One of the very first things I remember about Vanessa Flores when we first met is her unflappable desire to create the world she envisions. And after nearly five years of collaborating on various projects, that desire seems to have only strengthened. Her desire to build a world where vulnerability is welcome, differences are celebrated, risks are taken, and failure is seen as a necessary part of growth is fundamental to every facet of her work. She continues to be an embodiment of living her values, and it’s her conviction and devotion to her vision that I am continually grateful to be a part of.

So without further delay, let me introduce you to this incredible woman who I am honored to call a client and a friend.

Vanessa Flores is a Licensed Clinical Therapist (LCSW-S, CDWF, EMDR Trained), entrepreneur, and the founder of Colors of Austin Counseling, Brave & Well, and SocialNote, all groundbreaking companies that make mental health services more accessible and equitable.

A second generation LatinX woman, Vanessa has spent a large portion of her career in pediatric hospitals and schools working with children, teens, and families of underserved communities. She dreams of a world that embraces peace, justice, and equity, where access to basic needs is not a privilege, but a birthright, and where we embrace the art of slow and have the audacity to take what we need when we need it.

While Vanessa worked to bring that vision to life through her private practice, she knew that expanding into the world of business was the best route to bring mental health resources to more people who needed access to them.

But Vanessa had no business experience and felt as if she stood at a crossroads: should she stick with her private practice, seeing clients 1-on-1, or should she take the leap to reach more people and bring her vision to life where she would have the capacity to serve more communities if she built a diverse team of dedicated clinicians? Like many of us who have stood at that crossroads before, expansion felt risky and she was unsure if it would work. She was also afraid of losing all her hard-earned money only to invest it in an area where success wasn’t guaranteed.

Ultimately, she decided it was worth it to take the risk to build a group practice and more firmly step into her role as the dreamer, the expander. Once she knew this was the route she wanted to take, she also acknowledged that she needed help putting all of her ideas into action, and the prospect of doing it alone overwhelmed her. She knew she needed a partner who understood her vision and could help her turn those dreams into a roadmap for success, to let her know that it was possible, and that no dream is too big.

And serendipitously, that’s when we met! Over coffees at Mañana in Austin, Texas, we discussed Vanessa’s vision, goals, and how to make those inspiring plans a reality. That was the beginning of a long, beautiful working relationship and thought partnership.

When I asked about her impressions of our first meeting, she told me, “You never once tried to talk me out of anything. Instead, you talked me into every way it would happen. I left that meeting feeling on top of the world. I left feeling that for the first time, this Mexican girl from the South who grew up in poverty and penny pinched my way through grad school, was finally going to make a dream a reality and without question, I knew I had to work with you.”

Over the years, we have mostly worked together with the Soulful Support model and have found a rhythm that allows Vanessa to take power in her role as the visionary, and also that honors her role as mother to her daughter, 1-year-old Naya.

“It gives me space and room to breathe, take a break from my work, dream more and reach out when I’m ready to jump back in,” says Vanessa. “I have so much on my plate as a business owner and now a new mom that I don’t always have it in me to be working on something 24/7. I have realized that there are seasons when I’m just not able to push through and the Soulful Support offering allows me to put myself first while knowing that I can always reach out and get the support I need. I also think that it puts the onus back on me if there is something I really want to do. It’s not [Maggie’s] job to get me to prioritize my dreams, it’s mine. It’s all on me. It’s the nudge I need to get sh** done.”

As her companies grow, Vanessa’s vision for equitable mental health care continues to evolve. As Vanessa has grown as a business owner, she sinks deeper and deeper into her superpowers that allow her to connect with people on a deep level.

“I like to believe that I am a natural born helper which has translated to me becoming a healer,” Vanessa recently told me. “My superpower is vulnerability, and it is also my kryptonite. I feel deeply with others and I do believe it is what has brought me to this field of mental health. As a child, I remember wishing I had permission to feel, to ask for help, to be vulnerable. I didn’t know that was an option. So, here I am. Building a life centered around what I once needed myself.”

By tapping into that vulnerability and compassion while balancing it with support and thought partnership, Vanessa continues to create high-quality services and products that ultimately give others a sacred space to be seen, heard, and valued while honoring all the parts of them that exist along with those that came before them.

I am continually grateful to be able to support Vanessa and her big, bold, audacious dreams. What she is doing within the mental health community is nothing short of extraordinary. I can’t wait to see where she takes this work in the future to continue creating the world of peace, justice, and equity that she envisions.