Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Palomera
Hi Vanessa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since I was a child, I knew I was born to help and empower others. For some reason I didn’t understand growing up, people would easily feel comfortable and share vulnerable things about their lives with me. I always felt blessed to hear people’s stories and would share whatever wisdom, strength, and hope with them that I could. Although therapy was not normalized in my family, I discovered that I could do what I naturally had been doing with friends, loved ones, and even strangers my whole life, as a profession, and I didn’t look back. I love what I do. My mission in life is to foster deep connections so that people are empowered to know their goodness.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Unfortunately, it has not been a smooth road to get to where I am. My parents are immigrants who had to work very hard and struggled emotionally. My father struggled with alcohol when I was younger and my mother coped by working all the time. Both were not ready to have children when they had me. I am the oldest of 5 and took on way more responsibility than I should have as a child. Without knowing it, I was also struggling with being neurodivergent and so life’s challenges felt even harder. I felt like I didn’t fit in with others and knew that something made me different, but didn’t know why or what. I didn’t feel empowered for much of my life, so I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about helping others find that.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Serene Butterfly Counseling?
I’m a psychotherapist and group practice owner. I’m known for being really good at treating trauma and working with neurodivergent women. Our practice offers modern and alternate treatments to traditional talk therapy, such as EMDR and Rapid Resolution Therapy. We also offer perinatal therapy which is another way we love to support women. I’m most proud of the impact we make in people’s lives, even the ones who have tried therapy many times before and didn’t find what they were looking for.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned along my journey has been to turn my setbacks into growth opportunities. I’ve learned that healing isn’t about erasing the past but about transforming pain into wisdom and resilience. Every challenge I’ve faced has deepened my empathy and strengthened my ability to help others. I now see that my struggles were not roadblocks but stepping stones leading me to my purpose. This is why I’m so passionate about guiding others toward their own healing, because I know firsthand that empowerment is possible, even after the hardest of journeys.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.butterfly-counseling.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/butterfly.counseling
Image Credits
Caroline Veronez, Gabriela Cheloni
