Chula Vista Counseling

02/13/2026

If this resonated, I invite you to:

💙 Share this with someone who needs it
💙 Save it for later reflection
💙 Hold compassion for your own body’s story

1 in 100 is a statistic.

But it’s also a thousand untold stories.

Thank you for letting me share mine.

02/12/2026

One of the most meaningful parts of my healing journey has been learning that the body can update its story.

With the right support, we can help the nervous system recognize that the danger has passed.

That safety is possible now.
That support exists now.
That we’re not alone.

CHD awareness includes hope for realistic healing, transformation, and restoration!

02/11/2026

If you were born with CHD — or love someone who was — this is for you:

You’re not weak for being impacted.
You’re not dramatic for needing support.
You’re not “behind” for still processing something that happened long ago.

Survival doesn’t cancel out the nervous system’s experience.

Your story deserves care — at every stage of life.

02/11/2026

I didn’t become a trauma therapist in Chula Vista despite my medical history.

I became one because of it.

Experiencing how trauma can live quietly in the body — and how healing is possible — shaped how I listen, how I sit with pain, and how I hold space for others.

My work is rooted in the belief that:
• You’re not broken
• Your reactions make sense
• Healing doesn’t mean erasing the past

CHD awareness isn’t just about survival.
It’s about quality of life — emotionally, too.

02/10/2026

Did you know trauma can exist without memory?

Our nervous systems develop before language.
That means early medical procedures can shape how we experience safety, stress, and connection later in life — even if we “don’t remember.”

For me, understanding this was both sobering and relieving.

It explained panic symptoms I couldn’t logically account for.
It gave compassion to reactions I once felt ashamed of.

Awareness leads to understanding.
Understanding makes room for healing.

02/09/2026

For years, I didn’t think my heart surgery “counted” as trauma.

I didn’t remember it.

I was too young to understand it.

Everyone said I was “fine.”

What I now know — personally and professionally — is that our bodies can hold distress even when our minds can’t form words yet.

As babies, we experience the world through sensation, not story.

Safety, pain, comfort, fear — all of it is registered without language.

CHD awareness also means recognizing the invisible impacts of early medical trauma.

💙♥️

02/08/2026

1 in 100 babies are born with congenital heart disease.
I am one of them.
I was born with Tetralogy of Fallot and had open-heart surgery before I could speak, understand, or make sense of what was happening to my body.
For a long time, this was just a medical fact.
Later, I learned it was also a trauma story.
This week, I want to share what CHD awareness means to me — not just medically, but emotionally and somatically.
💙 1 in 100.
💙 A statistic — and a life.

💙♥️

01/26/2026

Examples of unhealthy, dysfunctional, and emotionally abusive behavior and communication styles vs. healthy communication, behaviors and responses. (Credit: Kalen Dion)

Have you experienced any of these in your relationships?

Unfortunately, it can be traumatizing to be in an emotionally abusive relationship.

Unhealthy communication can leave lasting emotional wounds. Healing is possible.
If you’re ready to rebuild your confidence and boundaries, I’m here to help. Click on the link in my bio to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about working with me in therapy.

01/17/2026

12/17/2025

12/04/2025

Grief and faith often meet in the same breath. All Saints’ Day reminds us that remembering is holy work — a way of honoring those who have gone before us with love, gratitude, and hope. My latest blog explores how faith can hold us gently when our hearts feel heavy.
Read more at the link in my bio.

11/25/2025

What if grief wasn’t something we carried alone? Día de los Mu***os shows us how powerful it can be to gather, share memories, and honor our loved ones openly. My latest blog reflects on this beautiful tradition and what it teaches us about healing.
Read the full post through the link in my bio.