Meet Viridiana Zendejas | Bilingual Psychotherapist

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

Hi Viridiana, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I see risk taking as a necessary part of life, especially when it comes to my career. Taking risks has invited me to sit with discomfort in order to grow as a person and professional. To me, taking risks also means being open to feedback, changing course when needed, and trusting that I can navigate uncertainty without having full control over outcomes.

However, risk taking is not the same as decisions that don’t align with my values. Part of risk taking is also knowing when to step away from something that feels unsafe. Unsafety creates harm. I’ve felt uncomfortable when I have been invited to do a podcast interview or to network events with other business women. Though uncomfortable, these healthy risk-taking opportunities have led to personal and professional growth. I have gained self-confidence, personal connections, and expanded my business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the owner of Generaciones Counseling, a bilingual mental health private practice in Arizona and Utah providing therapy services to Latine individuals navigating family expectations, generational trauma, and the otherness often experienced when raised in spaces that don’t feel like their own.

When I formed Generaciones Counseling, I knew my mission was going to be centered on creating spaces where people could heal, discover, and feel empowered in building their own life path while also integrating bits of their culture and family that made their childhood so memorable.

When I reflect on my mission, I realize how much of my professional work is centered on my own personal experiences of not feeling like I fully belonged in spaces growing up. I often found myself being the only Latina, the only woman, the only Spanish-speaker, or the youngest. I was born in the United States but my Mexican heritage set me apart from my other American friends. I spoke Spanish but integrating English words into my sentences made me “less proficient”. I grew up in two cultures but somehow neither one fully described my lived experiences.

There’s so much healing being in communities that embrace you for who you are, as you are. What I’ve learned along the way is that people want to belong, feel valued, heard, and appreciated. That’s precisely what I’m most proud of; building a community with all the parts that represent me and empowering others to create their own community with their values, traditions, and identities that represent their lived experiences.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Lunch in the city, sitting in a restaurant outdoor patio, seeing people walk by trying to guess where they’re headed next. Best friend and I are catching up on life, accomplishments, latest adventures, and without a doubt, talking about some of life’s biggest challenges. Not necessarily to complain but to honor and uplift each other.

We’d definitely catch a few live sporting events. Laughing, cheering, getting frustrated at a referee with other strangers that just for this three-hour game, take on the role of a close unnamed friend with a shared interest in this game. We don’t ask personal questions but still get community from everyone around us.

Finally, a scenic hike or an outdoor adventure would complete the trip. Witnessing views greater than our imaginations could fathom, making us realize there’s so much out there we have yet to explore. This is where we’d plan our next best friend trip; something we’d both look forward to as it brings more connection and memories.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my Shoutout to my parents, brother, sisters, and my mentors who believed in me way before I even knew what I was capable of. And a special shoutout to my clients who trust me with their stories and take a risk in doing vulnerable work.

Website: https://www.gencounseling.net/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viridiana-zendejas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/generacionescounseling