Meet Norma Garcia

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

Norma , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is the ability to recover from difficulties you face. I believe my resilience has led me to where I am today. I grew up in a home where there was domestic violence and drug abuse. I remember feeling scared as an elementary school student. I went to school and wondered if my mom would be safe while I was gone. I wondered if I would be safe that evening. As the eldest child, I saw myself as a protector for my mother and siblings. Although there are too many stories to tell regarding what I experienced, I remember of one specifically. My mother decided to leave my father after a physically abusive incident. We moved to Houston for about 2 weeks before returning back home due to her giving him yet another chance. I remember feeling scared of what awaited us at home. I remember begging my mother to leave my dad. I remember saying, “I’d rather be poor than to be with my dad.” I said that because my mother believed that if she left my dad, her only option to make money was prostitution. I was impacted by those situations and words as a child. In that moment, I told myself, “I am going to go to school, work hard and make sure I am never in a situation like my mom.” I also remember thinking, “I never want my children to feel what I am feeling.” All that to say, it pushed me to start my career working in a domestic violence shelter providing case management to Spanish speaking women. I then decided to pursue a Masters in Social Work to help people in a clinical setting. Although, those were negative experiences, I used them to motivate me to accomplish any goal I set for myself. No matter the circumstances I face, I know I can always find a solution.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hola! I’m Norma – the founder and Clinical Director of Centro de Consejeria Familiar.

Over the last 17 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of children and parents in both individual and group therapy – helping individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, life transitions, family conflict, child abuse, domestic violence, and other diverse issues.
I founded this center to provide a culturally sensitive space for the Latino community to break generational cycles and build strong family relationships.

Centro de Consejeria Familiar was founded with a deep-rooted passion for addressing the unique mental health needs of the Spanish-speaking Latino community. Recognizing the significant barriers to accessing culturally appropriate counseling services, I envisioned a space where individuals and families could seek support in their preferred language and with someone they could connect with.

As a child who needed counseling herself and having witnessed firsthand the stigma surrounding mental health within the Latino community, I was driven to create a safe and welcoming environment where individuals could openly discuss their challenges without fear of judgment.

Our team consists of dedicated Latina/o clinicians who are fluent in Spanish and know firsthand the cultural nuances that shape our clients’ lives. Centro de Consejeria Familiar actively collaborates with universities to train master level social workers. Through these partnerships, we empower future professionals with the skills and cultural competence needed to provide effective support to our community. This initiative not only enhances the quality of care available but also helps make mental health services more affordable and accessible through low-cost options.

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?

Having a Vision and don’t lose sight of it. Fear usually stops us from reaching our goals. It create self doubt and we second guess ourselves. I have always been scared and I would be lying if I said I don’t feel scared now. However, I overcome this by focusing on my vision and believing in myself.

Having a support system is important. I can’t do things alone. My family is my number one supporter and when I first started, they were the ones helping me clean, file, organize, etc. They continue to support me, however, now my support system is composed of the team at Centro (my nickname for my business), other colleagues in the same profession, and my best friends ( I have many). They are the ones I lean on when I am stressed or need guidance for my business. I am never scared to ask questions.

Understand your business! I wish I knew this earlier. I started my business and just ran with it, not knowing anything about my finances. Understanding the financial aspects of running a business including budgeting, revenue generation, and cost management, is critical. This skill ensures the sustainability and growth of your business over the long term. I remember thinking, “I make enough to pay all the bills and pay myself, I must be doing something right.” I was wrong. Ensure you know and understand the finances of your business.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

For this question, I would answer my mother. I view my mother as resilient. She never gave up not matter what happened. She did the best that she could and made decisions believing they were the best choices in those moments. She taught me the skills to survive and overcome all challenges. My parents also had a business and watching my mom run her business motivated me to create mine. She is the backbone to what I do. One year, before I had QuickBooks, she manually calculated all my expenses to prepare for the tax return that year. This past year, one of our offices moved to a different location and my mother was the janitor for a while. She is never above doing anything to help her me or my business. She has been a role model for me. Her strength to endure and overcome challenges create the resilience that I have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://centrodeconsejeriafamiliar.com
• Instagram: @centrodeconsejeriafamiliar

Image Credits

Headshot: @theslate
Group photos: @tiffanyhopwoodphotography