Meet Mayra Velazquez Rosario | Mental Health Therapist|Director of Counseling Services|Board Member|Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mayra Velazquez Rosario and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mayra, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
There was that law of life so cruel and so just which demanded that one must grow or else pay more for remaining the same. -Normal Mailer

This quote resonates with me as it helps me understand the importance of how pain helps us and it’s sometimes needed to grow. I enjoy how this quote brings a sense of “normalcy” to the emotional grow process that is so key in our development throughout life. When I find myself questioning the why of certain events, this quote helps me refocus and it allows me to let go of my frustrations.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I remember graduating from High School and not having a doubt in my mind I was meant to be a mental health therapist. I strongly believe that my personal values drove me to develop into the therapist I am today. My career started in community mental health and most recently I created OK Counseling inspired by other Latina business owners (in the mental health field) who encouraged me to explore the option of being my own boss. I chose the name “OK Counseling” as I wanted a brand word that was inclusive to community members from different backgrounds. Per wikipedia, OK “has been described as the most frequently spoken or written word on the planet”. I think is super cool that no matter where people come from, we can understand each other by saying the word “OK”.

My business is focused on serving first generation latinx adults as well as Spanish speaking adults in Colorado. Throughout my career, I have been proud to serve the underserved and use my experience as an immigrant to connect with people experiencing mental health challenges. My skills are unique in the sense of demonstrating humility and honoring the struggles of those who are less privileged than me. I feel passionate about empowering the Latinx community at feeling their best and breaking generational patterns.

So far, the biggest challenge in being a business owner has been navigating the unknown. Despite feeling confident about my skills as a mental health professional, there have been periods in which I doubted my ability to become a business owner as this was a new field for me. My hope is to leave the path open for other Bilingual and Latinx professionals to be fearless when embarking the mental health field and to plant seeds that might lead to change in our country.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a Colorado resident this might sound cli·ché but I love going to Red Rocks during periods where there are no events to escape the city, it’s such a magical place not far away from the Denver metro area that helps me disconnect and ground myself.

If I had enough time, I’d also go visit my favorite hot spring in Florence, CO (Desert Reef), take my dog on a walk downtown Idaho Springs and coffee at Convivio Cafe.

I find Louisville to be such a cute town, I always want to go walk around and eat at the Huckleberry!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I often find myself reflecting on the indirect lessons I learned growing up by observing those around me struggle and demonstrate strength. My shoutout goes to all the women in my life that were role models to me during my upbringing. First of all, my mother Melba L. Rosario Selles who demonstrates strong resilience consistently and does not stop being a caring mother. My grandmother, great grandmother, aunts, godmother and family friends who never gave up and modeled incredible strength, kindness and unconditional love. I think about all of them and my heart finds comfort in knowing they instilled invaluable strength in me during my upbringing.

Website: https://www.okcounseling.org

Instagram: ok.counseling

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayravelazquez