Connect
To Top

Meet Dr. Monique Aguirre of Resilient Counseling, Wellness & Psychological Services

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Monique Aguirre.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I began my journey as a model, I transitioned into being a public speaker until a good friend of mine expressed to me how I should consider going back to school for Masters in Counseling Psychology. After taking her advice, I found my passion in working with young adults more so than I had before in a different way. I have always worked with teens and young adults, however not with those where the focus was to help with mental illness. However, after doing community service, wrap-around service I decided to open my own practice. My practice is for both young adults as well as adults, who have mental health concerns. I now help people to understand that “Mental Hygiene:” is the key in maintaining peace of mind, a healthier outlook on life and how to live life with less stress. In knowing that mental health is growing in all communities, I realized I wanted to become effective in a greater way, therefore, I moved forward with a goal to work within populations of disparities in the area of mental health.

In 2012, I decided to return to school to obtain my DrPH (Doctorate of Public Health). I completed my doctoral studies November 2018. Public Health is a field that you can focus on vast areas of health. By concentrating on mental health, community health, health communication and health disparities, public health law, regulations and policies; I felt I would reach more people and have the opportunity to address more issues for communities at large. Resilient CWPS, LLC is not only a business that is focused on the individual care, our goal is focused to improve, as well as enlighten community health.

Bridging mental health and public health together is ideal for Resilient CWPS. Overall, it is the doorway to educating communities on the effects of mental health; how to obtain help, how to overcome the stigmas that have been embedded by family members, addressing areas that are being pushed to the side such as abusive relationships, forms of PTSD, mental health & chronic illness, along with other topics that honestly can help someone live healthier and longer.

Although I have been in business since 2017, I feel as if this is now the beginning of a break-through by expanding the possibilities of reaching more people, educating communities and addressing “Mental Hygiene” overall.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road and I am constantly looking to grow, change, and brand both Resilient CWPS and Dr. Mo Speaks. Every person with a goal to be an entrepreneur must ask the question “WHY?” and provide themselves with an honest answer. By doing this one thing, will determine how you travel your road of bumps, bruises, heights and falls. It is not easy by far and as you grown your goal grows and changes as well. It is not easy by far, and as you grow; your goal(s) grow and change as well.  Becoming a therapist was not just for me to go to school, there are other steps you must take to practice, and to build your clientele. I am not where I would like to be but knowing that I have recently completed my DrPH, I am striking out now to grow aggressively. With the rise of mental health issues, it is important that treatment is available and it is important to educated communities about mental health and the range of issues that are associated with it.

Challenges from my past up until now are helping to open the eyes of others and to understand what mental health is, how to address it as well as how to bring the message outside of an office space into communities at large. Learning the “how to”, has also been hard for me. That is how to get into the school systems, how to work with communities (churches, community centers, corporations and small business); these areas I am constantly working on by making calls, and sending emails. I however encourage myself as I do for others by saying if this mountain does not move, find a way to go around it or over to get the task done.

Please tell us about Resilient Counseling, Wellness & Psychological Services.
Resilient CWPS is different because as I started off as being a company solely working as a therapist and having one-on-one client sessions, I have now reached out by not only including teaching life skill techniques but striving for higher goals, which include population health, community health communications and health diparities. Resilient CWPS, LLC, not only strives to have quality individual and group sessions, the goal now is to reach communities, addressing population health by bringing education into areas that would not otherwise receive it. Our motto has not changed, Resilient CWPS strives to help each person to understand they can bend with problems but we don’t want you to break because of your issues. Daily affirmations via texts are given as well. It is important to let people know they are thought of, that they matter, that they are not just another body in your office. Furthermore, we now bring that same passion into community setting by providing public health education about mental health.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
There have been several lessons learned in this journey I am walking. I now operate in the manner of a marathon and not a race. I have also learned that hard work, and faith brings you out of a pigeon hole for greater things. In the beginning after Grad school, I learned more about the real-life of treatments, diagnosis and the ABC’s of the basics in the fieldwork (the things that are not taught in school). As I continue to grow, I know I will continue to learn lessons that will help me along the way, as for now each day is a learning experience that I welcome with open arms.

I have also learned there are silent killers when dealing with mental health. It is important to understand how to acknowledge and work with depression, how to relieve and/or reduce stress, and how to understand the serious medical issues that are caused by them and more.

Contact Info:

Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in