My name is Susana Mejia Vargas. I am a fully bilingual (English and Spanish) Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and my main focus is to help clients with unresolved trauma. Depending on how you are affected, trauma can cause difficulties in your daily life, such as hopelessness, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, constant irritability, and stress. I help my clients better understand the challenging aspects of traumatic events that are affecting their emotional and mental health. I will make clinical judgments about how to proceed in certain situations, but you are an expert on yourself, even if you don’t feel that way. I use evidence-based practices such as psychotherapy, CBT, DBT, narrative therapy, and motivational therapy. One of my strengths is my background and vast experience with adoptees or adopting families that are facing specific challenges such as grief and loss, struggling with insecure attachment, identity or cultural issues, and trauma. Everyone has a different healing process. First, I need to understand what is happening in your body and mind and, from there, navigate together the best journey to build resilience, cope with stress, rely on support groups, and build purpose in life. Fostering effective communication is one of my main strengths: active listening and building rapport. It can be not easy to decide to start therapy, but give yourself credit if you take this first step in your healing process. Being vulnerable allows us to become more in tune with our emotions and identify what we need to feel fulfilled. Vulnerability is not just about sharing your feelings with others but, most importantly, being honest with yourself. In therapy, we can address your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and help improve your mental health and well-being. I’m looking forward to working with you!