Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Valdez.
Hi Crystal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story starts off really dysfunctional and chaotic. I am 1 of 4 children from my mom. I am 1 of like a dozen from my biological father. My older brother and I were in foster care for a brief time before our great-grandparents were able to get custody of us when I was in the 3rd grade. In 3rd grade I decided what life needed to be for me. I needed two things. First, I needed to write my story and have a book published because I represent such a strong message. “Where you come from does not determine where you can go.” I have learned that it sure can influence your life, in ways that many people don’t fully understand. I chose to take my struggles to make something great. Which brings me to the second thing I knew I needed. I remember my CPS caseworker being a safe human and a consistent person during the scariest times and I remember thinking I wanted to be “whatever he is”. So, the day after I graduated highschool I made the scary decision to leave my Apa (great-grandfather) and move 7 hours away to Arlington. I chose to attend UT Arlington and pursue Social Work because I figured out that’s the official title of the CPS Caseworker who we had. I graduated with my Bachelors degree at 20 years old. I graduated with my Masters of Social Work specializing in Mental Health and Substance Abuse and passed the LMSW State licensing exam a few months after I turned 22. I just now at 24 passed the state exam to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker here in Texas. I left working in the hospital setting to pursue Private Practice work and now I get to provide therapy at Mindful Possibilities in Fort Worth, TX. I have big plans for my later and for right now I am enjoying the fruition of all the hard work I had to put in to overcome so much adversity. I know “little Crystal” is crying so hard and this time it’s out of joy.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has been riddled with pain, lessons, and traaummaaa. I truly only knew my calling at such a young age, because of all my pain. There’s an assessment called the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE Quiz) that assesses the level of trauma experienced in early childhood. I’ve always been great at taking tests, so I joke that it’s not a surprise I got a 10/10 really early on in life.
My experience in school is not fun to think about. I remember being the butt of so many people’s jokes, struggling to be “normal”, and dealing with some pretty intense bullying. I buried myself in schoolwork and when I was old enough, actual work as well. I was struggling so much and there are a few special humans that helped me through some of the hardest part of my life.
At home there was a whole different kind of struggle. I learned to fill out school paperwork, what questions to ask at doctors appointments, how to help my Dad come out of his Alzhiemer/ Dementia episodes, and watched my Mom go through the painful process of dialysis as long as she could.
I lost both my parent- figures. My mom in highschool and my dad right before my MSW graduation. I remember failing my first class in highschool when my mom was sick, so I had to sit out of a track meet for the first and only time ever. I also remember being put on academic probation in college and having to push back my MSW graduation date, shortly after my Dad’s health started to decline.
After graduation, I thought life was going to get easier. Life handed me so much in the past two years; having my first apartment broken into, having my car vandalized, being harassed, housing displacement, and lots of financial struggles. I am so thankful for my support system, the lessons I have learned, and the trust I have built in myself. I am consistently working to be the woman that I envisioned when I was a little girl.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
When Texas makes it official I will be able to call myself a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, because I just passed my LCSW state exam! I provide a variety of therapeutic services. I provide individual therapy to adults of all ages. My focus is working with people who have experienced trauma on any level and I really enjoy helping people who recognize their need to break generational cycles of trauma.
I also provide group therapy, which has been fun. I run a general Mental Maintenance Group that is open and meets biweekly. I also facilitate two Bibliotherapy Groups. Bibliotherapy is a fancy way of saying that I get to use books in therapy, which is a cool way to put my two childhood dreams together.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the diversity of the city and the fact that there’s so much to do. I feel like my field gives me an eye into all the different ways that people get to experience the same place. There are so many things that you can do, and a lot of them are free or pretty affordable. I came from a rural town where we have a post office, 1 section of town with traffic lights, and lots of mountains, so this has been a big change. I don’t particularly love driving around the city. I miss the ease of driving around a small town a lot.
Pricing:
- Individual Therapy $110 for 50 minutes
- Couples Therapy $165 for 90 minutes
- Mental Maintenance Group $60 for 1 hour
- Bibliotherapy Group $75 for 1 hour 15 min.
- Sliding Scale available for all individual sessions
Contact Info:
- Website: mindfulpossibilities.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mindful-Possibilities-LLC-106064418707626
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoseOfCris
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfullycrystal/
Image Credits
Amairani Jimenez
