Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheila Hernandez
Hi Sheila, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Thank you so much for the cover, Voyage MIA! My story starts in La Habana, Cuba. I was almost six when I left Cuba. In Miami, I watched my parents work endless shifts… and through their example, I learned early that love often looks like sacrifice.
When my brother was born as I turned twelve, I became his second mother. Childhood slipped away between diaper changes and homework help— my own needs buried beneath the weight of responsibility. I was happy to do it… my brother is, and always has been, a treasure.
However, as I ignored my needs, depression and anxiety crept in (as they do) and desperately seeking relief, I turned to antidepressants, hoping pills could fill the emptiness.
Yet true healing refused to come from a prescription. It was in my darkest moment that I discovered meditation and therapy. This discovery sparked a journey inward 🌀.
During this time, I working as a nanny and home-school teacher. I rediscovered joy in unexpected places. Inspired by this awakening, I returned to school, pursuing my masters degree in Clinical Social Work with a specialty in Child and Family. This time, care-giving wasn’t my burden– it became my gift.
Today, I help individuals and families heal through EMDR therapy, IFS and ego-state work, sound meditations, and integrative practices. I had to heal myself, before being a conduit of healing for others.
Every time a parent processes their pain, their children inherit possibility and resilience instead of trauma. In this way, healing multiplies, creating ripples through generations. This is my life’s work…
& my story is proof that our deepest wounds can become our greatest offerings.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nope. The road hasn’t been smooth.
The early burden of responsibility, combined with the challenges of adapting to a new country, and busy parents, created the perfect storm. The weight of being everyone’s rock while silently struggling with my own trauma created an exhausting double life.
Working through school meant long days… however, these very struggles have become the foundation of my practice today.
I gained invaluable insights into child development, family dynamics, and the delicate balance of nurturing while setting boundaries. These roles taught me the art of patient communication, the importance of consistent routines, and how to create safe spaces for emotional expression.
I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I serve as a bilingual therapist at two distinctive private practices in South Florida – Cannectd Wellness, LLC in Boca Raton and Supportive Engagement, LLC in Davie.
I bring an authentic understanding to my work with parents and children. I’m most proud of how this integrated approach helps break cycles of trauma – watching parents heal their own wounds and, in turn, create more nurturing environments for their children.
Whether I’m conducting bilingual therapy sessions, leading sound meditation groups, or providing parental support, my work is rooted in the belief that healing is not just about addressing symptoms, but about restoring the whole person and family system to their natural state of well-being.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
That’s a tough question!
I’d say it is my first visit back to Cuba (we return because our immediate family is there and oftentimes rely on our support to feed themselves and their family).
Back in the streets of Cuba, I felt a renewed sense of freedom (ironically), running alongside other children in a place where the whole neighborhood seemed to take part in raising the young. SOS Cuba 🇨🇺 ♥️
Contact Info:
- Other: Cannectd in Boca Raton: [email protected]. Supportive Engagement in Davie: [email protected]
Image Credits
The photo of me sitting down was taken by Mar Faedo Photography.
