Donna Quiroz, LCSW, PMH-C, I/ECMH-C

I’m Donna Quiroz, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, and advocate for emotional wellness. I am a first-generation Mexican-American woman, and my personal experiences, cultural identity, and professional background influence the way I approach therapy.

For more than ten years, I have worked alongside children, families, and communities in nonprofit and early childhood settings. Much of my career has been spent supporting families facing economic hardship, systemic barriers, trauma, and major life transitions. Through my work in Head Start and Early Head Start programs, I have had the privilege of witnessing the strength, resourcefulness, and determination that exist within families, even during difficult seasons of life.

Over the years, I’ve sat with families during some of the hardest moments of their lives. I’ve also had the chance to witness incredible resilience, humor, love, and perseverance. Those experiences continue to shape the therapist I am today.

My experience spans work with children, adolescents, adults, parents, and couples. I support clients who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, parenting challenges, identity questions, life transitions, trauma, or feelings of being overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life.

I believe therapy begins with a genuine relationship. Many people come to therapy carrying responsibilities, expectations, and experiences that have shaped how they see themselves and interact with the world. Sometimes those experiences leave us feeling stuck, disconnected, or unsure of what comes next. Therapy offers an opportunity to better understand those patterns, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and consider new possibilities for yourself and your relationships.

As a bilingual therapist, I provide services in both English and Spanish. I understand the importance of being able to express yourself in the language that feels most natural. I also recognize the unique experiences many first-generation individuals, immigrants, and people of color carry, including balancing multiple cultural expectations, family responsibilities, and questions about identity and belonging.

Clients often describe my style as warm, approachable, and collaborative. I don’t see therapy as a place where someone comes to be fixed. Instead, I view it as a conversation and a process of discovery. Together, we work to understand what is contributing to your current struggles, identify patterns that may no longer be serving you, and build on the strengths you already possess.

My work is informed by psychodynamic, attachment-focused, relational, trauma-informed, and strengths-based perspectives. While practical tools and coping strategies can be helpful, I also believe there is value in understanding the deeper experiences that influence how we relate to ourselves and others. Often, lasting change comes from both insight and action.

I have specialized training in infant and early childhood mental health, parent-child relationships, perinatal mental health, family systems, and trauma-informed care. In addition to my clinical work, I have spent years in leadership roles supporting family engagement and mental health services within early childhood programs. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the many pressures individuals and families face while trying to care for themselves and those they love.

The name of my practice, Semillas de Esperanza Therapy, means “Seeds of Hope.” It was inspired by a proverb often attributed to Mexican culture: “They tried to bury us, but they forgot we were seeds.”

I’ve always carried that saying with me because it captures something I have witnessed again and again in my work and in my own life. People survive things they never imagined they would survive. They adapt, rebuild, grieve, learn, and keep moving forward, even when the path is difficult.

Over the years, I’ve sat with children, parents, couples, and individuals during some of their most painful moments. I’ve also had the privilege of watching people discover strengths they didn’t know they had. The proverb reminds me that growth doesn’t happen because life was easy. Sometimes growth happens because we find a way to keep going despite the challenges.

That spirit of hope, resilience, and possibility is what I hope to bring into my work with every client.

Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your child, your relationship, or your family, I am honored that you are considering therapy. Reaching out for support can be difficult, but you do not have to figure everything out on your own.

I look forward to meeting you and learning more about your story.

• Donna Quiroz, LCSW, PMH-C, I/ECMH-C