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Professional counseling, coaching,
and consulting services for clients
ready to embrace change, 
understand themselves,
uncover their motivations,
and take real steps toward
healthy emotional healing and growth.
VIA | Arts District Business Center
813 N. Main Street
Suite 621
McAllen, TX 78501
Some Thoughts on Counseling,
Self-Discovery and Healing.
This is a space for reflection, insight, and growth. Here, you’ll find thoughts on healing, self-discovery, and the challenges we all face. Whether you’re looking for new perspectives or just a moment to pause and reflect, take what resonates—whenever you’re ready.

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The Dirty Little Secret of Personal Growth: Questioning Your Most Cherished Beliefs Can Actually Make Them Stronger.
What if questioning your deepest beliefs could make them stronger, not weaker? Learn how CBT, existential psychology, and philosophy turn doubt into growth.
DBarrera_813
Sep 224 min read


Self-Proclaimed Leaders and Con Artists: Why People are Hypnotized & Hand Over Control of Their Lives
We live in a world filled with voices promising guidance, voices that claim to have special wisdom, secret insight, or a path to freedom. Some are self-proclaimed leaders who project unwavering confidence and attract devoted followers. Others are outright con artists who know how to manipulate that confidence into control. 
Their certainty feels magnetic. 
For many, it is easier, even comforting, to let someone else take the wheel of our lives. But why does this happen?
DBarrera_813
Sep 24 min read


“Sometimes, Something Isn't a Problem…Until It Is”: When to Know It’s Time to Talk to Someone.
“Sometimes, Something Isn't a Problem…Until It Is”: When to Know It’s Time to Talk to Someone.
You ever notice how a small leak under the sink doesn’t seem like a big deal until one day, the cabinet is warped, the wood is moldy, and now you’re looking at repairs that could’ve been avoided if you had taken care of it earlier?
DBarrera_813
Jul 184 min read


Reclaiming Your Heart: Healing from Romance Scams
Romance scams are emotionally devastating, but healing is possible. Learn how therapy can help you recover from betrayal, shame, and trust issues after a scam.
DBarrera_813
May 214 min read


You Can’t Love Someone Out of Their Trauma...And Why It’s Not Your Job. (Part 2)
You cannot love someone out of their trauma.
Trying to do so can leave you exhausted, hurt, and even traumatized yourself.
DBarrera_813
May 83 min read


Is It Really About My Mother? And Why Does My Relationship With Her Affect How Therapy Unfolds?
Mother’s Day can stir up a tender kind of chaos. 
For some, it’s a day of gratitude and celebration. 
For others, it brings grief, guilt, anger, or a mix of all of the above. 
As someone in therapy—you might notice a familiar theme rising again and again: “Is this really about my mother?” 
It’s a question that carries both irritation and insight. 
Why does she seem to haunt the therapy room, even when we’re talking about work stress, romantic trouble, or anxiety?
The answer i
DBarrera_813
May 74 min read


Mental Health Is for Everyone: What That Really Means
Let’s talk about what mental health really is—and clear up some things people often get wrong.
DBarrera_813
May 34 min read


Why “Hurt People Hurt People”...How and Why It Happens. (Part 1)
During your lifetime, you might have heard the phrase: “Hurt people, hurt people.”
But behind those four words is a much deeper truth about how unhealed pain can shape our entire way of being in the world.
DBarrera_813
Apr 213 min read


Go Where You’re Celebrated, Not Tolerated: A Reflection on Self-Care
There’s a phrase I heard years ago that has quietly stuck with me:
“Go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.”
At first glance, it sounds like something you'd find on a coffee mug or an Instagram post. 
But beneath its simplicity lies a powerful message about boundaries, self-worth, and emotional sustainability.
DBarrera_813
Apr 123 min read


When the Illusion Breaks: Buzz Lightyear, Harsh Realities, and the Role of Therapy.
During our life, we may be confronted with the fact that, sometimes, we are not who we thought we were. 
What do we do when that happens?
DBarrera_813
Feb 85 min read


Change Yourself, Change the World: How Personal Growth Inspires Others
We often wish others would adjust their behavior, attitudes, or habits. But here’s the truth: Direct efforts to change others rarely work.
DBarrera_813
Feb 54 min read


Healing the Inner Child: Beyond the Myths and Misconceptions
Inner child work is more than just revisiting childhood pain—it’s about fostering self-compassion, breaking unhealthy emotional patterns.
DBarrera_813
Feb 46 min read


“Surgery Without Anesthesia": Why Family Can’t Be Your Therapist And What To Do Instead.
Relying on family or friends for emotional healing can feel like ‘surgery without anesthesia’ and learn how professional therapy can help.
DBarrera_813
Feb 34 min read


New Year’s Resolutions. Why Are They So Difficult to Maintain?
Millions of people set New Year’s resolutions, Yet, studies consistently show that by mid-February, most resolutions have been abandoned.
DBarrera_813
Jan 15 min read


Navigating the Emotional Stresses of the Holidays
For many, seasonal celebrations can bring emotional challenges that are anything but joyful.
DBarrera_813
Nov 23, 20243 min read


Rebuilding After Divorce: How Counseling Helps You Heal and Thrive.
Divorce not only signifies the end of a marriage but also brings emotional upheaval, shifts in family dynamics, and personal reinvention.
DBarrera_813
Nov 12, 20244 min read


Breaking the Chains of OCD: Understanding, Misconceptions, and Pathways to Healing
OCD is a mental health condition that can imprison individuals within a relentless cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
DBarrera_813
Nov 5, 20244 min read


Do Therapists Solve My Problems? If Not, Why Do I Need Them?
Why Therapists Don’t “Solve” Your Problems—And Why That’s a Good Thing
DBarrera_813
Oct 31, 20245 min read


Why Do I Keep Attracting the Same Type of Harmful Romantic Partners?
Why do I keep attracting people who hurt me?” It’s a bewildering and lonely thought—one that can leave you doubting yourself.
DBarrera_813
Oct 25, 20244 min read


How to Tell if You’re in a High-Control Religious Situation
Some groups or movements use religious teachings as a tool for control, turning faith into a mechanism for manipulation, fear, and abuse.
DBarrera_813
Oct 22, 20244 min read
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