Meet Bridget Sanchez | Therapist & Founder of Latinx Therapist Project

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

Hi Bridget, what makes you happy? Why?
This is one of my favorite topics to discuss. As a mental health therapist and as a person who has mental health conditions, chronic health conditions I have pondered the topic of happiness for many years and feel I have really been able to grasp a good definition of happiness. For me, happiness isn’t simply a good feeling but a sense of intention that comes from moving in the direction of what is important to you and alinging yourself with what matters to you.

What makes me happy is knowing I am building a nonprofit that is fulfilling a life goal of mine which is to help reduce therapy healthcare disparities among Latinx community. What brings me happiness is helping people find healing through the therapy work I do. Happyness for me is being able to surround myself with and connect with people who make my life special and meaningful- my family, friends, community.

Even during the days that my chronic illness is debilitating or when my mental health is not the best I recenter myself by remembering happiness isn’t a good transient feeling but intentional living in what matters to me.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I founded a 501(c)3 nonprofit called Latinx Therapist Project that is dedicated to increasing therapist serving the Spanish speaking Latinx community. There is such a huge health care disparity among this population especially when it comes to mental health care providers servicing them. Our nonprofit is the only organization in the nation that is solely dedicated to increasing Latinx therapists in the mental health field through strategic initiatives. I am so incredibly proud of the work we are doing and also very excited to see how our organization makes changes in communities and in individual’s lives!

Starting this nonprofit was definitely not easy. The biggest barrier to starting this organization was dealing with this idea of “who do I think I am”? There are so many incredible people doing amazing things and there is usually some sense of “well that is them” “they have something special”. You feel you have to be “worthy” enough to start something like this and overcoming the self-doubt and believing in your mission, purpose is half the battle. As long as you believe in your mission, vision and ability to get your organization to where it needs to be you can overcome the challenges that come your way.

Our nonprofit has an especially important meaning as it was inspired by all of the people met along the way that was in need of mental health care but was unable to access it due to lack of Latinx behavioral health providers that spoke Spanish and understood their culture. People that come to mind are individuals I’ve worked with that had to deal with mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia for 25 + years living in suffering everyday due to not having access to any therapist that spoke Spanish. People such as my family, my parents, and myself that had to deal with this trauma surviving generations.

This organization is dedicated to all of the lives impacted by trauma, loss especially those who were unable to survive their journey and those we’ve lost along the way due to mental illness such as my cousin Paul. May you memory always live in our hearts Paul and know you have inspired this journey.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shout out my incredible supportive community of loved ones! Without their daily check-ins, encouragement, support, prayers, humor in my life I could not do this journey called life.

I would also like to shout out all of the incredibly brave people who have shared their testimonies of suffering, healing as your stories have inspired my vision of bringing healing to others.

I would also like to thank all of my teachers, mentors who instilled hope and belief that I was capable of accomplishing the things I am doing now. Without you my story would have turned out very differently than it is now..

Also, shoutout to The Shoutout series who allows us to connect and share our stories with eachother and continue connecting and inspiring!

Website: https://www.latinxtherapistproject.org/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latinx-therapist-project/

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

Image Credits
Joy Hosteller Karen Bello