Raquel Escalante
Licensed Professional Counselor- Associate Supervised by April Schoonover LPC-S M.A. in Mental Health Counseling West Texas A&M University B.S. in Psychology West Texas A&M University If you are interested in scheduling with Raquel, please mention her name when reaching out. |
When you sit down to a session with me, the space will be as homey as possible. I want you to sit sipping on your iced coffee or bringing along anything that helps evoke a sense of security for you. To further that sense, I will ensure that I am at my best for you. Because breaking the stigma around mental health help is so important to me, I will be candid and tell you, I too am in therapy. I wanted to heal so that I would be able to support my own clients the best way possible.
In my own therapeutic journey, I have rebuilt my identity after the first few years of motherhood, reclaimed my empowerment in being a woman, re-shaped my self-esteem, and realized my potential. I have seen first-hand how impactful therapy can be, however it is not just about the technique or modality we use, like I once thought. Therapy is about the relationship the therapist fosters with their client. I will be here to lend a virtual shoulder to cry on, a celebratory scream for your accomplishments or a listening ear for those day-to-day moments that made you say, ‘WTF” under your breath. I am high-energy, optimistic, love to joke around, humanistic, and social. I believe through my positivity I can help others learn new coping mechanisms to get through those rough patches, through my humanistic approach I will encourage you to find your most authentic self to lead a satisfying life, my social nature will ascertain that our relationship will thrive and finally through my humorous side you can get that rush of dopamine that will help ward off stress. So, now that you know a bit about me, it is only fair that I get know a bit about you. Book a session with me and let’s connect so I can be a support to you. |
Maria Torres
Licensed Professional Counselor -Associate Supervised by April Schoonover LPC-S M.S. in Counseling and Development Texas Woman’s University B.S. in Health Studies Texas Woman’s University |
Hi! I'm Maria! I've been a dreamer for as long as I can remember. Most of my ideas don't make it past being ideas, but I'm okay with that. I enjoy the process of using my imagination and getting creative. I've learned to live in the moment and smell the cilantro or the roses. And when some of those dreams do become a reality, I take the time to be grateful, such as when I admire the dark, purple hue of frijoles negros de la olla. But I haven't always thought of life like this.
I used to believe that that when I become successful then, my life will change, and I'll be better. I would be focused on a goal, moving through life in a robotic way, without appreciating the person I am already in that moment. The creative process that I engage in as a dreamer reminds me of the unique and beautiful process that we each are - "a person is a fluid process, not a fixed and static entity; a flowing river of change, not a block of solid material; a continually changing constellation of potentialities, not a fixed quantity of traits"- Carl R. Rogers. Sometimes, it's hard to see beauty in the process, especially underneath the layers of pain, suffering, and difficulties. When you're in the thick of these layers, it's just too much and you can't see who you are. It's too painful to dream, because you're scared of letting yourself or others down, again. As your counselor, I would like to guide you as you work through and move those layers to reveal and appreciate the person that is here in this moment of the process. Let's uncover and make way for the real you to be present. ¡Hola! ¡Soy Maria! He sido una soñadora desde siempre. La mayoría de mis ideas no se convierten en mas que ideas, pero estoy contenta con eso. Disfruto el proceso de usar mi imaginación y de ser creativa. He aprendido a vivir en el momento y oler el cilantro o las rosas. Y cuando algunos de eso sueños se convierten en realidad, tomo el tiempo de ser agradecida, como cuando admiro el color de los frijoles negros de la olla, un morado oscuro. Pero no siempre he pensado así. Antes pensaba que cuando me convirtiera en exitosa, entonces mi vida iba cambiar, y yo estaría mejor. Me enfocaba en una meta, moviéndome de manera robótica, sin apreciar la persona que ya era en ese momento. El proceso creativo en el que participo como soñadora me recuerda al proceso único y hermoso que somos cada uno de nosotros- “Una persona es un proceso fluido, no una entidad fija y estática; un río de cambio que fluye, no un bloque de material sólido; una constelación de potencialidades en constante cambio, no una cantidad fija de rasgos” - Carl R. Rogers A veces, es difícil mirar la belleza en el proceso, especialmente debajo de las capas de dolor, sufrimiento, y dificultades. Cuando estas en lo grueso de estas capas, es demasiado y no puedes ver quien eres. Es demasiado doloroso soñar, porque tienes miedo de fallarte a ti o a otros, otra vez. Como tú terapeuta, quisiera guiarte mientras trabajas y mueves esas capas para revelar y apreciar la persona que está aquí en este momento del proceso. Vamos a descubrir y hacer camino para que este presente el real tu. |
