About Alba Center Marriage and Family Therapy
Leaders in caring for the emotional well-being of Latinx individuals, couples, and families…
Welcome, you are at the right place.
Deciding to ask for help is the first step.
It is hard to imagine that life could be different as many of the things you are dealing with have been part of you for a long time.
What if we told you that things could be different and you could have a life where your needs matter, your relationships are healthier, and you can see yourself with compassion and love?
These are some things we will help you accomplish when you take this important first step. Many of us first gens have an important task to accomplish.
We can break with old-generation traumas (things that make us feel crazy) and learn to have healthier lives. We can move from a culture of survival to a culture of the pursuit of happiness.
Being the first to do anything different by stepping out of tradition separates you from what is familiar. Familiar things make us feel safe even when they are hurtful or unhealthy. That is why working with someone who understands your unique struggles and can accompany you on this journey is so important.
We make room for the uniqueness of culture.
At Alba Center, our approach is different. We are committed to decolonizing therapy to help you connect, integrate, and repair generational trauma.
We think of therapy differently from others as we invite and integrate ancestral healing into the science of psychology. We make room for the psyche and honor how it manifests in your healing. Some people need a Limpia, which involves clearing the old ways that are no longer helping you or, even worse, are hurting you. We hold a safe space for you to learn specific ways to challenge your negative thoughts and value your feelings allowing you to have healthier relationships.
We speak the ancestral language that opens the door to healing. We help you connect with the ancestral part of the psyche, where you will be supported in ways that facilitate transformation.
The richness of our culture also includes its shadow. The hurtful, unhealthy ways we hold each other and the people we love. Ideas such as “men don’t cry, feelings make you weak, women are in service of others, I will give you something to cry about” are stitched into the fabric of who we are and make up our generational traumas. These are the ruling principles that we will help you challenge and replace.
We see our work as “soul work,” so it’s not intervention-based.
We’re also here to help you improve your relationships.
A unique aspect of Latinos is that regardless of how dysfunctional our families of origin are, we still want to be part of them. We recognize this as one of the challenges of the work we will do together and one of the ways that make our cultures valuable.
We will help you create healthy boundaries with the people you love. Understand why they are the way they are without invalidating your experience. Holding the tension of these opposing views allows for a new relationship, first with yourself and then with others.
Becoming a healthy person is challenging.
Transformation requires you to shed the old, which is difficult to do alone. Even when you know that the way things are don’t work for you, it is hard to know what being healthy looks like. The old and the new way create the tension that people encounter when they start working on themselves.
We help you hold this tension by understanding the struggle, naming the problem, and teaching you how to endure this new way of being. We will embrace and challenge things as they come up. We help you hold the light as it burns what is no longer serving you and guides the way forward.
But the good news is that you don’t have to do this alone.
All you have to do is take the first step.
When you call to begin therapy, we’ll find someone who can help you who is friendly, warm, and welcoming.
Most people are surprised when they realize that therapy can be fun when working with someone who understands your struggles and shares some of your experiences.
When you come into our office, you will feel like you are visiting a friend you can trust and be vulnerable with – someone with whom you can have an honest conversation about what is troubling you.
¡Desahógate!
At Alba Center, we are experts in the art of “desahogarse.” We help you unburden yourself by giving you a safe place to share your life story and find meaning in your experience.
Our clients tell us they feel lighter when they leave our office.
Unburden yourself, and come talk to us!
You are not alone; we are here to help. Call today to set up your free consultation: (619) 616-0733.