A Hero's Welcome Podcast
A Hero’s Welcome Podcast Hosted by Maria Laquerre Diego, and Liliana Baylon, both LMFT-S and RPT-S A Hero’s Welcome is a podcast for mental health professionals committed to culturally responsive care. Each episode features in-depth conversations with clinicians, supervisors, and consultants who bring diverse perspectives to the forefront. We discuss mental health topics including psychotherapy models, clinical interventions, trauma-informed practices, and the role of cultural humility in therapeutic work. Our guests share their experiences serving children, families, and communities impacted by systemic stressors, offering insights and practical tools for fellow practitioners. Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding of culturally competent care or seeking a community that values diversity and inclusion, A Hero’s Welcome offers a space for reflection, learning, and growth. Hosts: Maria Laquerre-Diego maria@anewhopetc.org Liliana Baylon liliana@lilianabaylon.com
Episodes
What happens when therapists bring their authentic, neurodivergent selves into the playroom? Magic, according to Heather Fairley-Denbrough, a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist supervisor with 16 years of experience.
Heather opens up about her relatively recent discovery of her own autism and ADHD, sharing how this self-knowledge has profoundly transformed her therapeutic relationsh...
Child therapist Laura joins us to explore the concerning shortage of therapists willing to work with children, despite growing mental health needs among youth populations.
• Laura explains how even in therapy-rich Los Angeles, there's a significant gap in child therapy services
• Many clinicians avoid working with children due to fear, lack of proper training, or hesitation about parental dynamics
When words collapse under the weight of trauma, symbols step in with clarity and care. We sit down with Anna Gomez to explore how EMDR and sand tray therapy, used together, create a safer path into memory networks, one that honors culture, protects against flooding, and invites healing to unfold at the nervous system’s pace. From the first touch of sand to the choice of a miniature, the tray becomes a living map of au...
Erika brings Dungeons & Dragons into therapy sessions, creating transformative healing experiences for clients through role-playing games and character development.
• Using D&D with clients to build characters and create new therapy modalities
• Personal journey with D&D helping develop real-world skills like confrontation
• Client's story of choosing friendship over combat reveals th...
Miranda shares how we can create the life we want by letting go of fear and embracing our authentic selves through the removal of protective armor that no longer serves us.
• Exploring how our "armor" protects us from vulnerability but also prevents authentic connection
• Teaching children to question their protective responses rather than automatically armoring up
• Understanding how burnou...
We explore how pursuing personal passions, such as travel, can serve as a powerful burnout prevention strategy for therapists, with special guest Allison Rimland sharing her journey after losing her father and discovering the world of travel hacking.
- Allison shares how her father's sudden death prompted her to reconsider priorities and follow her parents' example of making travel a life priority.
- Introduc...
The secret evolution of therapists that nobody talks about in graduate school - from survival mode to seasoned professional, Maria and Liliana crack open the unspoken developmental journey that shapes our careers and lives as mental health professionals.
Remember that idealistic student who entered the field ready to change lives? Then reality hit - staggering student debt met with jobs (not careers) where yo...
Professional identity formation is a crucial yet often overlooked process for preventing burnout and achieving fulfillment in the mental health field.
- Burnout symptoms closely mirror those of an identity crisis
- Many clinicians experience burnout within just 2-5 years of practice
- Professional identity involves aligning personal values with professional work
- Transitioning from training to practice requires developing yo...
We welcome special guest Val to discuss her upcoming session at the SITH Conference, which focuses on helping clinicians navigate the legal arena with confidence. Val shares her expertise as a translator between the therapeutic world and legal settings, helping therapists understand how to effectively advocate for their clients in court.
• SITH (Supportive Innovations for Therapeutic Heroes) is an in-person c...
Maria introduces the SITH (Supportive Innovation for Therapeutic Heroes) conference, taking place in Las Cruces this October, featuring her session, "Rooted and Resilient: Healing Ourselves While we Heal Systems."
• SITH conference provides in-person learning with a fun, geeky pop culture vibe for therapists
• Maria's session focuses on therapist self-healing while working in depleting syst...
Liliana joins us to preview her two upcoming workshops at the SITH conference in Las Cruces this October, focusing on cultural humility in mental health and ethical supervision practices. Her unique approach combines her experience as a migrant, her passion for ethics, and her training across multiple supervision models to offer fresh perspectives that go beyond stereotypical checklists.
• Liliana will presen...
We delve into the upcoming SITH Conference (Supportive Innovations for Therapeutic Heroes) taking place October 9-11 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a special focus on court-involved cases and family systems work in play therapy.
• Jenny discusses her conference session "The Force Within the Family" focusing on family dynamics in play therapy
• Importance of working with the entire family system...
How do we honor therapeutic boundaries while truly meeting clients where they are? In this thought-provoking reunion episode with Dr. Dana Weiss, we explore the delicate dance between ethical practice and therapeutic flexibility.
Dana shares a compelling case study of working with a client in a domestic violence situation who splits time between countries, illustrating the complex decisions therapists face wh...
Few therapists willingly choose to work with high-conflict divorce cases. The fear of subpoenas, licensing board complaints, and getting caught in legal crossfire keeps many clinicians from helping the families who may need them most. But Berenice Leon Fonseca sees things differently.
Drawing from her unique background in law and family therapy, Berenice illuminates the path for therapists who want to serve f...
Demystifying the complex world of childhood trauma behaviors demands more than clinical knowledge—it requires a profound shift in how we view challenging behaviors altogether. Robin, a seasoned former therapist who specialized in supporting families of children with trauma histories, joins us to transform how we interpret behavior that seems baffling, dangerous, or personally directed.
At the heart of this co...
Discover the transformative power of earned security in attachment theory with the insightful Clair Mellenthin, the brilliant mind behind Attachment-Centered Play Therapy. Clair unveils her pioneering research on the journey of registered play therapists, highlighting how their attachment histories deeply influence their professional and personal lives. This conversation offers a beacon of hope, emphasizing that early...
Ever wonder how law enforcement officers manage their roles' immense stress while maintaining their identities? Our insightful guest, Anjuli Raven Thompson, a licensed professional counselor supervisor, steps into the spotlight to share her fascinating journey as a mental health advocate for police officers. Inspired by her husband's lengthy career in law enforcement, Anjali has carved out a unique niche by ...
Dr. Meyleen Velasquez, an inspiring Latina clinician, joins us to share her profound journey in mental health, shaped by her own life with vitiligo and her dedication to working with perinatal and early relational health. Embarking on this path in Miami, she was one of the few Spanish-speaking clinicians, leading her to specialize in play therapy. We explore her newly published book, "What Therapists Need to Know...
Unlock the secrets of intergenerational trauma with Milagros "Mili" Sarmiento Shoemaker, a distinguished therapist who bridges cultures from Argentina to the United States. Have you ever wondered how the experiences of your ancestors shape your life today? This episode promises insights into understanding trauma as a survival mechanism that transcends generations, using historical contexts, like wars and mig...
Join us for a compelling conversation with Sybil Cummin, a licensed professional counselor whose expertise in domestic violence sheds light on a topic often misunderstood. Sybil takes us beyond the physical aspects of abuse, highlighting the more subtle yet equally damaging forms of control and manipulation that can infiltrate relationships. From financial manipulation to spiritual abuse, Sybil unpacks the various way...
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