Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Roldan LCSW, LCDC.
Hi Mia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Los Angeles, CA the youngest of four children. After graduating college from UC Berkeley, I got married and a week later moved to Austin, TX. That’s when I began my career as an elementary special education teacher with Austin ISD for 13 years. This chapter of my life was especially significant as I co-wrote my first book “Voices of Strength: Sons and Daughters of Suicide Speak Out” and also became a Mom to two boys who are now grounded, remarkable young adults.
Driven to expand and deepen my work with youth and families, I earned my Master’s in Social Work at UT Austin. My clinical background includes school therapy in Taylor, TX, ER social work at St. David’s North, and serving as the senior therapist at Dell Children’s Adolescent Medicine Clinic. In the last five years I have authored two additional grief books (“Navigating Grief: A Guided Journal” and “How I Feel: Grief Journal For Kids”), expanded into public speaking engagements, and opened my private practice in Clarksville for youth, adults, and families.
When asked about my life, I have often said that grief has been my constant companion. It has shown up in every pivotal milestone in my life from the age of seven until today. We all face many kinds of loss; I believe it’s an integral and necessary part of the human experience. I also believe in the transformative power of community. Whenever I speak about grief and loss, my goal isn’t to tell anyone how to do things differently or to expedite growth and healing. I offer courage, respect, and safety to people who have never spoken about their loss and to those who cannot stop thinking about it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Even the smoothest paved road eventually cracks and shows wear and tear, so I’d have to say no it hasn’t been smooth! My life has had many struggles, but even more rewards.
Because of my close connection to grief, my primary struggles have revolved around saying goodbye and letting go of people and places before I was ready. It began with my parents’ divorce at age nine and leaving my childhood home. Being the youngest, I was protected from the years of conflict between my parents, so that moment felt like waking up from a dream to a harsh reality. Later both of my parents died unexpectedly and without the chance for me to say goodbye; my mom when I was 12, and my dad at age 52. Navigating the reality of being an orphan so young has been an ongoing, lifelong adjustment.
A second major struggle has been the honest, painstaking work of rediscovering my authentic self. Growing up surrounded by loss and adult dysfunction led me to prioritize other people’s happiness while completely ignoring my own. Reclaiming my identity has been a well-traveled road, but one where I’ve been blessed to share all of it with several people who fostered my healing and my growth.
Ultimately if I had to live my life over, I wouldn’t change a single thing. Every path has led me directly to my greatest blessings of mentorship, deep friendship, motherhood, and enduring love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a psychotherapist practicing out of BES in Clarksville, a full-service academic support agency serving children, adolescents and adults. I specialize in working with adolescents and adults who are blocked by anxiety, grief and loss, depression, ADHD, or trauma. My approach treats the whole person, often collaborating with parents, spouses, or teachers when it facilitates meaningful healing and growth. Acceptance and belonging are the heart of my work, rooted in the belief that we heal when we feel truly connected and heard. I work closely with my clients to bring solace to the places that have grown cold and validation to hearts that have stayed guarded for too long. I provide tools and personal support to help my clients reconnect with their own emotional honesty that circumstances and events may have pushed aside. In my presence, vulnerability isn’t something to fear. Instead it is the path back to love, resilience, and an authentic sense of self.
In addition to my clinical practice, I offer a range of services designed to help people understand the vital role grief and loss plays in our lives. This includes public speaking, authoring articles and books, participating in media interviews, and offering script and production consultation for screenwriters and directors navigating themes of grief and loss.
What matters most to you? Why?
First and foremost, what matters most to me is my husband and my two sons. My family is the greatest gift I’ve ever received, and one that I feel deeply grateful for every single day. Together we share a love for everything from Texas BBQ and traveling the world to the San Antonio Spurs. We hold fast to our shared values of a disciplined work ethic, loyalty, giving to others, and feeling safe enough to ask for help when we need it.
My long-term friendships also matter to me enormously. Through these relationships, I am comforted, challenged, encouraged, and held.
What both my family and my friends have in common is an exceptional sense of humor and a commitment to celebrating life; recognizing the big milestones, the quiet moments, and everything in between.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.miaroldan.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miaroldan
Image Credits
Magnetic Focus Photography, Austin TX
