Ask for Help, Heal Your Body: Dr. Yanira Hernandez on Trauma, Somatic Tools & School Mental Health

In this episode of  @empoweredwithgina  host Gina Zapanta sits down with Dr. Yanira Hernandez, LCSW and Director of Palante Therapy, to talk about what “strength” really looks like for women and for children of immigrants. Dr. Hernandez shares her journey from South Central Los Angeles to UCLA and USC, why mental health support in schools matters, and how intergenerational trauma shows up in the body—especially during times of fear and uncertainty. Together, they dismantle the “do it all” myth, explore why asking for help is not weakness, and teach practical somatic tools (breath work, bilateral tapping/EMDR-informed techniques, body check-ins) to regulate the nervous system and reclaim agency. Viewers will leave with grounded strategies to set boundaries, reduce burnout, and model healthier strength at home and in community.What viewers will learn:- Why school-based mental health is essential—and where it falls short- How perfectionism and “never ask for help” conditioning harms women- Intergenerational trauma in immigrant families and how to unlearn survival mode- Simple somatic practices to calm the body and build real resilience- Scripts and reframes for guilt and shame when setting boundaries

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