Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruth Assi
Hi Ruth, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a daughter of immigrants, and dismissing this would be doing a disservice to my journey. Like many children of immigrants, I grew up as the translator and the helper of all things administrative in my family. I was the bridge between cultures, navigating doctor’s appointments, school forms, and bills, often feeling the weight of responsibility from a young age.
I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and my world felt small. Yet, my neighborhood still feels like home, a place where my roots run deep. I was the first in my family to attend college and earn a postgraduate degree. My chosen career was to help people, so I pursued Social Work, initially driven by ambitions of working in policy, advocacy, and program management. I followed that path with dedication, and before turning 30, I achieved my dream of becoming a director at a nonprofit.
I was married and expecting my first baby, feeling like life had aligned perfectly. But everything shifted after his birth. My delivery was long and traumatic, and postpartum anxiety crept in — I questioned every decision, meticulously tracked my baby’s feedings and weight, and felt consumed by worry. I pushed through for a year, juggling my career while feeling like my family needed me more than ever.
My story is a little unconventional because I feel like I’ve lived multiple careers, reinventing myself within the same calling. Eventually, I made the difficult decision to step away from my director role and pursue my clinical license. I wanted to help moms navigating the same overwhelming life transitions I had experienced.
Today, I am a therapist working towards my License in Clinical Social Work, and I know I will be there soon. I approach therapy through a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive lens, recognizing that we all bring unique experiences to the table.
Soy Latina, a first-generation Mexican American, and a native Spanish speaker. My lived experience deeply informs my work as a therapist. I am passionate about walking alongside clients as they make sense of their past, navigate their present, and find hope for their future. My journey, with all its twists and turns, has led me to exactly where I need to be — helping others heal and thrive. Looking ahead, my goal is to blend my clinical work with continued advocacy and program management, bridging direct client care with systemic change to create a lasting impact.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road, and each challenge has shaped who I am today. Growing up as a daughter of immigrants, I carried responsibilities beyond my years — translating for my parents, navigating complex systems, and feeling like I had to succeed to honor my family’s sacrifices. While these experiences built resilience, they also came with moments of isolation and pressure to always push forward.
Achieving my goal of being in a leadership position in the nonprofit sector was rewarding, but it came at a cost. The high demands of leadership, coupled with personal struggles, made balancing work and life difficult. When I became a mother, everything shifted, I became a part of the sandwich generation . My traumatic delivery and postpartum anxiety left me feeling like I was drowning in worry, questioning every decision, and struggling to reconcile my new identity as a mom with my established identity as a professional.
Leaving my director role to pursue clinical social work was not an easy choice. It felt like stepping away from a path I had meticulously built, but I knew I needed to align my work with the life I wanted to lead. The transition brought financial uncertainty, imposter syndrome, and the challenge of rebuilding my career from the ground up.
Yet, every hardship has fueled my passion. My struggles allow me to connect deeply with my clients, especially mothers navigating life’s complexities. The road has been anything but smooth, but it has led me to a place where I can combine my personal and professional experiences to create meaningful change — both in individual lives and within larger systems through continued advocacy and program management.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a contract therapist at The And Way Therapy, PLLC, offering online bilingual therapy for clients across Texas. I specialize in working with individuals with anxiety, OCD and trauma with a focus on mom’s and the BIPOC community. My work is deeply rooted in trauma-informed care, and I draw from approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
As a first-generation Mexican American and a native Spanish speaker, my lived experience profoundly shapes my therapeutic approach. I understand the unique challenges faced by BIPOC communities and those navigating cultural identities, and I strive to create a safe, affirming space for clients to explore their stories, build coping skills, and cultivate hope for the future. My own experience with postpartum anxiety and the decision to pivot my career to clinical work fuels my passion for supporting others through similar journeys.
My approach is rooted in collaboration — I walk alongside my clients, helping them unravel their past, find clarity in the present, and build a path toward healing. I also believe in the power of community, which is why I co-founded a birth provider meet-up in Fort Worth with Meaghan Semple, another dedicated therapist in Fort Worth. We wanted to create a space where birth workers, doulas, midwives, mental health and other birth providers could connect, share resources, and build a network to better serve families.
Looking ahead, my goal is to blend my clinical work with continued advocacy and program management, bridging direct client care with systemic change to ensure communities not only survive but thrive. Every step of my journey has led me to this point, and I’m excited to keep growing, learning, and making an impact.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is spending summers with my primas (cousins). We always found ways to have endless fun — splashing in our kiddie pool, sneaking pears from the fruit tree that stretched over the fence, going on long walks, or acting out scenes from our favorite novelas.
Pricing:
- $100 for 50-minute individual sessions
- In-network with Aetna and Cigna (Evernorth) insurance plans
Contact Info:
- Website: https://therapywithruthassi.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithruthassi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Therapy-with-Ruth-Assi/61571402294884/#
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-barajas-assi/
- Other: https://www.theandwaytherapy.com/ruth-assi
