About Us

Almost every therapist goes into the profession with a desire to help people.  Such was the case for me when I started in private practice after learning the incredible power of change through systemic approaches to therapy, attachment theory, and interpersonal neurobiology.  After receiving advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, I realized how powerful such work could be not only in transforming the lives of the clients I worked with, but in their communities as well.  Very quickly, however, the realization came that for most people wanting therapy, this work was simply not affordable or accessible given the way the mental health system works in the U.S.  Outside the U.S., this discrepancy becomes even greater, not just for people needing healing but for clinicians to be trained.  Both within and outside of the United States, marginalized and low-income communities, very often times communities of color, carry the greatest burden of trauma and therefore stand to benefit from the power of systemic, trauma-informed therapies the most.   And yet, they have the least access and languish stuck in oppressive, damaging cycles of trauma and pain.  For myself, this simply did not seem like something to put aside.  Something must be done.

 

Thus Conexa was born.  Kinda.  It had a few iterations, struggles and stumbles. Lots of learning experiences and eventually a few wins.  As a budding therapist with the ability to bring powerful healing to clients and change to communities, and yet with hands tied by a mental health system to make real impact beyond sliding scales for a client here and there, I set out to develop innovation through collaborations and partnerships with incredible people feeling the same call.  We worked to solve these problems in different ways and made great sacrifices.  I am immensely grateful for my original group of therapists Cristina Alderete, Mary Cipriani, Yamilka Urquiza, Caralie Jodlowski and EFT Trainer Kathryn de Bruin working together to build community.  I am so thankful for the support from Renee Lewis, Katie O'Leary, Dan Moyer, Sarah Molbert and the wisdom and guidance of Etienne de Bruin, especially at critical junctures when the organization was still finding itself.  Collaborations are key, and my friends Carmen and Bob Morrison of Reclaim Life were the first with their heart for urban poverty.  And my friends Dr. Armando Gonzalez, Andrew and Rachel Ruiz, and especially Dan Kim came in at such important times.  Conexa has been so supported and empowered by all these people and many more.  Learning from the greats at Mission Edge's Social Impact Lab, the San Diego Non-Profit Academy, Lyn Corbet and my sister Madeline Sabatoni proved essential.   The Conexa story became a story of so many seeking to transform their communities with the power of systemic, relational and trauma-focused work. We are united by being unsettled with the status quo, united in desire to heal, committed to innovating ways to bring this work to every community, and dedicated to the long term vision of community transformation.  Perhaps you will be the next person to join us in writing the next chapter.  

 

Mark