We recently connected with Elizabeth Sanchez and have shared our conversation below.
Elizabeth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
One of the biggest risks that I recently took was to start my own mental health podcast. I have been a therapist for the past 10 years and worked and different settings but never have I ever been apart of a podcast. I decided to take a leap of faith and start Cafecito y Calidad a mental health podcast that aired March 1st 2023 on YouTube, spotify, and apple podcasts
Elizabeth, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Elizabeth Sanchez, and I am a licensed marriage and family therapist running a private practice called Calidad Holistic Wellness and Therapy in Whittier, California and a mental health podcast called Cafecito y Calidad launching March 1, 2023 . I am a first generation, Mexican American, female based in Southern California. As the daughter of an immigrated family, I have always had a passion for helping others. Especially, the BIPOC community and under served communities. In the early stages of childhood, I watched my parent pursue the “American Dream” through hard work, entrepreneurship, and perseverance. My parents always modeled perseverance and resilience and encouraged me to dream big in whatever I did, and so I did. I decided to attend college and be one of the first in my family to get a graduate degree. I attended the University of La Verne and graduated with my Bachelor’s in Psychology and my Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. I opened my private practice in 2019 and have different services that offer to our community: I offer Telehealth and in person mental health services to anyone living in California, I specialize in EMDR therapy which is an evidence based therapy modality that helps people of all walks of life overcome different challenges. I have also expanded my services in helping my colleagues through EMDR Consultations, Private Practice Consultations, I have also collaborated with a creative team to bring you “Cafecito y Calidad” – a highly caffeinated, quality Podcast featuring discussions with various experts and holistic specialists in the Mental Health field.All of this has not just been years in the making, but years in dreaming and envisioning that can be traced back to the little girl that still lives in me. My hope is that I can continue to pursue education, advocate for systems of change, and add a little more “Calidad” into the lives of all who need it most. My dream became a clear vision, I married my husband and quickly adopted his philosophy on life: To do everything with “Calidad” which means quality in Spanish. My goal is to create a mental health podcast that invites various experts to share and spread the word of holistic healing practices while we ground ourselves with a cup of coffee. The podcast is called “Cafecito y Calidad,” which in Spanish means “coffee and quality.” I was inspired the many quality conversations I’ve had with friends and clients alike while sipping on some delicious coffee. I am committed to highlighting local coffee shops in my podcast.
Starting a mental health podcast is a great way for a therapist like myself who is running a private practice and intends to reach a winder audience. My mission is to provide valuable resources and information yto those in need, but I am only one person. As a first generation Latina and eldest daughter of incredibly working immigrants, I have found that there many clients with similar backgrounds who seek mental health help.
It is my goal to reach as many people as a I can, even if cannot personally add them to my client roster
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I am a first generation, Mexican American LMFT (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist) based in Southern California. As the daughter of an immigrated family, I have always had a passion for helping others. Especially, those in ethnic and under served communities. In the early stages of childhood, I watched my parent pursue the “American Dream” through hard work, entrepreneurship, and perseverance. Through the highs and lows, they modeled purpose in their daily actions and encouraged me to dream, and so, I did. That little girl inside of me grew up and pursued a path of higher education at University of La Verne where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Science in Marriage & Family Therapy. During my educational experiences, I became fascinated with holistic approaches and somatic techniques that offer dynamic ways to serve the Mental Health community beyond talk therapy. As I explored various facets of wellness and therapeutic techniques, I came across EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which is design to identify and heal triggers in those who have experienced PTSD, various forms of trauma, and emotional impact. The more I learned, the more I began to heal from the challenges I faced as a child with an ethnic background and committed myself to internships working with the BIPOC Community and under served areas of California. After college, my dream became a clear vision. I married my husband and quickly adopted his philosophy on life: to do everything with “Calidad” which means quality in Spanish. He encouraged me to take a leap of faith and after years of serving our local communities, I began my own private practice in 2019. The mentors, colleagues, and clients I have worked with along the way have and continue to give me invaluable perspective.
Now, I have expanded my services in helping my colleagues through EMDR Consultations and Private Practice Consultations. I have also collaborated with a creative team to bring you “Cafecito y Calidad” – a highly caffeinated, quality Podcast featuring discussions with various experts and holistic specialists in the Mental Health field.
All of this has not just been years in the making, but years in dreaming and envisioning that can be traced back to the little girl that still lives in me. My hope is that I can continue to pursue education, advocate for systems of change, and add a little more “Calidad” into the lives of all who need it most.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I definitely have been hooked on listening to the Jasmine Star Show Podcast. She has valuable information around business, being a first generation Latina who has continued to preserver in her business ventures. It has taught me to take risks and to work past my insecurities and fears I have as a first generation business owner
Contact Info:
- Website: www.calidadholisticwellness.con
- Instagram: @calidadholisticwellness.com @cafecitoycalidad
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-sanchez7007/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.calidadholisticwellness.com%2F
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cafecitoycalidad?themeRefresh=1
- Other: tik tok:@calidadholisticwellness
Image Credits
Savannah Wilde Jeanette Sanchez Photography Play Theory Co- Kairi Angeline and Tina Guerra