About Me!
Hi there! I'm Claudia:)
I am a motivated Mental Health Professional advocate and wellness educator. My passion lies in advocating for mental health to be a priority and educating people on various wellness topics thereby transforming the culture surrounding mental health. I promote story-sharing to empower individuals to find pride in their journey and be their most authentic selves. I consider vulnerability to be my superpower, and I am constantly seeking ways to foster a deeper understanding and compassion for our fellow human beings.
I currently work as the Community Education Manager at NAMI Metro Suburban, where I lead a small and mighty team of young women. The majority of my work is done in Middle and High Schools within Cook County, where I teach a variety of mental health topics and share my personal recovery story. During my time at NAMI, I have developed and piloted two Social Emotional Learning programs, and I have served as a dedicated representative of our organization's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Initiative for over two years.​​
My Approach
"Be curious, not judgmental"
Embracing curiosity has been a healing component of managing the mental health conditions I deal with. ​One of my core values is lifelong learning, which urges me to be curious about human nature - the who, what, when, where, and whys of life. Exploring curiosity makes space for connection, understanding, and kindness, which is what our world is in need of.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, understand, and manage emotions in oneself and others. This concept challenges the standards in which intelligence is currently measured by. Ones' emotional quotient (EQ) is comprised of the following values. These values are the guiding principles that Encompassing Resilience leads with and promotes in its educational programs.
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Self Awareness
Self-Regulation
Empathy
Motivation
Social Skills
My Story
“Courage, the original definition of courage, when it first came into the English language — it's from the Latin word ‘cor’ meaning ‘heart’. And the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.”— Brené Brown, The Power of Vulnerability TED Talk