Fatima Cervantes

The journey to transform self-betrayal and self-abandonment into self-trust and self-love requires honesty and deep compassion for every part of ourselves and our stories. My mental health practice and my view of the world is largely informed by the belief that shame is NEVER an access point to growth, but rather, a paralyzer that keeps us stuck repeating the same cycles we might so desperately want to escape. My hope is to serve those who are frozen by shame and who see this play out in self-doubt and acts of self-betrayal, such as:

1. Substance use that brings painful consequences and actions incompatible with held values

2.Always taking the role of the “Pursuer” in romantic relationships and repeatedly finding yourself in dynamics where your effort is not reciprocated and your needs for consistency, time spent together, or commitment are not met. Additionally, being unable to communicate your needs explicitly despite desiring a committed partnership.

3. Taking on familiar responsibilities due to guilt despite these crossing your boundaries or inhibiting your own vision of what you want for your life.

My goal is to take a non-pathologizing approach that asks the questions, “Why is there pain and how did it come to form?” My work is informed by the modality Internal Family Systems and, as such, we will observe and embrace every “part” of you–those that feel good and those that feel “bad”–as completely natural and understandable byproducts of your story. I use a deep focus on the body as a source of messages and valuable information with the belief that returning to the body can offer an access point to healing the Self.