Amiga Moms Founding Story
In November of 2018, I worked for an agency doing in-home therapy for at risk youth and families. Although children were my primary clients, I obviously had much interactions with the mothers as well. One day after arriving at a home of a Spanish-speaking client, the mom broke down in frustration but also some relief as she seemed to truly need the space to "let it all out." Once leaving the home I thought, "I'm spending one hour a week with the kids. But if no one is helping these moms, what good am I doing?"That is how the concept of Amiga Moms was born.
Within 6 months of that visit I created the Amiga Moms' name, logo, launched on social media, and held a sold out conference taking place in May 2019. That year Amiga Moms had an in person event each month until the end of the year.
Amiga Moms hosted virtual events throughout 2020 and 2021, and finally pivoted back to in person events in 2022.
Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC
Just like other moms, my world is non-stop: helping my son with homework, driving him to extracurricular activities, playing with my infant daughter, and in between trying to cook dinner a few times a week (although that doesn’t always happen). I love spending time with my family which includes my goldendoodle who is also a certified therapy dog. I enjoy finding mindful moments throughout my day to slow down and fit in self-care... like hopping on the Peloton, salsa dancing, and drinking coffee while it's still hot.
Professionally I'm a former teacher and school counselor turned Licensed Therapist with over 20 years of experience working with thousands of children and families. My private practice and my podcast are both called FREE TO BE MINDFUL as I truly believe mindful living is the foundation to reducing the overwhelm and finding joy in life. I focus on mindful living, mental health and personal growth in these elements as well as in public speaking engagements. My insights as a therapist and educator have been featured on the Today Show, Univision, Parents Latina and many other national publications.
My life's passion is helping kids and moms not lose their cool, and specifically helping moms find a balance between traditional "old school" parenting vs. modern day styles of parenting while keeping cultural values in mind - this was also part of "my why" in founding Amiga Moms. As a first generation Dominican-American mom of a young child, I understand firsthand the stressors mothers face with balancing cultural expectations and career success.