parenthood and the mental focus, intentionality and support that helped her get through AND seed her dreams. We discuss the value of emotional and mental health for children, the challenges that block it; including cultural beliefs, stigmas, and lack of community-based resources.
With vulnerability, humility and courage Ana shows us how this early experience, shaped her career, her mindset and has fueled her path today for living a good life. A life where she cares for her own mental health and all those she serves in our community.
Ana is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and National Board-Certified Counselor with over a decade of experience in social services. With a unique blend of clinical expertise, cultural insight, and personal connection to first responders, Ana brings a compassionate, real-world perspective to conversations about mental wellness, fueling her passion for helping others heal—both on and off duty.
Mental Health Resources:
1. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or call "988"
2. A school-based national program where struggling students confide in their peers. Locally, the Eastmont school district uses this model and has multiple schools where the program is active.
https://hopesquad.com/
3. One of Ana's local resources to share specifically for first responders in crisis.
