What inspired you to start your therapy practice?

I grew up in an environment that had a strong impact on my life. My parents, who were focused on survival, had a mindset rooted in feeling like victims, driven by fear and lack of knowledge. My mother faced emotional issues while my late father struggled with alcoholism. Their own experiences of trauma from generations prior influenced their parenting. They shared with me stories of abuse and neglect from their childhoods. As a result of their unhealed trauma, my own early years were marked by neglect and living in their suffering.

I remember being confined to my playpen as a toddler feeling isolated and alone for what seemed like an eternity. The lack of attention, love, and connection affected my ability to speak properly, leading to selective mutism. When there was a little connection with my parents, they would physically abuse or insult me. I was not able to talk until I was 4 years old. I felt intense fear and anxiety when connecting with my parents because in my little child's mind, that connection meant pain and abandonment. This family system conditioned my ways of thinking and feeling towards others.

As I grew older, I started to realize that I was different from my peers. The concept of "love" felt foreign to me – distant and unfamiliar. It was as if I was an outsider observing life on Mars like an anthropologist. I played a game with my friends where they would share their stories while I listened intently with fascination. In my neighborhood, it seemed like I was the Lucy among the Peanuts gang – always observing from the sidelines.

Being a psychotherapist has been my chosen path since childhood. My fascination with psychology and love for others has been the driving force behind my business, Elephant In The Room, something so big that can no longer be ignored. My love and passion for healing, which has been a personal journey as well as my professional fuel, propels me to be of service to others for the purposes of healing to whoever is open. I have been there myself, and because of that, I have been able to guide others through their own individual journeys of healing. I enjoy empowering fellow human beings.

I know you love education and have the equivalent of two PhDs. Tell us more about your credentials and your areas of focus in your practice.

I provide psychotherapeutic services for people afflicted with Complex Trauma and mood disorders. I use a wide variety of therapeutic techniques that includes a certification in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, Neurolinguistic Programming, Safe and Sound Protocol, and so much more. I tend to combine these methods and tailor them to meet the needs of each individual.

People are diverse; we all think differently, and while we may share trauma, we perceive the experience of it differently. There are some wounds that are so deep that require a focused approach. Early childhood wounds, especially baby and toddler wounds, require a different approach. This is where my double certification in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy comes into play, and psychedelic medicines can offer a more appropriate platform for healing. I combine psychedelic medicine with somatic therapies as these wounds tend to have no language.

What has been the most important lesson you've learned as an entrepreneur?

The most valuable lesson I have learned so far is patience. I am currently scaling my business and looking to hire employees. I am excited! A little fearful and mostly curious as to how this project will pan out. All the while also working full-time in my own practice. People come from far away to receive therapy from me! I think of myself as a guide to people's inner healer, that's all.

And what's your favorite thing about what you do?

I love empowering my fellow human beings! I love helping people have a deep understanding that healing is not a sentence, and no words can explain this idea. Talk is cheap; healing is priceless!

At the end of your career, what is the legacy that you hope to leave behind?

Being in the business of healing others is a great privilege for me. It has been my goal to help and support people in their healing for as long as I can remember; it is my life's work!

The legacy that I have had as my goal is to leave this world in better shape than when I came in, where people who I serve take away with them a life-changing experience. The quote "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" can't state this idea more clearly. Being human includes living with discomfort and pain, sometimes even horrific events. However, suffering is the experience that we can choose to take with us through our journey but it does not have to be a sentence.

Do you have a favorite therapy-related quote that resonates with you?

“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Talk is cheap, healing is priceless.”

Zina Ortiz MA, LPC, EMDR is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma. Her practice, Elephant In The Room, is located in Denver, CO and accepts in-person and telehealth appointments.

Order reprints of Boss Babes Magazine here.