What is a Mental Health Consultant?
A blog series featuring the many faces of mental health.
After two decades in mental health I am still surprised by the different jobs my profession has. I also get asked often what therapy is, what kinds of therapy there are, what’s the difference between a counselor, a psychologist, a coach, a psychiatrist, a social worker, etc., what do mental health workers actually do, and where do mental health workers work?
I’ve held many different mental health jobs throughout my career, and now I’m going out and interviewing other mental health professionals to learn even more about what types of mental health care are out there so that you -whether you are seeking mental health services or are interested in a career in mental health- can get to know more about it, what resources are out there, and even get to know some of the amazing people doing this work
Vanessa Diaz is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Olympia, WA
Meet Vanessa Diaz, LMFT in Olympia, WA
What is your current role as a mental health professional in Washington?
Currently, I am an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant for a statewide program that partners with local organizations to assist with the emotional and social needs of children at daycares in Washington state. I am also starting my own private practice for individual and family therapy, Amanecer Therapy, offering telehealth to clients in Washington and California.
Where do you provide services?
Currently, as an IECMHC, I provide services in the Olympic Peninsula which covers Thurston County, South Mason County, and Grays Harbor County. I am based in Olympia but have offered services in all three counties.
What kind of services do you provide? Any special populations or certifications?
I provide mental health consultation for daycare sites, children at those sites as well as teachers and staff at those sites. IECMHC work is different than therapy in that we consider the site our "client" even if there is a specific child being referred.
As a therapist, I provide services in Spanish and English and have a specialization in working with Spanish-speaking clients.
How does your service help people live mentally healthy lives?
I like to think of mental health consultation as preventative services in many ways. The consultant assists with providing information about age-appropriate behaviors and responding with individualized plans for each focus child at sites. This service can prevent expulsion of the child at daycare and can also help the site with their program in addressing social and emotional needs of all children under their care, which is just as important or even more so than the educational emphasis of their programs.
What kind of people do you love working with?
I love working with parents, families and children. I am loving working with the "littles", or preschool age, because they are so open and welcoming when I visit their classrooms. I really like working with teens when I have done therapy. That developmental stage of identity formation is such a beautiful and painful part of life.
I ,of course, love working with Spanish-speaking communities and clients since I identify as Latina and have a specialization in working with Spanish-speakers.
In mental health, just having the language is really a miniscule part of providing services to the Latinx population, especially being faced with a culture that has stigmatized mental health. A mental health professional needs to be aware and comfortable with cultural considerations for all cultures that they are working with.
Why did you decide to become a mental health professional?
I really didn't know what I wanted to do outside of finishing college. I thought that a career would just land in my lap so it took a lot of self-exploration during the recession to figure out what I really wanted to do. When people would ask me, "Well what do you want to do?" after I wasn't able to settle into any one career in my 20s, I would frustratingly reply "I just want to help people!" It took me a few more years to realize what that career was and am so glad I found it. I went back to school, completed a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology and have not looked back since.
What do you wish people knew about services with you?
I wish people knew that my services as a mental health consultant are free and preventative. I give out my contact information and business card like candy and can probably count on my hand how many teachers or parents have actually given me a call.
The part of it being preventative too, it's really about addressing needs before they become problematic. I think all mental health professionals can relate to the stigma we face in this work but in mental health consultation, I think people have a hard time differentiating what I do in this role versus therapy.
What is your favorite way to take care of your mental health?
I am obsessed with fiber arts. I started knitting while I was in grad school as a way to pick up a hobby and focus on something other than studying, and really just to be able to sit down for longer than five minutes without compulsively getting up to be "productive". I have now taken my obsession to a new level by learning Tunisian crochet, "regular" crochet, and spinning.
Later this year I will be taking a fiber preparation class to learn how to prepare wool and hopefully in a few years I will have sheep to make all the yarn I could possibly want. Working with my hands, connecting with this ancient and traditional craft, making unique gifts for loved ones, and learning new techniques and sometimes failing brings me joy and a sense of purpose beyond being a mother, therapist, wife, etc.
How can people contact you to learn more about your services in Washington?
My email address is vanessadm.mft@gmail.com
What is your website address or online directory link?
You can find me on Psychology Today, my private practice is Amanecer Therapy
Vanessa is a bilingual mental health professional, currently working as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant and therapist in her own private practice. Vanessa has over 5 years of experience working in community mental health providing therapy and consultation to children, families, parents and teens and adults. She is a mother of two and currently lives in Olympia, WA where she moved with her family after growing up in California. Vanessa has a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in working with Spanish-speaking clients.If you are a mental health professional, or provide services that support mental health and wellbeing, and would like to be featured in this series, please fill out my contact form, or you can submit a form directly at: wellness-focused business or mental health practitioner.If you are looking for a mental health provider like the one featured above, or would like to start counseling services and connect with the message above, please reach out directly to the provider above.
If you are interested in trauma or relationship counseling for women in Tacoma, WA or online in Washington state, you can contact me, Katie Lorz, for a free 15-minute consultation. I will see if I can help, and if not, I will do my best to get you to someone who can. My goal is to help you find the mental health care you need to achieve your wellness goals.
