Therapy is sacred healing work, and I believe that every person has the power to heal themselves.
I approach my work with compassion and loving presence. When we are willing to do the work with an open mind and heart, therapy can help us to come back into alignment–in mind, body, heart, and spirit.
My intention is to support you in the process of coming back home to yourself and recognize the strength and beauty that exists within you.
Welcome, I’m glad you’re here.
My name is Irazema (ee-dah-seh-mah), and I am a registered associate clinical social worker (ACSW), certified mindfulness facilitator, community advocate, and lifelong learner.
In my clinical practice, I support the work of healing generational trauma, grief and loss, honoring intersectional identities, examining the impact of social and political structures on a person’s overall well-being, and exploring individual and collective sources of nourishment and affirmation.
I integrate mindfulness practices, Indigenous wisdom, and Earth-based rituals into my therapeutic approach. I encourage you to reach out to me if you are curious about what our work together may be like.
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Therapy is a unique and collaborative experience that evolves over time. In therapy, we create a space for you to reflect on your history and experiences, and be honest about what supports you and what no longer serves you. I maintain unconditional positive regard for my clients, so that all parts of you may be held and witnessed with openness, kindness, and compassion. As your clinician, I will support you on your healing journey, keep your therapeutic goals at heart, and reflect on our work together to ensure that we are collaborating in ways that honor your process.
values
I honor our sacred interdependence and connection to one another, ancestors, and all beings. I take into account the fact that we are impacted by our relations, environment, and the world around us. I approach this work with humility and acknowledge that you are the expert on your life. I honor the entirety of your person, including how you identify, your cultural traditions, social connections, and spiritual beliefs. I value your agency, care about how you want to show up in the world, and commit to working together to ensure that you are aligned with your purpose. I invite a practice of accountability by taking responsibility for our actions, acknowledging harm caused, and working to repair ruptures. I am committed to expanding my clinical knowledge through ongoing learning, professional training, and mentorship.
background and experience
I grew up the eldest daughter of Mexican immigrants, living in South Los Angeles on the land of the Tongva people. I honor the love, strength, and resilience of my parents and ancestors, who are a source of courage and vision. My firsthand experience of the inequitable conditions that Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and other marginalized communities face inspired my work as a bilingual school teacher and now fuels my clinical social work. My healing justice work is fundamentally informed by my intersectional identities as a bicultural, queer, cisgender woman of color.
In my professional experience, I have worked with youth and families from diverse backgrounds, Indigenous communities, immigrant and refugee populations, and adults and elders experiencing chronic illness and/or disabilities. I have facilitated support groups for youth, women, elders, and people experiencing grief and loss. I am certified in cross-cultural mindfulness facilitation and have offered mindfulness practices to school teachers, students, and community members of all ages.
I hold a Master’s in Social Work from Smith College, a Master’s in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University, and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles. I live, work, and build community in the East Bay, on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Ohlone people.