Christine R. Melendres, LCSW

04/28/2025

Our hearts are with the victims, families, and community impacted by the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival. 🕊️ In grief, we honor their lives by holding space for one another with care and compassion. 🤍

04/02/2025

🌟 World Autism Awareness Day | Autism Acceptance Month 🌟

In many Filipino families, conversations about autism and neurodivergence can be challenging due to stigma, lack of awareness, or the belief that a child will “grow out of it.” However, early screening and intervention are crucial in ensuring that autistic children receive the support they need to thrive.

💡 Why Early Screening Matters:

✅ Helps children access therapies and resources that support their unique needs
✅ Empowers parents and families to better understand and advocate for their child
✅ Breaks generational cycles of misinformation and promotes acceptance

In Filipino culture, family (“pamilya”) is at the heart of everything. By embracing neurodiversity, we can create a future where autistic children feel seen, understood, and celebrated within their communities. Let’s move beyond “huwag na lang pansinin” (just ignore it) and instead uplift and support our autistic loved ones.

🎙️Resource:
Founder and CEO, Christine Melendres, LCSW shares her story and experience of being a mother of a child with Autism in the Grace Matrix podcast with Marie Grace Wolk !!!

💜 If you’re navigating a new diagnosis or seeking guidance toward a diagnosis, Sweet Mango Therapy is here for you. Contact us today! Email us at: hello@sweetmangotherapy.com

11/12/2024

Kapwa in Grief:
A Journey Through Loss and Healing
By: Hannah Rhea Divino, ASW & Christine R. Melendres, LCSW

A heartfelt space to explore and honor your journey through loss, made especially for Filipina/x/o American Gen Z and millennials. This free journal is our gift to the community, offering prompts rooted in cultural connection, healing, and resilience. Let's navigate the waves of grief together and find peace in remembrance.

Affirmations
By: Hannah Rhea Divino, ASW
Both grief and joy can co-exist
I am not my grief
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to grieve
Healing from grief is a journey not a destination
All of my feelings and emotions are valid
Self care & community care can nourish me in my grief
I am worthy of love, compassion, and support
It’s okay to not be okay
I’m doing the best that I can
I can take as much time as I need to grieve

Download here: �https://tinyurl.com/kapwagrief

10/30/2024

Join us for a 4-Week Online Grief Support Group, exclusively for Filipina/x/o Americans and children of immigrants (ages 18+) in California, hosted by Sweet Mango Therapy Group, Inc. and facilitated by Hannah Rhea Divino, ASW. This group provides a safe and compassionate space to process grief, honor loved ones, navigate the changes that loss brings, and build self-care plans for the holiday season.

📅 Dates: November 13, 20, December 4, 11
🕔 Time: 5-6 PM PST
📍 Location: Virtual (link shared upon enrollment)
💰 Cost: $25/session or $80 upfront ($20/session)

Reserve your spot and take these first steps toward healing with a supportive community.

Space is limited to 8 participants.

Link in bio to register.

https://forms.gle/Srnp77AyDQEtPhY87

10/02/2024

You're invited to our upcoming virtual workshop, "Embracing Anxious Grief," on October 30th.

As we approach Día de los Mu***os and All Souls Day in early November, this is a powerful time to honor and remember our ancestors. This workshop offers a beautiful way to reflect on those who have passed, process our grief, and connect with the emotions that arise during this sacred time. Led by Hannah Rhea Divino, ASW, we’ll explore how anxious grief manifests in the mind and body, and learn tools to navigate the emotional waves of loss while embracing the memories of our loved ones.

Whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or feeling the weight of generational pain, we welcome you to join us for healing and reflection. Let’s come together as a community to process our grief and celebrate the lives of those who continue to guide us.

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2024�
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PST�
📍 Location: Zoom (Link sent upon registration)�
💫 Cost: Free

Registration is open now! Click the link in our bio to sign up and receive the Zoom link. Don’t miss this chance to connect, reflect, and heal with the support of our community.

07/03/2024

🌞🌟 Summer Special Alert! 🌟🌞

Boost your well-being this season with Sweet Mango Therapy Group’s exclusive Summer Promo! 🌿✨

For a limited time, enjoy 8 sessions at just $70 each with our compassionate therapists, Hannah Rhea Divino, ASW, and Anthony Lee, ASW.

Don’t miss this chance to invest in yourself! 💚

Email hello@sweetmangotherapy.com for more information.

06/20/2024

Fellow Therapists, this is also for you!

🌿 Retreat Into Wellness: Philippines is LIVE! 🌿

We are thrilled to announce that our website is now LIVE! Secure your spot today for a rejuvenating retreat that offers not just relaxation but also professional growth. 🌴✨

🗓 Flexible Payment Plans Available

💼 Special Offer for RNs: Earn 12-14 CEUs while you rejuvenate in paradise! 🌟

Why should healthcare workers join us?
🌺 Rejuvenation: Escape to a serene environment for rest and renewal.
🌺 Sustainable Wellness: Learn holistic practices for physical, mental, and emotional health.
🌺 Professional Growth: Enhance your skills with CEU-accredited sessions.
🌺 Community Building: Connect with like-minded professionals who understand your journey.
🌺 Community Outreach: Participate in meaningful volunteer activities that support local communities.

Limited slots available for an exclusive 3-day retreat! Don't miss out on this transformative experience. 🌏✨

Register Today: https://sweetmango.kartra.com/page/wellnessretreatph

🌿🩺💙

A Healing Space for Filipino and Filipino American Healthcare Professionals

06/19/2024

✨ Honoring Juneteenth is essential for mental health and for the Asian community. It fosters solidarity, understanding, and empathy between communities of color, acknowledging our shared experiences of racism and resilience. By uplifting this day, we promote unity and cultural responsiveness, empowering all marginalized groups. Let's stand together and support each other's histories and mental well-being. 🌈✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

04/25/2024

The Sweet Mango Team is excited to welcome our clients to our San Francisco office, located at the Dynamico Space at 447 Sutter Street on the 3rd Floor.

https://sweetmangotherapy.com/welcome-to-the-sweet-mango-therapy-san-francisco-office/

03/18/2024

Let’s all warmly welcome Maxine Soriano, another new clinician, to Sweet Mango Therapy Group, Inc.

Maxine is a Filipina American Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the Bay Area.

As a therapist, she is deeply dedicated to creating a space where her clients can feel supported, lovingly challenged, respected, and safe. She strives to take an approach that is warm, collaborative, trauma-informed, culturally accountable, and strength-based.

Her previous work has been with children, adults, and families struggling with depression, anxiety, complex trauma, substance use, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders. She also has experience across various systems, such as county jails, psychiatric hospitals, and education.

Maxine is deeply driven by her values in social justice and community - seeking liberation from oppressive systems through healing. She believes that healing done at the individual level can lead to a radical and transformative effect on society as a whole.

If you find yourself being weighed down by limiting beliefs, shame, or trauma, and you feel pulled to strip away old patterns and travel closer to your true self, Maxine can help you.

03/13/2024

Let’s all give a warm welcome to our new clinician, Dr. Gabe Corpus, to Sweet Mango Therapy Group, Inc.

Dr. Gabe Corpus is a second-generation Filipino Licensed Clinical Psychologist currently based in Orange County, CA.

His therapeutic interventions are aimed at meeting the client where they are at in order to help them grow and change. Dr. Gabe can practice in both long-term and short-term modalities in order to provide the support that best matches the client.

As a psychologist, he values learning about the client’s story and the contexts that impact it, such as cultural identities, values, and goals. He understands the struggles that can be felt by individuals with marginalized identities and strives to create a safe place for the client to feel seen and understood.

Here are a few things to get to know Dr. Gabe more (outside of work!):

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 love making space to spend time with family
🎮 play an assortment of video games with friends
💻 make psychoeducational content online
🏋 exercising/training
🍳 trying different recipes to cook

If you think Dr. Gabe Corpus is the right fit for you, please reach out today.

03/11/2024

Celebrating three years of helping, growing, and healing!

We’re so thankful for everyone who’s trusted us with their journey. You inspire us every day, and we’re grateful to be part of your healing journey.

To our dedicated team of therapists, thank you for your unwavering commitment, compassion, and expertise. Your dedication has been the cornerstone of our practice’s success, and we’re grateful for the difference you make in the lives of others.

To everyone who has been a part of our journey, whether as a client, colleague, or supporter, thank you for your trust and for giving us the opportunity to make a difference.

Looking ahead, we’re filled with excitement and anticipation for the chapters yet to unfold. We promise to keep being a safe place where inclusivity, empowerment, and transformation happen. Together, we’ll continue to break down barriers, challenge stigma, and cultivate a culture of healing and hope.

We are truly honored to have devoted these years to helping Women of Color achieve their full potential and lead lives they can be truly proud of by offering them compassionate, culturally responsive therapy.

Our mission to provide high-quality mental health services and a supportive and empowering space for Women of Color to thrive will continue.

Along with the celebration of our 3rd birthday, we are also thrilled to announce our (2nd!) new office location in San Francisco!

📍 447 Sutter St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco, California 94108

Join us as we dedicate many more years to transforming lives and fostering intergenerational healing.

Leave a 💙 to celebrate with us!