EP #256: Finding Guidance: The Truth About Counseling Claudia Davila's Journey with Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center

What makes Claudia Davila with Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center a good neighbor?

What does it really mean to take a holistic approach to mental health? Claudia Davila, founder of Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center in Frisco, offers a refreshing perspective on counseling that goes beyond conventional therapy.

Claudia's journey began in Peru, where she spent the first decade of her life witnessing poverty and systemic challenges while naturally developing the empathetic listening skills that would later define her career. After immigrating to California with her family, she experienced firsthand the difficulties of cultural adaptation, language barriers, and the stark contrast between collectivistic and individualistic societies. These challenges, rather than defeating her, became the foundation for her unique approach to counseling that bridges cultural divides.

The Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center offers comprehensive services including individual and couples counseling for all ages, play therapy, and telehealth options. What sets them apart is their team of bilingual, trauma-informed clinicians who create safe spaces for clients to feel truly heard and validated. Claudia passionately debunks common misconceptions about counseling, emphasizing that therapy isn't about giving advice but empowering individuals to discover their own solutions. She also refreshingly acknowledges that counselors don't have perfect lives—they've simply developed better tools to navigate life's challenges.

Whether you're curious about mental health services, considering therapy for yourself or a loved one, or interested in how cultural experiences shape professional perspectives, this conversation offers valuable insights into compassionate, holistic healing. Connect with Claudia's practice at mbscenter.net or by calling 469-573-4354 to explore how their trauma-informed, culturally sensitive approach might support your journey toward wellness.

To learn more about Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center go to:

https://www.mbscenter.net/

Mind, Body and Soul Counseling Center

469-573-4354

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Sofia Yvette.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a counselor?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
claudia Davila, with her companyMind, body and Soul Counseling
Center.
Claudia, how are you today?
I'm doing very well.
Thank you so much.
Well, we're excited to learnall about you and your business.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
Can you tell us a bit about your company?
Yes, of course.
So the name of the center isMind, Body and Soul Counseling
Center, as you said, and it's apractice that's located in
Frisco.
We offer a lot of services,from individual counseling to
couples counseling for alldevelopmental levels and ages,
play therapy, couples counseling, individual.

(00:57):
We offer telehealth services aswell for those who cannot come
into the office, and we haveseveral bilingual counselors,
clinicians that are licensed inTexas.
They are trauma-informed,culturally competent and very
compassionate counselors.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
So yeah, well, that's amazing to hear.
And how did you get into thisbusiness?

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Oh, that's a very complex question.
I've always been my personalityhas always been a bit on the
sensitive side and I wouldalways ask questions about
behaviors as to why someone didthis or what's the motivation
behind this and verycompassionate.
I grew up in Peru for aboutmaybe 10 years of my life my

(01:57):
very first 10 years and I sawmany issues with poverty,
systemic changes, and I wasalways the kind of person that
would listen to other people'sissues, problems.
They would love to come talk tome and it was just my nature to
listen to others, withoutgiving any advice, just
validating their experiences.

(02:17):
Of course, at that time Ididn't know that that was was it
called validating someoneexperience, but I've always had
that in me and I always knewthat I wanted to help others, um
, and was very sensitive andempathic to other people's
experiences well, it sounds likeyou certainly are a natural

(02:39):
nurturer.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
I think so, I think so, I think so.
So, claudia, what are some, orwhat is the most common myth or
misconception in your industry?

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Well, I have to say there are several.
Just like any field, right,it's not free from
misconceptions, and sometimesthese misconceptions can
definitely deter some potentialclients and or counselors also
future counselors in this area.
But one of the biggest one isthat counseling is just giving

(03:18):
advice.
Right, somebody expects thatyou go in and they'll just give
you advice and tell you what todo.
This is a very commonmisconception, but in reality,
it is about just helping theindividuals gain the power to
make their own choices.
Gain the power to make theirown choices.
We walk with clients in theirexperience, so we don't tell

(03:44):
them what to do, but we discoversolutions with them and bring
them to an awareness that maybethey did not have before a
session or a conversation with acounselor.
So we guide them through theprocess of self-discovery.
And not only that, but wecreate a safe environment for
them so they can feel heard andvalidated and explore their

(04:06):
behaviors or emotions orthoughts and combine all of them
, which is one of the reasonswhy the name Mind, body and Soul
was perfect, because that'swhat we do.
We use that holistic approachto connect the mind, the body
and the soul.

(04:27):
Yeah and another misconception,real quick, is you know the
counselors that they have alltheir lives perfect and they
have all the answers right,which is further from the truth.
You know, counselors' lives arealso, you know, flawed and we
also get affected by the thingsthat happen to us in life and

(04:49):
trauma and the challenges, andwe also have emotions.
We're just because of ourlearning, maybe we're able to
better manage those emotions, um, but it's definitely not
flawless, so yeah now, when yousay holistic approach, what does
that word mean to you?

(05:10):
yes, um, a holistic approach ismaking sure that a counselor
explores all areas of a client'slife, meaning their thoughts,
their behaviors, their emotions,their feelings not only their
feelings, but on that emotionallevel, but also maybe physical.

(05:32):
What's going on physically,what's going on nutritionally,
what's going on intellectually,and so seeing all aspects of a
person's life let's go ahead andswitch gears.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
Can you describe a hardship or life challenge you
overcame and have made you abetter and stronger person today
?
What comes to mind for you?

Speaker 3 (05:54):
overcame and have made you a better and stronger
person today.
What comes to mind for you?
Like I mentioned, I grew up inperu for about the first 10
years of my life, and coming toa new country, um, I moved, we
moved, my family moved to um,california.
That's what we emigrated tofirst.
That's where we emigrated tofirst.
We had family there, and thatexperience was definitely

(06:19):
difficult, to say the least.
One of them it was the cultureshock.
The cultures are very different,coming from a collectivistic
culture to a moreindividualistic culture.
Not knowing the languageEnglish as Spanish was my first
language and seeing also myparents and my brothers struggle

(06:41):
as well, not only with thelanguage but also with the
culture, and that has definitelymade me, and my family as well,
much, much stronger as welearned the process of
acculturating to the dominantculture, acculturating to the

(07:02):
many different ways of people,education the language, and so
it has been a very it was a verytough few years there for us.
We became stronger, more closerto my family, having gone
through all of it together, andnow we all went to college, we

(07:27):
all had our college degrees and,yeah, we definitely soared as
much as we could and umdefinitely made it oh well,
that's amazing to hear that youwere able to make it so far, and
I know it must have been sohard coming from outside the us.
People do things reallydifferent here, for sure yes,

(07:51):
yes, it was very different, butit definitely taught us so much,
um, and, of course, there'swonderful things about
individualistic cultures.
That has taught me so much, andyou know continuing to further
my education to all about youknow female empowerment, and
it's been amazing to learn somuch.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
and it's been amazing to learn so much.
Well, that's amazing, and Ihope you're able to combine the
cultures too.
Right, that's the ultimate wayto be empowered.
I guess you say Correct?

Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yes, yes, we're having the best of both worlds.

Speaker 2 (08:29):
Definitely so, claudia.
Please tell our listeners onething they should remember about
Mind, body and Soul CounselingCenter.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
Something that I can remember about our center.
Well, I would say we have avery trauma-informed and
cultural-sensitive approach thatfocuses on recognizing the
impact of trauma and weincorporate that knowledge into
the policies and the practicesthat we have and we promote that

(09:01):
safety and that trust, rightConfidentiality and ethical
practice is the key for all wedo all the decisions that we
make and we help to empowerthose individuals by building on
their strengths, fostering asense of resilience and
minimizing the re-traumatizationthat they may have experienced

(09:25):
and where can our listeners goto learn more about mind, body
and soul counseling center?

(09:45):
Yeah, they can go tombscenternet.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
Our phone number is 469-573-4354.
Or they can also send me anemail at claudiad at
mbscenternet.
Well, Claudia, I reallyappreciate you being on the show
.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
Thank you so much.
Thank you for listening to theGood Neighbor Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPFriscocom.
That's GNPFriscocom, or call469-221-9345.