For years, Northside therapist Gabriela Garcia focused on providing counseling to children in her Fort Worth neighborhood through insurance and Medicaid.
But she soon realized that she wasn’t doing enough to help. Parents would bring in their little ones who were covered under insurance, but they themselves weren’t in the plans and couldn’t receive services.
In 2018, Garcia founded Dream Big – PSP to provide free and low-cost therapy to uninsured families throughout Tarrant County. She and her bilingual volunteer team provided more than 800 counseling sessions to people across 22 ZIP codes last year.
“If you build those healthier families, then you’re building a healthier community,” Garcia said.
Garcia’s dedication to connecting diverse communities to mental health services has earned her recognition in 52 Faces of Community, the Fort Worth Report’s weekly series spotlighting unsung heroes in Tarrant.
When Garcia first launched Dream Big, she expected the nonprofit to provide roughly 10 to 12 hours of counseling per month. She views the “explosion of need” as a reflection of how many in Northside, a majority-Latino community, have not felt culturally supported to seek mental health care.
Some of her therapy sessions have been built around understanding patients’ ancient healing rituals — like egg cleanses — rooted in Mexican tradition, Garcia explained.
“If you go to someone that’s not trained in cultural practices, they’re going to offer the wrong help,” she said. “I have clients who can express their emotions better in Spanish, so it’s able to create a comfortable environment.”
Still, Garcia understands the best way to reach families isn’t just through individual sessions.
“Her commitment extends well beyond the counseling room.”
Dee Lara O’Neal, project manager for the Historic Northside District’s Main Street pilot program
In recent years, her team has begun hosting quarterly Mental Health Mondays tabling events at Casa Azul Coffee in Northside to invite neighbors to learn about counseling in “a noninvasive way.” She has partnered with the local organizations, including city of Fort Worth, Artes de la Rosa and Challenge of Tarrant County.
Gabriela Garcia, center, stands alongside the Dream Big team during a Mental Health Mondays event at Casa Azul Coffee, 300 W. Central Ave. (Courtesy | Gabriela Garcia)
Dee Lara O’Neal, project manager for the Historic Northside District’s Main Street pilot program, has seen firsthand how Garcia’s boots-on-the-ground advocacy has made counseling accessible to the community.
“Her commitment extends well beyond the counseling room: She has organized support for local students and teachers, created youth camps that build emotional regulation and social skills, and volunteered with organizations serving Fort Worth families,” O’Neal said.
Victoria Jara, board president for Dream Big, said she has seen Garcia’s determination to ensure “nobody gets left behind.”
“Anybody that comes in, even if we specifically can’t help all the way, she’s gonna find those resources,” Jara said. “She is such a go-getter.”
Because in Garcia’s mind, everyone deserves the skills needed to not only overcome their challenges, but reach for the stars.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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