By Christina Fernández-Morrow, JEFAS Magazine
Antonia Valadez spent years attuned to those around her; first as a survival strategy in an abusive marriage, now as one of the few bilingual and bicultural therapists in the Des Moines metro area. Valadez draws from lessons gained through her personal trauma to provide culturally informed care, demonstrating that sometimes our deepest wounds lead to our greatest victories.
From an early age, Valadez was reading the room. With no siblings and surrounded by adults most of the time, she learned to pay attention. “It was really important as an only child to know the mood of the people that were around me to know how to navigate that situation,” she recalls of her childhood. “If you know how people work, you know how to approach, when to approach, and in what way to approach.” It’s no wonder she pursued an undergraduate degree in psychology. “It was about understanding people. I’m a very curious person,” she says of her early days doing social work.
While the work was fulfilling, Valadez quickly realized that it would not afford her the income or time she needed to raise her family. She also knew she needed more than a bachelor’s degree if she wanted to escape a dangerous marriage. This realization propelled her back to school, determined to build a safer future for herself and her sons.
The Need for Bilingual Mental Health Care
She chose a master’s in mental health therapy because she also recognized the need for bilingual therapists is severe in Des Moines, where Latinos are nearly 16% of the population but face significant barriers to mental health care. Language barriers, cultural stigma, and a shortage of Spanish-speaking providers compound the problem.
It took years to complete her degree as she prepared to build a new life for herself and her sons, while working a variety of jobs. “It’s really hard to leave and if one has not been in such a situation. It’s easy to say, well just leave,” she shares. “But there are so many factors to consider.” She describes the financial, emotional, and logistical challenges involved. Where will I go? Can I bring my teenage son to a woman’s shelter? Will I be safer in an alternate living arrangement? Are there services to help me rebuild if I leave everything behind? What will happen to my elder parent I care for if I leave?
Those types of questions weighed on Valadez as she prepared to escape her marriage. It took years to gather the courage, strength and resources to file for divorce and start over again. There were sacrifices and countless nights of sleeplessness wondering if she and her boys would be OK. She learned that no one can operate on someone else’s timeline, no matter how dire the circumstances. Valadez intimately understands the importance of timing when seeking help. “It can’t be an obligation,” she says… Click here to read the full feature on JEFAS Magazine
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