Ferreras Counseling & Wellness Center Cuts Ribbon at its Newest Clinic in
Jamaica Plain
(Dr. Maria Ferreras-Mendez, (center), Founder & CEO of Ferreras Counseling & Wellness in Jamaica Plain ribbon cutting ceremony. Dr. Ferreras-Mendez is joined by staff, family members, Jonathan Bello, and associates.) Photo courtesy of Kermit
We tip our hats to our client, Dr. Maria Ferrera-Mendez and her entire team at Ferreras Counseling & Wellness Center, for the recent Grand Opening of their newest location in Jamaica Plain. The Jamaica Plain center joins the Ferreras Counseling & Wellness family clinics in Lawrence and Lynn to respond to the growing need for mental and behavioral health services in the culturally-bound communities of Greater Boston. Our team at One 8 Solutions was thrilled to have the opportunity to assist in the business growth of Ferreras Counseling & Wellness Centers. We were honored to be part of this symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony to shine the light on the importance of mental health treatment in our underserved minority communities.
“Cultural and ethnic minorities face unique discrimination and risk in seeking mental healthcare,” says Founder & CEO Dr. Maria Ferreras-Mendez, a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), with a Ph.D. in Psychology Christian World Views. “We understand that mental disorders and substance abuse can affect women and men differently. But, for people of color and Latinos, there are cultural and linguistic barriers that can prevent them from getting the help they need by culturally and racially aware clinicians. Ferreras provides over 30 caring clinicians who are predominantly bi-lingual to help individuals and families of all walks of life overcome extraordinary challenges to thrive.”
According to an article in the National Alliance of Mental Illness, people of color and Latinos receive less treatment but also inadequate treatment. There are several contributing factors including: poverty gap, racism, stigma, lack of language skills, and minority underrepresentation in the mental health field. Approximately 83% of the workforce is white where comparatively, only 5% were Latinos, Asians represented 5% and African Americans just 4%, reports the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 2019, Dr. Maria Ferreras-Mendez set out to change that trajectory by opening her first clinic in Lawrence, MA. with a bi-lingual staff and clinicians. Currently in three locations, Ferreras provides counseling and therapy programs from the early ages of 2-3 years old to the elderly population. The centers have the capacity to work with all mental health issues including diagnosis of trauma, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and substance abuse among others. In addition, English and Spanish speaking group sessions are offered on substance abuse (including alcohol), psycho-education, and domestic violence and prevention group for men and women in English/Spanish.
State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz’s District Director, Stacey Nwachukwu, said, “We are in desperate need of mental and behavioral health services in the Commonwealth and it is a great challenge for people of color to have access to the high-quality services they need. Senator Chang-Diaz commends Dr. Maria Ferreras-Mendez for taking that step by empowering people who are experiencing affliction through appropriate treatment in Jamaica Plain and minority communities so they can live happy, healthy lives.”
Find out more about Ferreras Counseling & Wellness Center here.
