{"id":1005254,"date":"2026-08-16T22:19:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T22:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1005254\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T22:19:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T22:19:11","slug":"northside-therapist-focuses-on-providing-free-low-cost-counseling-to-fort-worth-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1005254\/","title":{"rendered":"Northside therapist focuses on providing free, low-cost counseling to Fort Worth families"},"content":{"rendered":"

by David Moreno, Fort Worth Report
August 16, 2026<\/p>\n

For years, Northside therapist Gabriela Garcia focused on providing counseling to children in her Fort Worth neighborhood through insurance and Medicaid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But she soon realized that she wasn\u2019t doing enough to help. Parents would bring in their little ones who were covered under insurance, but they themselves weren\u2019t in the plans and couldn\u2019t receive services.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2018, Garcia founded Dream Big – PSP<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you build those healthier families, then you\u2019re building a healthier community,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n

Garcia\u2019s dedication to connecting diverse communities to mental health services has earned her recognition in 52 Faces of Community<\/a>, the Fort Worth Report\u2019s weekly series spotlighting unsung heroes in Tarrant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When Garcia first launched Dream Big, she expected the nonprofit to provide roughly 10 to 12 hours of counseling per month. She views the \u201cexplosion of need\u201d as a reflection of how many in Northside, a majority-Latino community, have not felt culturally supported to seek mental health care.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some of her therapy sessions have been built around understanding patients\u2019 ancient healing rituals \u2014 like egg cleanses \u2014 rooted in Mexican tradition, Garcia explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you go to someone that\u2019s not trained in cultural practices, they\u2019re going to offer the wrong help,\u201d she said. \u201cI have clients who can express their emotions better in Spanish, so it\u2019s able to create a comfortable environment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, Garcia understands the best way to reach families isn\u2019t just through individual sessions.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHer commitment extends well beyond the counseling room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dee Lara O\u2019Neal, project manager for the Historic Northside District\u2019s Main Street pilot program<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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 \u201ca noninvasive way.\u201d She has partnered with the local organizations, including city of Fort Worth, Artes de la Rosa and Challenge of Tarrant County.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"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)<\/p>\n

Dee Lara O\u2019Neal, project manager for the Historic Northside District\u2019s Main Street pilot program, has seen firsthand how Garcia\u2019s boots-on-the-ground advocacy has made counseling accessible to the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer 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,\u201d O\u2019Neal said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Victoria Jara, board president for Dream Big, said she has seen Garcia\u2019s determination to ensure \u201cnobody gets left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody that comes in, even if we specifically can\u2019t help all the way, she\u2019s gonna find those resources,\u201d Jara said. \u201cShe is such a go-getter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because in Garcia\u2019s mind, everyone deserves the skills needed to not only overcome their challenges, but reach for the stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Fort Worth Report\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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