I Support the Latinx Community By Helping Them Take Agency of Their Own Healing
Learn About Me & How I Can Help
Iris Medina, LSW
Bilingual Psychotherapist
Hello, my name is Iris Medina (she/her/ella) and I’m a bilingual psychotherapist at Latinx Talk Therapy. I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW). While my approach is eclectic, it is also holistic. I take into consideration my clients’ experiences, preferences, and needs. I take a strength-based approach, and I like to use psychodynamic modalities, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy in my theoretical approach. I believe in creating a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust with my clients. Together, we’ll work on self-esteem building skills, fortifying your strengths, and self-exploration. My role is to help you heal, and take agency of your own healing.
As a Latina myself, I have experienced what it means to be “othered” and to not have someone, outside of my family and friends, who I can identify with helping me navigate life challenges. Our community has a deep history rooted in adversities and injustices that have tainted our perspectives, emotional, and mental health. We come into this world with generational trauma and sometimes have to carry that weight on top of the challenges that our own lives throw at us. I am dedicated to helping you unpack this burden with empathy and compassion. It is my hope that you will be able to identify helpful and unhelpful patterns, focus on solutions, and create your own journey of fulfillment and happiness.
You Don’t Have to Face Your Struggles Alone, I Am Here to Help
In my past professional experiences I have worked with children, adults, and families to help them navigate through difficult life transitions, helping them to learn techniques to manage feelings of stuckness, low motivation, overwhelm, fear, frustration, distrust, and loneliness.
My education, professional experience, along with my own personal journey, allow me to treat people of diverse backgrounds and generations, immigration status, and ethnic, racial, and spiritual backgrounds. Changes can take time, and habits can be difficult to develop and/or unlearn. Healing is a dynamic process and there is no timeline. I am here to help you along your journey.
- I meet with clients in person and virtually.
Get to Know A Little Bit More About Me
I am a proud Mexican-American and Chicagoan, born and raised on the south-west side in a predominantly Mexican-immigrant neighborhood. I grew up as the oldest daughter in a mixed-status family. I am a native Spanish-speaker. I began my career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, being the first in my family to obtain my Bachelor’s degree. I majored in Latina/Latino Studies, where I found a true appreciation for my culture and an understanding of the history of Latinx people and the differing experiences that have led us to these moments in time. I later returned to my alma mater to obtain my Master of Social Work degree with an Advanced Clinical concentration and a focus in healthcare. I believe in order to provide the best support, it is essential to consider not just mental health needs, but also physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
My passion is giving back to the community that is so close to my heart. I find happiness in serving Latinx individuals, helping them heal and to help foster their strength, courage, and resilience.
My Specialties
My role is to provide a safe, non-judgmental, space for healing and allow my clients to show up as their authentic selves. I work primarily with Latinx folks to address depression, anxiety, grief, loss, and childhood trauma.