To the therapists navigating grief that hides in the shadows—

The loss that can’t be named for fear of judgment.The ache of identity denied, the goodbye never given space.The mourning wrapped in confidentiality, legality, or survival.

At Tree of Life Counseling Center, we are guided by a deep commitment to justice, empowerment, and healing. As part of our ongoing efforts to make mental health care more accessible, culturally competent, and equitable, we are proud to introduce our Clinical Director, Alyssa Cedillo LPC-S, RPT-S. Alyssa is a leader dedicated to challenging oppressive systems and creating spaces for collective liberation. In this blog post, we’ll share more about the values, mission, and vision that shape our work under her leadership.

At Tree of Life Counseling Center (TLCC), we are deeply committed to fostering the next generation of healers. Through our graduate student program, we offer individuals a unique opportunity to receive counseling services from bright, passionate students in their clinical mental health programs. Under the supervision of licensed professionals and faculty, these students provide high-quality, compassionate care to our community.

ICE raids are not routine. They are not “just part of the system.”

Las redadas de ICE no son rutinarias. No son “parte del sistema”.

They are state-sanctioned violence—dehumanizing, destabilizing, and traumatic.

Son violencia avalada por el estado—deshumanizante, desestabilizadora y traumática.

Mental health matters—for all of us. At Tree of Life Counseling Center, we know that healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in relationships—with people, with the land, with community, and sometimes, with the quiet (or not-so-quiet) presence of animals.

I did not enter the mental health field with ease—I fought my way in. The journey was not just about acquiring degrees, credentials, or professional titles. Initially it was about survival and a relationship with capitalism and colonialism I had to work my way through, with little guidance from institutions of learning or empathy.

Understanding the difference between signs and symptoms is foundational in mental health work, yet these concepts are often shaped by cultural context.

The recent actions by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) and the Texas LPC Board represent a disturbing turn in the mental health field. These bodies have chosen to align themselves with harmful, regressive ideologies that threaten the very communities we are committed to serving. Despite overwhelming opposition from mental health professionals, the board has opted to whitewash our professional standards and engage in a culture war.

The concept of masculinity refers to a social construct with some basis in human physiology. However, how we define what is masculine depends on several cultural and historical contexts.

I watch as those in power shamelessly parade themselves as the saviors of America while deepening the dystopian reality they’ve crafted.

Those who see you for what you are didn’t fall for it a hundred times before, and you won’t force us to now.

“As I prepare to travel to Houston today, I can't shake the feeling that I'm walking straight into a hornet's nest. I'm traveling alone as a brown-bodied woman through Texas—a state with a troubling history of police brutality—for a DEI award on a weekend marked by unrest. To top it off, I’ll be accepting the award in front of a room full of white bodies.