Community Highlights: Meet Denise Jauregui of Cultivando Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Jauregui.

Hi Denise, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am the oldest daughter of immigrant parents. I grew up in a predominantly Mexican town in Arizona and moved away from my family to study at Arizona State University when I was 18 years old. As the first in my family to go to college, I navigated through higher education with the support of friends, peers, professors, and internship mentors.

My family was supportive and encouraging, but they did not have the tools or experience of higher education, especially living in a country that they were adjusting to. I’m grateful for everyone along the way that has supported me, some with wisdom, encouragement, connections, or simply believing in me. Fast forward to the many years in school and time spent in the mental health field, I have the honor to work with people with similar backgrounds and support their journey as well. I obtained bachelor’s degrees in psychology and family/human development and then graduated with a Master’s degree in social work. As a mental health therapist, I use my professional and lived experiences, to empower people and communities to advocate for themselves, and their health (mental & physical), as well as help them reclaim their voice.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been an easy road. School came easy to me for the most part, but it also required a lot of sacrifices and dedication. The biggest struggles included making decisions regarding what higher education path to seek after my college degree. Being a first-generation college graduate, I was completely blinded by graduate-level education as I was the first in my group of friends to follow that path, but I pushed through the obstacles and lack of support that was familiar with navigating the graduate experience too.

Once I completed my master’s degree, I worked in different organizations as a mental health therapist using my first language to help bridge the gap with access to care for those who did not speak English. Eventually, I made the decision to branch out and started my own business – one of the biggest challenges yet! Cultivando Wellness continues to be a work in progress and I am excited for what is to come, especially the number of people and communities that we will be able to serve.

As you know, we’re big fans of Cultivando Wellness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Cultivando Wellness is an organization that strives to increase awareness about mental health and destigmatize the use of mental health services. We seek to educate, connect, and empower immigrant and indigenous communities, with a focus on the Latine community. We offer mental health services, community outreach, and education for businesses and other professionals in the medical field.

As a mental health therapist, I specialize in working with clients who have experienced trauma, anxiety disorders, and family conflict. The majority of my clients are children of immigrants, immigrants themselves, or identify as Latine or of indigenous backgrounds.

Cultivando Wellness also provides presentations on different mental health topics in order to continue educating communities on this growing issue with the goal of inspiring people to start taking charge of their mental health needs.

How do you define success?
I would define success the same way I defined success in my teen years – happiness.

To me, success is being happy with yourself, being emotionally confident and aware, and being free of fear about judgment or failure. Always a work in progress, as I strive to get there myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cultivandowellness.com
• Instagram: @cultivandowellness
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivandowellness/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisejauregui

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