Wellness Wave Wisdom

  What It Looks Like, Why It’s Hard to Talk About, and How to Get Help By Citlalli (Lali) Mendoza Citlalli (Lali) Mendoza is a bilingual (Spanish/English) graduate student in SDSU's Community Based Block (CBB) Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice Education Program. Raised in San Diego on Kumeyaay land, Lali grew up as the oldest kid in a mixed-status family and understands the complexities of navigating both cultural and societal expectations. He earned their BA from Harvard in Psychology with a minor in Latine Studies and has dedicated their career to supporting marginalized communities, especially trans and queer BIPOC individuals.  Intimate partner violence (IPV) is any pattern of behaviors a partner uses to gain power and control—physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, digital, or financial. It happens in all communities, including LGBTQIA+ relationships. National data show IPV is common across the U.S., and sexual and gender minority people can face equal or...

By Rachel Benson, LMFT Rachel received her Masters's Degree in Counseling Psychology and specialized in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) with Distinction. She is originally from Hong Kong, and she speaks several languages, including Cantonese and Mandarin. Rachel is certified in Brainspotting, and trained in Play Therapy, sand tray therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Gottman Couples Therapy . When we think about substance abuse treatment, we often imagine talk therapy, counseling sessions, support groups, or 12-step programs. While these traditional approaches are essential, many people are surprised to learn that play therapy can also be an effective and transformative component of substance abuse treatment. Play therapy offers a less intimidating and more accessible pathway for individuals who struggle to express their emotions verbally. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2024), an estimated 48.3 million people aged 12 or older exp...