Hope Torres

I am a USAF SSgt(E-5) veteran and prior law enforcement officer. I am married and a mother of amazing children. I use my experiences in life (good and bad) to help each individual along their journey through their therapy process. I am honest and up front, I enjoy getting to know each person , and I like people I work with to know me as a person so they feel understood, seen, and heard. I believe in every person I work with and know they are all capable of walking their path with their head held high and shoulders squared. Remember….being willing to talk to someone when you are in need is an act of self-love. People are seen as they are and accept them for their individual struggles. Experiences have allowed me to be very empathetic, compassionate, and accepting of the individual differences in everyone. We can experience something at at any time in life impacting us in many ways. I am about taking the journey with you and walking next to you as you grow and heal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My journey to mental healthcare First, I come from a past that was not as healthy in childhood or adolescence. I have experienced traumas growing up that had me feeling depression, anxiety, and more. Through these struggles, there is an understanding of hurt and pain and what those can lead to. In the United States Air Force, I was a flight weather forecaster and volunteered with mental health to present to squadrons about domestic and workplace violence and suicide. After helping two airmen who were suicidal get through their struggles and obtain care, I knew there was more I could do to help others. While in law enforcement as a patrol officer, my eyes were opened more to the darkness all around and the struggles many people face when they have no one they trust to talk to. I have seen the end result of poor therapy and the end result of someone being too scared to try therapy because of stigma or concern of judgment. I operated a nonprofit for veterans that law enforcement encounters in an active mental health crisis. I have responded to help the veteran in their immediate crisis and stayed with them until they were calm and talking. Many of them struggled between their sessions and had no one to help them in the immediate struggle. Having operated the nonprofit that worked with veterans in mental health crises drives me more to not lose another person to them not getting the help they need. Over the years, experiences have helped me to show others they are heard and understood. Many people have struggled with finding therapists that heard them and listened to what they needed. I am motivated to let each person be an individual in my approach as I tailor it to them. I work to change the stigma and negatives held towards mental health treatment and make it something that each person I talk to can embrace and feel safe with. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My approach Each approach in therapy is based on the needs and experiences of the individual. All approaches should contain compassion, patience, guidance, listening, and encouragement of growth. To help you walk your path to growth, healing, new behaviors, and confidence, I will use every therapy tool available to give you the best care. I come from a place of understanding many complex situations in life, allowing me to truly "get" my people and what they have experienced. It is important to take the time to get to know people, and they also get to know me. There is an approach of patience, no judgment, acceptance, believing in you, and having your back in the progress. There is no rush in therapy, as time is taken to explore experiences in life and behaviors that are being experienced. We will try different approaches that are relevant to what you are wanting to work through. We can take time to make associations between experiences along the path of life and what is being experienced in the present if this is relevant to the present struggle. We can explore ways to feel better about self and life. We can work through childhood traumas and do trauma/emotions parts work to process associated emotions and behaviors. We can work on issues with work and how to deal with situations experienced in it. We can talk on the struggles of being a new parents and how to come out of depression with it. Each person will have experienced different things; we can find the best approach to what you are needing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My communication style Creating a friendly and welcoming environment with a light tone can be expected. There is not a constant focus on the negatives to where you dread having sessions. I like to create a mood where you look forward to sessions and feel comfortable communicating anything you are thinking and feeling. A clinical feeling is not always comfortable to each person; my style is more laid back and personable. If you prefer a clinical environment or approach, my style may not fit your preference. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My goals for you The approach to goal setting is based on your needs. Some like to journal, some like affirmations, some like art - as long as you are willing to try different things then goals can be met. The intention through meeting the goals is to help the progress to move forward and minimize the stress in the tasks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My first session with you The first session is where you decide if you feel safe, accepted, understood, and comforted by the therapist. First sessions are always icebreakers and touching base on different things. We identify current struggles and, have some explorations of the past, and work to see what is the best path to feeling better and even healing. This is kept light, and I try to establish a level of comfort you welcome for your therapy journey.