This project represents more than just a professional endeavor for me; it is a deeply personal passion. I am on a mission to break the barriers standing in the way between people and their access to therapy. To understand my passion for social work and therapy, I must first give you a background of who I am and where it all started for me.
I was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, to a Hispanic single mother of three. My father suffered from major depressive disorder and trauma, leading to frequent incarcerations throughout my childhood. Despite my mother’s best efforts to provide a good life for us, my sisters and I were not immune to the adverse effects of growing up in low-income neighborhoods. At the age of nine, I experienced the devastating loss of my 16-year-old uncle, Hector Feliciano, who was murdered in Providence, RI. Shortly after, I endured the pain watching my sisters father fight his battle against substance use disorder ultimately resulting in him taking his own life. I lost a cousin who was just 22 years old and a few teenage friends in high school to suicide as well. Observing my loved ones struggle with mental health issues, substance abuse, and untimely deaths was incredibly difficult and frightening. Feeling isolated, I sought refuge in a relationship that ultimately subjected me to physical, mental, and emotional abuse. I suffered from depression and anxiety at a very early age due to my experiences but never sought out help for fear of being judged. The stigma around mental health or therapy when I was a child and in my community was very strong.
I became a teen mom at just 17 years old. Through my journey as a teen mom in high school, I met the school social worker and guidance counselor. That was my first experience with therapy. The attention, compassion, and help I was offered by those two individuals changed my life forever. My daughter’s birth became the ultimate turning point in my life. Determined to create a better future for her, I pursued my education and worked multiple jobs to achieve financial independence. By the age of twenty, I had left my abusive relationship, purchased a home and moved out of Providence. I knew from the moment I met that social worker that I wanted to have the same job. I wanted to wake up every day and dedicate my life to supporting others who had experienced trauma and/or adverse life experience’s. My social work education and experience has further inspired and motivated me to fill in the gaps that i have recognized through my clients, are stopping people from receiving therapy.
In 2019, I began working at Times 2 Academy in Providence, where I dedicated five years to building meaningful relationships with students and families. Hearing children and teenagers express that I have positively impacted their lives has been the most rewarding aspect of my career. However, I recognized the need to do more. The high demand within the school environment limited the extent of support I could provide. Many students and families struggled to access therapy due to barriers such as the lack of Spanish-speaking therapists, inconsistent follow-through, lack of privacy or safety at home, lack of transportation and/or time to seek therapy.
I began to create my vision for HERE 4 U RI early in my career as a home visitor. I quickly realized the lack of privacy these families were facing during services and how worried or uncomfortable they were to have non family members in their home. I also volunteered in an adult medical center in Rhode Island where I provided therapy to adults who were uninsured or undocumented. I also encountered many issues there due to transportation issues for clients and lack of community partners willing to provide or take in uninsured individuals. This prevented me from being able to provide real meaningful therapy to my clients. I also worked as a social worker in hospitals and inpatient units where again, I noticed the patterns in barriers preventing individuals from continuing mental health services outside of the hospitals.
In 2019 during COVID, I was a school social worker and attempting to provide virtual therapy for my students was extremely difficult. With my younger students, virtual play therapy became almost impossible due to the environment, the distractions, and the inability for redirection especially with families being at home. With my teens I realized how difficult it was for them to find a quiet or safe space in their homes. They also expressed to me that their parents or sibling’s were home or right by them making being open, focused, or honest during session a lot more difficult. Conducting a survey with my students and families highlighted these challenges, leading me to the development of Here 4 U RI. COVID is over but these challenge’s still persist with Virtual therapy making many families opt our of therapy all together.
These insights inspired me to create Here 4 U RI. By transforming mini buses into mobile therapy offices, I aims to eliminate the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing quality mental health services. My deep understanding of the community’s needs and my relentless drive to make a difference ensure that Here 4 U RI is more than just a professional endeavor—it’s a deeply personal mission.
My dedication to my community and my innovative approach to mental health care are at the heart of Here 4 U RI, bringing hope and support to those who need it most.
Here 4 U RI 