Meet Diana Beltran

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Diana Beltran . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Diana below.

Diana , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found my purpose when reading the book called Crazy by Pete Early. The book validated that I wanted to be a part of helping people navigate the healthcare system. My friend, Jessica, from Arkansas encouraged and also guided me that there was a high need for bilingual-Spanish speaking clinicians to serve the Hispanic community in Little Rock, Arkansas. When I began my internship at the Arkansas State Hospital, it affirmed that I was in the right feild. I enjoyed navigating the system with adolescents and their families as well as empowering them in their mental health. The more I continue my journey the more I see that I made the right decision.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My name is Diana Beltran, and I was born in Park Ridge, Illinois to Mexican Immigrants. My family and I moved to Little Rock, Arkansas as a result of my dad receiving an opportunity through his job at Deluxe Media at the time when I was about 4 years old. My family and I lived in a suburb of Little Rock called Maumelle, where I lived my entire life. I attended Mount St. Mary Academy and graduated in 2012. I went on to pursue my bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in social work at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. At first, I wanted to be a doctor; however, after my first psychology class, I fell in love with human behavior and the complexity of the mind. My best friend, Jessica Villegas (whom I have known since I was 15), texted me about becoming a social worker. When she began talking to me about social work, my first initial thought was, I don’t want to be someone who takes children away from their families. However, social work was more than that, and I enjoyed learning about advocacy, learning about how systems impact humans and mental health. I graduated with my BA in 2016 and moved to Little Rock to begin my master’s in social work program at UALR. It wasn’t till I began my internship at the Arkansas State Hospital that I knew that I was in the right field. I really did enjoy working with the adolescents, collaborating with the team on how to help the patients, and also work with families to improve their lives. After I graduated in 2018, I began working at the Centers For Youth and Families. Jessica and I were the only bilingual clinicians who provided counseling services in Spanish in Central Arkansas. It was quite an honor to work alongside your best friend, whose office was next to each other, and work together to serve the hundreds of families and children that were referred to us. We each had a 60-plus caseload. We both became trained in parent-child interactive therapy (PCIT) and were the only TWO bilingual clinicians in the state of Arkansas that offered PCIT in Spanish. I loved my job and I learned how to advocate more for bilingual services, to translate for my patients, and be able to ensure that each child/family received quality services. We often would go around Southwest Little Rock on the weekends (off the clock) promoting our services and spreading awareness. We spoke at churches, we attended meetings, and we spoke with stakeholders to raise awareness of mental health in the Latino Community. In 2020, I decided to move to Dallas, Texas. I began working at The Family Place in January 2021 and began working with men and women who were survivors of domestic violence. I began learning more about the unique challenges of Latinos who were survivors of domestic violence. I learned how to navigate a complicated system with them and provide testimony in their hearings, attend court hearings if it was just simply to hold their hands, and provide support to face their abusers. It was a beautiful and humbling experience during my time at The Family Place. In May of 2022, I began my private practice journey and became the clinical director at Therapy Works Counseling Services, PLLC. I continued to engage in networking events, meeting stakeholders and providers, and building connections in the Dallas Metroplex. I supervised interns and staff and spoke at countless events. I was approached by Adriana “Adry” Sanders, MS, LPC-S to begin helping her bring a vision of hers to life. We both co-founded the BIPOC network in 2023 which provides a safe space for clinicians of color to come together and network. On the second Friday of every month, we host our networking event at Valley of Hope in Grapevine and invite black, Indigenous, people of color clinicians to learn from each other as well as welcome non-minorities who want to learn from these experts. On February 5, 2024, I went full-time in my solo virtual private practice. I am a fully licensed clinical social worker in both Texas and Arkansas. I am also a board-approved supervisor in Texas, where I can supervise LMSWs who want to begin accruing clinical hours. I provide services to women and first-generation Latinas who are struggling with anxiety disorders, OCD, and trauma. I am both EMDR and exposure response prevention (ERP) trained. I also conduct extensive immigration evaluations and have been doing so for six years. I love my job, and I am passionate about mental health, especially helping my Latino community in BOTH Texas and Arkansas. I am excited that I will be presenting at the Hispanic Mental Health Conference in September 2024 where I will present on Anxiety Disorders for Hispanics.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I’m not sure what is truly needed but I think having patience and also the willingness to engage in risk. If I can do it, you can do it. I am fortunate to have a strong support system and community to provide me with guidance. So if you can find those people then lean on them for that support.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I enjoy working with first-generation Latinas who are navigating OCD, anxiety disorders, and trauma. As a highly anxious first-generation Latina myself, I want to create a space to empower them in their mental health journey. My ideal client is someone who is committed to their personal growth and is open to exploring their experiences and emotions. They are ready to engage in therapy, willing to work through challenges, and eager to learn strategies to manage their anxiety and OCD. It’s important to me that my clients feel understood and supported, and I strive to provide a compassionate and culturally sensitive environment where they can thrive.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Mallory Green Photography

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