You can break free from guilt, exhaustion, and people-pleasing—
without fear of letting others down or losing the relationships that matter most.
Monica Jurado Kelly, LCSW-S (she/her)
Providing inclusive therapy for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ adults in Texas & Virginia.
You’ve spent years putting everyone else first, afraid that choosing yourself means disappointing or losing the people you love.
You want to set boundaries without guilt, feel more at peace in your relationships, and finally build a life that feels like yours—but you’re not sure how.
That’s exactly why I do this work.
Therapy with me isn’t about “fixing” you—
because you were never broken.
It’s about making space for you to finally breathe, rest, and be seen in all your complexity. You’ve spent so long holding everything together for everyone else—here, you don’t have to. Therapy with me isn’t about flipping your life upside down or cutting people off. Instead, it’s about finding a way forward that honors both your relationships and yourself.
You’ve read the self-help books, listened to the podcasts, maybe even tried therapy before—but something was missing. The advice felt surface-level, like it was written for someone else. It told you to “just set boundaries” without acknowledging the terror of disappointing the people you love. It told you to “let go of guilt” without understanding how deeply it’s woven into your relationships, your upbringing, and the unspoken rules you were raised with.
That’s where I come in. I don’t just offer strategies—I offer real healing that honors the complexity of your experience. You don’t have to explain everything—I already understand the weight of culture, family, and expectations. And when you do need to share, you’ll be met with warmth, curiosity, and validation. Therapy with me isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s a space where all of you is seen, honored, and deeply understood.
You Deserve to Be Seen—in All Your Complexity.
I don’t believe in “blank slate” therapy. You won’t find cold, clinical detachment here—I bring my full self into our sessions, because healing happens in real connection.
My approach is shaped not just by my training, but by my lived experience as a daughter of a Mexican immigrant, a lifelong people-pleaser learning to put myself first, and a queer woman who didn’t fully step into her identity until her 30s. I know what it’s like to navigate cultural expectations, the weight of family sacrifices, and the fear of disappointing the people you love.
As a social worker and therapist, my training goes beyond mental health—I’ve been taught to see the whole picture. That means we don’t just look at your thoughts and feelings in isolation—we consider the systems, history, and culture that shape your experience. We honor the wisdom of your ancestors, the strength of your communities, and the complexity of your personal story. Therapy with me isn’t just about coping—it’s about liberation, healing, and coming home to yourself.
Clients often tell me that, for the first time in therapy, they don’t feel like they have to justify why setting boundaries is so hard. I just get it. You won’t have to filter yourself or overanalyze your feelings here. Whether you’re laughing at the absurdity of your people-pleasing tendencies or sitting in the weight of what it’s cost you, I’ll meet you there—without judgment, without expectations, just with you.
Specializing in:
Experience & Education
Degrees
Master of Social Work, Arizona State University, 2010
Bachelor of Social Work, Arizona State University, 2009
Licensure
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-S) | Texas BHEC, License #56485 | Board-Approved Supervisor
Trainings and Certifications
EMDR Basic Training + Advanced EMDR Coursework
Foundations of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Ego States – Specialized training in Parts Work
Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method Certification
Navigating Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation
The Art of Clinical Supervision
Racial Justice Reading Group
Anti-Diet Work as Death Work
Foundations in Chicanx Psychology
Ready to Put Yourself on the List?
You’ve spent so much time showing up for everyone else.
Let’s talk about what support can look like for you.
My Approach, My Values, My Commitment to You
Healing is not one-size-fits-all.
Your experiences are unique, and therapy should reflect that. Together, we’ll find approaches that honor your culture, identity, and lived experience.
You are neither “too much” or “not enough.”
Every part of you—your feelings, your fears, your strengths—deserves space here. You don’t have to shrink yourself to be worthy of care.
The systems around us matter.
Your struggles don’t exist in a vacuum. We’ll look beyond just self-blame and unpack how culture, history, and systemic forces have shaped your experience.
Laughter and healing can coexist.
Therapy is deep, but it doesn’t have to feel heavy all the time. We’ll hold space for the hard stuff and the moments of joy, relief, and even humor.
Having boundaries doesn’t equal disconnection.
You can honor your relationships and yourself. Therapy isn’t about cutting people off—it’s about finding a way forward that feels right for you.
Why Ascend?
I named my practice Ascend Counseling + Wellness because healing isn’t just about surviving—it’s about rising. Inspired by the mythology of the Phoenix, I believe that therapy can help you break free from guilt, people-pleasing, and the weight of others’ expectations—so you can step into a life that finally feels like yours.
In our work together, we’ll honor where you’ve been, release the narratives that no longer serve you, and build the confidence to create relationships that feel balanced and fulfilling.
You don’t have to stay stuck. You can rise. And I’m here to help you get there.