Argelia Chavez

Welcome to Family Roots Counseling. It is my pleasure to introduce myself and my practice to you. I was born and raised in Mexico City. I moved to the USA in 2007 and was sponsored by a non-profit organization. Living in America provided me the opportunity to better understand the challenges of acculturation and language barriers. My commitment to providing effective treatment for diverse populations and backgrounds in English and Spanish, embracing diversity, and strong advocacy for social justice is essential to me. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA) with over 13 years of experience, I obtained my Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology in Mexico City. With a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University, I am also a certified Latin American Family Therapist, a Child Mental Health Specialist, and an Ethnic Mental Health Specialist – Hispanic. Giving back to the community is important to me, which is why I got into working in Community Mental Health. In 2015, I was part of a cohort who traveled to Cambodia and taught a class on play therapy at the university in the capital city of Phnom Penh. While there, we also visited and worked with children in orphanages. In Mexico City, I volunteered at the Juvenal Center and Children's Hospital (for low-income and underserved communities). I am committed to promoting non-violent responses and providing interventions for successful outcomes. I have been trained in cultural competence and awareness. I have extensive experience working with a variety of issues — depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship difficulties, perinatal-postpartum depression and anxiety, parents who face challenges with parenting, loss, and life transitions. My experience goes from working with the elderly, children, individuals, couples, and families. My approach to therapy is strength-based, goal-oriented, and holistic, providing support that looks at the whole, considering your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing. I guide you to be more compassionate with yourself, enhance your self-esteem and confidence. I use Evidence-Based Therapeutic modalities such as CBT, DBT, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Play Therapy. My goal is to partner with you during life's challenging moments, find new ways to gain personal growth, heal, and get unstuck. I tailor my approach to your specifics needs. I have found my work as a therapist extremely rewarding. Besides my professional experience and skills, I have other passions, including hiking, camping, and traveling. I also enjoy yoga, which has become part of my self-care.