Jorge Meza

I don't remember growing up and ever saying I wanted to become a therapist. However, after taking a class on psychology, I became fascinated by the human experience. It unlocked an insatiable curiosity for why people behave the way they do. For years, I became so focused on how others acted and felt that it didn't occur to me that I also needed to look inward. With more self reflection and battles with my own mental health, I grew into a person that could sit down with people who were in pain. It wasn't until later, that I realized my own suffering instigated an ability to experience other people's feelings deeply and help them overcome hardships. In therapy we call this empathy and corrective experiences. Many friends and family would often tell me I was a good listener, brought a calming presence and, more often than not, it was good enough for them to feel better.
 
I have no doubt that my early childhood and adolescent experiences played a a huge part in my decision to pursue this career. I am an immigrant from Mexico who moved to and grew up in San Jose, CA at the sole age of 1. I lived in a multi-generational home with many family members trying to adapt and reinvent themselves. My family was hard-working and modeled perseverance during trying times. I'm grateful for how resilient I became but I also latched onto the one thing that I felt could break the cycle of poverty for me. Education. I knew that embracing school would be the beacon of my opportunity.

I've embraced that education is not just a credential for me but a survival strategy during my formative years. I've found resolve knowing that I created a way to deal with feelings but I'm also very aware that personal growth is ongoing and never linear. I wear many hats in my life and being a therapist gives me the chance to help others find their own resolve and resilience. 

People often know they're experiencing struggle but sometimes they don’t know why. I strive to be someone who sits alongside you as you open up your "backpack of emotions." During that process, I hope to show you, through our relationship and communication, that you are capable of overcoming difficult experiences in order to create new ones that will translate over to your daily life.