By Judith A. Verduzco, LCSW — Therapist & Founder of Monarchs Therapy
Published November 1, 2025
As 2025 begins to wind down, I’ve been sitting with a thought I came across on social media. I remember reading it and thinking, wow… yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense.
The idea was simple: to truly welcome a new year, we first have to honor and gently say goodbye to the one we’re leaving behind — not rush past it or minimize it, but pause, reflect, and name what mattered.
As I sat with it more, I realized this practice isn’t new at all. Across many cultures and traditions around the world, people have long honored the importance of reflection and closure at the end of a cycle before stepping into what’s next. Something about that felt grounding — and worth slowing down for.
So this is that pause.
This year was full — full of growth, learning, joy, challenges, and meaningful moments that brought me back again and again to why Monarchs Therapy exists in the first place: to offer a space where people feel truly seen, heard, and supported, especially during life’s hardest seasons.
Celebrating Growth
One of the greatest joys of 2025 was watching Monarchs Therapy grow in ways that felt aligned, intentional, and heart-centered.
This year, we welcomed three incredible therapists to our team — Rizza J. Abuan, AMFT; Tiffany S. Castillejo, APCC; and Bryan J. Gregerson, AMFT. Each of them brings compassion, skill, and unique strengths to their work, and I feel genuinely proud of the care they offer our clients every day.
We also welcomed Joseph A. Delgado, LMFT, to the Monarchs Therapy team as a Clinical Supervisor. Joseph has been instrumental in supporting our associates with care, consistency, and clinical wisdom, and his presence has strengthened both our team and the quality of care we provide.
This year, we were also grateful to welcome Evelyn Valenzuela, an MSW student intern, to the team. Her curiosity, dedication, and openness to learning have been such a gift, not to mention that she has been a tremendous support to the team.
This year also marked the launch of the Monarchs Therapy Wellness Blog — a space created to share reflections, resources, and conversations around mental health, healing, and whole-person care beyond the therapy room. Creating this space felt like a natural extension of our values and a meaningful way to connect more deeply with our community. I can’t wait for you to read what we have in store in the new year, including blogs from our therapists and other professionals in the field.
We also celebrated professional and personal milestones:
- Rizza and Tiffany began their EMDR training journey, expanding the depth of trauma-informed care we can offer.
- Bryan welcomed a new baby, joyfully growing his family during this meaningful season of life.
- Joseph, our Clinical Supervisor, became an EMDRIA Approved Consultant — an incredible achievement and a true asset to our team and the clinicians he mentors.
- Evelyn developed and published an 8-session wellness workshop, set to launch in the new year — a project that reflects her creativity, initiative, and commitment to wellness.
- Dr. Maral took a well-earned sabbatical, traveling across Europe and returning reenergized and grounded.
- I became a Certified EMDR Therapist, a milestone that felt both grounding and deeply affirming.
- I was also happily surprised and deeply honored to be nominated for and receive the “Most Inspirational Woman of the Year” award from the San Fernando Valley United Chambers of Commerce.
And behind the scenes, something very close to my heart began to take shape — the launch of the Monarcas Foundation. While there’s more to come, this nonprofit will help expand accessibility to mental health and wellness services, something I believe in deeply.
Community, Service & Purpose
Service has always been a core part of my life and my work, and this year was no exception.
I continued my involvement with the Rotary Club of Mental Health & Wellness, a community and mission I care deeply about. Mental health advocacy doesn’t stop at the therapy room — it lives in community spaces, conversations, and collective care. I look forward to involving the Monarchs Therapy team more deeply in Rotary service and community wellness efforts in the year ahead.
Honoring Change, Boundaries & Balance
2025 also asked for some honest reflection.
In order to practice what I so often encourage my clients to do, I made the difficult — but necessary — decision to say goodbye to some of my own clients. Holding space for others is a profound privilege — one I don’t take lightly — and it also requires boundaries, balance, and sustainability. Choosing work-life balance wasn’t easy, but it was an act of integrity — and something I needed to do for my own mental health.
This year reminded me that growth sometimes means letting go, even when it’s bittersweet.
Holding Space for the Hard Parts
It wasn’t all easy.
There were plenty of setbacks. Growing pains. Moments of uncertainty. Times when things didn’t move as smoothly or as quickly as I had hoped. And you know what?
That’s okay.
Life isn’t perfect — and neither is growth. Healing, leadership, and community-building are not linear processes. They are human ones.
What carried us through was connection — to our values, to one another, and to the belief that the work we do truly matters.
Gratitude, Always
Above all else, I feel deeply humbled and grateful.
I believe so strongly in this work not just because I’m a therapist, but because I’ve personally experienced how hard life can be. I know what it’s like to struggle with mental health, and that lived experience continues to shape how I show up, lead, and care for others.
It is an honor — truly — to sit with someone’s pain, to witness their stories, their resilience, and their courage. Serving our clients is a privilege I never take lightly.
I am endlessly proud of the Monarchs Therapy team — for their heart, their integrity, and their commitment to healing. I’m grateful for our clients, our community partners, and every person who trusted us with a part of their journey this year.
And I’m excited — gently, intentionally — for what’s ahead.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we step into the new year, we do so grounded in gratitude, guided by purpose, and open to continued growth.
Thank you, 2025, for the lessons, the connections, the challenges, and the beauty.
And to 2026 — we’re ready. 💜