Meet Clara Terrazas | LCSW/Psychotherapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clara Terrazas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clara, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
There are a few reasons why I decided that I needed to start my own business. I have been a social worker since 2008. I completed my bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in 2008 and my master’s degree also from Arizona State University in 2013. I have reached a point in my career where I feel that I need to take the “reins” of my work to continue to grow and develop as a professional. I have been very lucky over the years to have very good mentors who have helped me grow and develop as a professional, but at some point in my career, I started to become the mentor and the person helping others grow. It became a little bit scary to know that I had become “the expert” in the room, but it also gave me some perspective on how far I have come as a professional and how much I know now. I started to take little steps and did some side work last year. I got busy really fast seeing clients for an employee assistance program (EAP) and also collaborating with attorneys to do clinical evaluations for their clients. I realized that I could do it, I could actually work for myself.

The deciding factor for me was knowing that my son was about to start junior high and that I would no longer be able to take him to school every day because of my work schedule. I was already working until 7pm almost every night and missing so much time at home seeing my child grow. I decided that I was not going to miss more, and made the decision to leave my full-time job and take the leap into private practice earlier this year. I have to say it’s been the best decision I have made. I can now schedule my work around my family’s needs. It’s amazing.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I launched my private practice, Terrazas Counseling & Consulting, in 2023. I actually had my very first paying client on October 31, 2023, so I will be celebrating my first anniversary next month. For the past six years, I had been working primarily with Native American communities on a reservation in Arizona. I worked primarily with people who have experienced a lot of trauma in their lives. I was doing a lot of trauma work. I was working with people struggling with generational trauma, complex trauma, traumatic grief, sexual abuse… all types of trauma. Prior to that job, I was working in a shelter with unaccompanied minors traveling alone from South America. I was in charge of assessing and overseeing their mental health while in the shelter.

Today, in my private practice, my focus and expertise is primarily on treating trauma. Based on my experience and all of the research that we have now, we know that trauma leaves an emotional scar on people. Many times, we don’t even know that scar is there; we tend to forget events or brush them under the rug, but we feel it, and our bodies feel it. For a lot of the people that I work with, trauma can show up as anxiety or depression, or just emotional dysregulation. When I dig a little into their story, I find out that there have been multiple events in their past that may be triggering the symptoms they are struggling with today. I like to use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help them work through their traumatic memories. I love my job. I am very passionate about my work. I consider myself very lucky to have a job where I can help people through difficulties in their life and make a difference.

What sets me apart, I believe, is the work that I have done with trauma and the years of experience that I have. I am also a Latina and bilingual therapist, so I tend to attract a lot of Hispanic and BIPOC clients, which I love to work with.

The work that I do has not been easy for me to learn. As a therapist, you get to hear a lot of tough stories. You get to see, in my opinion, so many of the worst parts of humanity. But when I see people that are hopeful, beyond their struggles, people that continue to seek help and want to overcome and improve, that gives me hope and makes my job so worth it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Gosh, these days it’s all about the outdoors for me. I love being outside. I would probably show her some of the best hiking trails I have been to in the surrounding area, such as the Usery Mountain Regional Park, or the White Tank Mountains Park. To eat, I would probably take her to some of the most authentic sushi restaurants that I have tried recently: Shimagomo Japanese Restaurant, Icho Izakaya Japanese cuisine and Mensho Ramen (it’s primarily ramen, but delicious sushi as well).
For breakfast and coffee, I would probably take her to downtown Gilbert, my favorite area to be at on a Sunday morning. I love some delicious chilaquiles from Liberty Market, or some brunch at OHSO brewery. And of course, cannot forget to take her to Tacos Chihuas in downtown Mesa, where she will be able to try some authentic Chihuahuense cuisine!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to say, taking the leap into being your own boss and creating your own income, is a very scary thing to do. I could not have done it without the support and encouragement from my hubby and my twelve year old son. They have encouraged me and supported me along the way. There have been many times when I have been unsure if what I’m doing is the right decision, they have both been there to remind me of my goals and to let me know that I am not alone in this endeavor, and they got me. I am so very grateful for them.

Website: https://www.terrazascounseling.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrazas_counseling

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-terrazas-lcsw-5269662a0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Terrazas-Counseling-Consulting-PLLC/61556732394497/