Lina Guerrero

MPA, LMSW, LCDC | THERAPIST SUPERVISED BY ESPERANZA GARIBAY, LCSW

Base Rate: $150/60-minute billable counseling session (53+ minutes of service) Accepts Insurance

Pronouns: She/Her

LMSW LICENSE NO. 112785

LCDC LICENSE NO. 17104

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Lina IS PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED TO SUPPORT

Teens and adults who have experienced various forms of trauma and/or are navigating challenging life stages.
Individuals who drink and/or use substances who are curious about their relationship with those substances, cutting down, sobriety, and/or recovery.
People who work within or have been impacted by the justice system, policy work, administrative systems, nonprofit agencies, and/or helping professions.
Those who want a different relationship with their bodies, emotions, and the people around them.

why I do this work

Becoming a therapist was never a part of my life bingo card. In fact, I like to say that this work chose me and not the other way around! For most of my life, I never felt I “fit” in the boxes that others and the world tried to fit me in. I was one of the only Brown kids on the swim team. I had curly hair instead of straight. I watched the Food Network and Discovery Channel instead of Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. I’ve always been a curious, nerdy, and empathetic person who questioned why people and the world are the way they are, and I deeply *felt* my way through life in beautiful, and often overwhelming, ways.

My original plan during undergrad was to go to law school. However, after interning in an immigration and employment law firm, I saw firsthand the contradictions of our legal, political, and social systems, primarily how they can protect people in some ways but oftentimes can severely harm in others. I continued to see this trend through my experiences over the last 7 years working in violence intervention, the criminal legal system, restorative justice, community health, substance use recovery, and mental health spaces. Additionally, I discovered I am neurodivergent as an adult, and this journey validated much of my life’s experiences of feeling misunderstood. All these experiences made me passionate about the intersections of healing and health within the traumatic systems in which we all live, and it’s truly an honor and privilege to hold space for individuals to be seen, heard, and valued.

APPROACH TO THERAPY

My approach to therapy is guided by these core values:

There’s no such thing as a bad person. Everyone is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done, and every person is not a problem to be solved.
Multiple truths can exist within the same time, place, and person. We are all complex and paradoxical beings living in a complex and paradoxical world.
Everything comes down to relationships and interconnectedness with ourselves and others.

You deserve a therapeutic space that’s wholly yours, where you don’t feel a problem to be solved, are the expert in your healing, can embrace your complexities, and cultivate relationships with yourself and others aligned with your values. I’m simply there as a passenger and collaborator on your therapy journey that can facilitate skills from dialectical behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, connecting to your body and nervous system through somatic and polyvagal methods, engaging curiosity and humor through play therapy, and challenging inner and outer narratives through narrative therapy.

education

I received my Bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Spanish from Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, my Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Adler University, and my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

personal

I was born and raised in Austin and moved back to the city last year after living in Maryland, Kansas City, and Chicago over the last ten years. Outside of work, I love to enjoy the arts by seeing plays in the local theater community, supporting local musicians, practicing my painting skills, and going Latin dancing when I can. I also relish reading a good book, swimming one to three times a week, traveling, and snuggling with my senior Chihuahua mix, Gonzalo.

Favorite place in Austin: Deep Eddy Pool.

Favorite Saturday afternoon activity: Catching up on my shows and napping on the couch with my grumpy chihuahua, Gonzalo.

Favorite animal: Llamas, dolphins, dogs, and cows. I can’t choose just one!

Favorite holiday: Somewhat a holiday, but really a season: Summer!

I feel happiest when: I’m traveling, in the water, or with family and friends.

If I had a superpower it would be: To teleport.

The place I feel the most safe/calm/ and comfortable: In a pool or body of water.