Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Valdez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Victoria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

As a young child, I was naturally inquisitive. I wanted to know how things worked, what made it tick, how it made that sound, and it was worth taking things apart to find out. I wanted to know what it felt like to stand on the roof of my home at the age of 7, even though my parents said it was dangerous. I wanted to know what it felt like to drive my neighbor’s four-wheeler down the backyard hill at top speed; the river at the end of the hill would catch me. I wanted to know what it would be like to drive our 1985 VW Beetle using a stack of phone books to reach the petals of the local Dairy Queen and order a burger at nine years old. My mind was so filled with curiosity that there was just no room for considering what could go wrong or what the consequences might be, good or bad. I just had to know. I was driven to discover the mystery. It was always worth the risk. The question was never: Should I or could I? Instead, it was, how do I get there, or how do I do it? It did not matter how many times I failed along the way.

I was a natural-born risk-taker, and failing was equally frustrating and thrilling. Well-meaning and terrible people along the way tried hard to thwart my curiosity and love of risk-taking throughout my childhood and early teen years. Then there were also my brain differences, which were often a blessing and sometimes felt like a curse. Adults in educational settings labeled me as dumb, lazy, and unmotivated. My family frequently asked why I couldn’t act “normal” or considered me too “wild.” Despite being told I was too dumb to go to college, too poor to ever “make it,” and too “wild & free” to be taken seriously. I took the risk to go to college to get a 4-year degree, took the risk to get my master’s in marriage & family counseling, took the risk to get licensed, took the risk to open a private practice the day after my master’s graduation and took the risk to open a group counseling practice. It was a bumpy journey. As I matured, I refined my risk-taking, sharpened my mindset, and learned from those before me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Victoria Valdez, a Spanish-speaking, licensed marriage and family therapist, founder, owner, and clinical director of Tri-Synergy Counseling in Brentwood, Tennessee. I am a wife, mother of 3, dancer (salsa, merengue & bachata), Latina, social justice warrior, entrepreneur, poet, and outdoor enthusiast. People often ask me why I chose counseling as a career choice. The short answer is that therapy was not an option for me when I needed it the most. In my experience growing up in a Mexican American culture in Texas, the concept of therapy was taboo. You didn’t go to therapy unless “Estas loca/ your crazy.” It was also not acceptable to talk about family problems with anyone, and there was just no such thing as anxiety or depression. You just needed to do whatever it took to survive and thrive, so there was no room for sadness or worry. There was mistrust of medical professionals, mental health providers, and others. I had a rough childhood, and my teenage years were just as challenging. As a child, I experienced divorce, poverty, racial trauma, grief, and child abuse, and I struggled in school academically due to untreated (undiagnosed) ADHD. Through it all, I found the strength never to stop trying. No matter how often I failed, giving up was not an option. As a child, adults frequently commented, “No means yes for Victoria.” I was a spirited “strong-willed” child. My mother taught me to be strong as she often told me, “Mija no te dejes,” slang for defend yourself, and for me, it meant don’t let what anyone tells you or thinks about you hold you back. That is one of my main driving forces today. It is the mindset I hope to help my client develop.

Tri-Synergy Counselingtn.LLC:
Today, I own a counseling group practice with a team of 9. I opened this practice in August 2023. I am proud of how TSC has grown as a light of hope to the community. My dream was to have a group practice that our community felt represented in; TSC has team members who are part of the following communities: Latinx, Black, Native American, and North Africa/Asian/Arab. We also have team members who are neurodivergent; I am one of them, as I have ADHD. We provide counseling services in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Having a diverse staff and offering services in different languages is one of the reasons we stand out.

Services:
Tri-Synergy Counseling (TSC) is committed to delivering life-changing, generational-transforming, culturally sensitive, quality, evidence-based mental health services to children, teens, families, and adults in Tennessee. It is where the mind, body, and soul meet for healing. TSC provides L.E.N.S Neurofeedback treatments, parenting services, wellness offerings, and immigration evaluations, in addition to mental health services. We offer counseling services to children, teens, adults, and couples. Many TSC therapists have specialized training in providing support for grief, trauma, depression, ADHD, and anxiety.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

One of my gifts is being an authentic, down-to-earth, high-energy individual who loves to serve. When I interact with community members at the many community events my company attends, they tell me they love that about me and feel they can trust me and my company to provide good care based on my gift. My staff often tell me I have taken good care of them in various ways, reflecting how they represent the company. They represent Tri-Syenrgy Counseling well. The comment I’ve gotten the most from colleagues in the private practice/ group practice counseling world has been that I truly have an abundance and collaborative mindset. This has allowed me to build many great relationships. I focus on building relationships with other group practice owners and community-based agencies, enabling us to provide and receive trusted referrals for counseling services. My company, through these relationships, has been able to collaborate in amazing community events! I believe my gifts, taking good care of my team, my mindset, and focusing on building relationships have built a positive reputation within my market even though I’m one year in as a group practice owner. Another factor is the quality of my team’s counseling services, which is truly outstanding.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I had to learn a little bit the hard way that prioritizing working on my mental health and wellness is the most crucial ingredient to being successful in my field or any field. I find it ironic because I am a therapist. But many therapists will tell you we get so busy making it a habit of caring for others that we don’t take care of ourselves. It was not until I worked on my money mindset and did deeper trauma work that I was able to have a solid, positive attitude and make the changes required to be successful. The core beliefs I carried from unresolved trauma and trauma of childhood poverty made it difficult for me to take healthy business actions. I had gathered so much knowledge about running a business, but the old wounds made me feel bonded in chains and made it impossible to take action. Once I had worked through breaking those chains, I could take action. There are some many benefits to therapy that truly changes your life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tri-synergycounselingtn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_synergy_counseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TriSynergyCounseling/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TSCTNVVALDEZ
• Other: https://linktr.ee/vvaldezmft

Image Credits

Destiny Williams