Jazmin Barrera, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Liberatory Bilingual & Multicultural Psychotherapist

I am a bilingual (Spanish and English) marriage and family therapist licensed in California with over 13 years of experience working in clinical practice. I was born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District. I am Salvadoran and Nicaraguan, and a native Spanish speaker. I adhere to the First Nations (Maya and Nahuatl) and Yoruba paradigm of health and wellness. I understand how forced displacement, systemic and institutionalized oppression, discrimination, and the multitude of microaggressions that historically marginalized communities endure lead to the re-enactment of the violence caused by colonialism. Affirmation about cultural and ethnic identity is generally lacking at the present moment, resulting in many communities experiencing traumatic and humiliating experiences related to their ethnic pride and culture. It is within this framework of Liberation Psychology that I integrate evidence-based techniques and interventions to empower clients on their healing journey. I have served clients experiencing multiple conditions requiring some form of crisis stabilization service or intervention. I have counseled individuals and families dealing with an array of issues such as immigrationdeportation, domestic and community violence, teen pregnancy, work–readiness, homelessness, substance abuse, and more. I use a client-centered and strengths-based approach when I work with clients. I believe that it is critical to collaborate with clients in identifying and attaining what they are seeking. I believe that clients are experts in their lives, and I am an expert in my field. I collaborate with clients to identify key people who make up their natural support systems to enhance clinical treatment goals and objectives throughout their course of treatment. I understand the impact culturally informed, social justice, and relational approaches can have in defining health and wellness practices, as well as alleviating community violence and intergenerational trauma. I use a client's emotional language when possible to help create a safe space that allows clients to be their true, authentic selves and express their truth in ways that are therapeutic. My goal is to help clients build on their strengths and develop wellness practices that can help them overcome obstacles that prevent them from continuing in their healing journey and become agents of change.