Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Rincon.
Hi Catherine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up surrounded by Dominican women who could carry the world on their backs, so becoming a therapist almost felt like learning the science behind that kind of strength. My career started holding a cup of coffee throughout different community mental health settings – homes, shelters, foster homes, jail visitation booths, mobile crisis and school spaces. The kind of spaces where people were navigating trauma, poverty and survival all at once. Studying the mind taught me the words to use, but I recognized early that diagnoses can be people carrying emotions quietly, or falling through the cracks not because they lacked motivation, but because support systems weren’t built with their realities in mind. Those experiences shaped the kind of counselor I have become. Healing isn’t just clinical – it’s cultural and deeply tied to identity, safety and the weight people hold in a changing world. Over time, I built a private practice – Happy Thoughts Mental Health – centered on self-compassion, advocacy, and helping individuals feel seen and supported. Especially those who rarely get invited to these spaces. As I expanded I have gained a network as a member of the Broward Human Rights Board, supervising young clinicians, an active volunteer with the ACLU, and as a part of a group practice called the Healing Couch that uses somatic practices (hypnotherapy, EMDR, meditation) to heal sexual trauma. My work is about helping people soften in a world that demands hypervigilance and the inability to explore the full truth of who they are.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely wasn’t a smooth road. Navigating graduate school and early clinical work as a young Afro Caribbean queer woman came with challenges that I didn’t always have the language for at the time. I found myself in environments – from graduate school to community mental health settings – that weren’t always welcoming, culturally attuned or safe. There were a lot of moments where I was the only one that looked like me, and moments where I simply had to learn to trust myself because no one else understood the path I was on. I was also the first person in my family with a master’s degree, so I didn’t have my own support outside of my own determination. What saved me were the unexpected mentors who showed up along the way. Also, and most challenging, it wasn’t always easy to witness the realities of the world in my work: the families that share one room, the babies that questioned why they were taken from their mothers, or the kind of cruelties that can be organic in daily living. However, the hardships shaped my work and gave me empathy for people who feel unheard or out of place.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Happy Thoughts Mental Health is my private practice, but it’s also a growing community space grounded in self-compassion, identity and defining what mindfulness is. I specialize in helping people who carry a lot – people overwhelmed with stress, parents, creatives, individuals navigating complex relationships, and those who were taught to be strong before they learned how to be supported. What sets my practice apart is that therapy isn’t just about insight, it’s about creating a sense of emotional safety for vulnerability (being yourself no matter what life throws at you). I also love to blend clinical skills with advocacy. The goal is helping people slow down to hear their own voice again. My work speaks directly to people who may not always feel comfortable in traditional mental health settings, including cis gendered Black men who’ve been taught to stay silent and are not encouraged to find themselves outside of old expectations. At Happy Thoughts I strive to make mental health feel accessible, culturally aware and deeply human. I do this online through my social media as well. I also create community groups, self compassion classes, and spaces where people can learn together rather than struggle in isolation. Any outlet to allow people to speak their truth without judgement. It’s been my proudest moment to support those that would otherwise not find the right support – such as the neurodiverse, the LGBTIA+ community, the ethical non-monogamists, people held down by racial or gender truths, Kink communities, individuals that feel death is their only solution to life problems, immigrants who fear changes in laws, those who have been traumatized by religion, and people struggling to move past abuse/trauma. I am proud of my ability to speak to anyone, especially those that are not initially convinced by “counseling”.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
My home is always full of music and expression. I love singing and dancing with my kids in the living room – it’s our grounding ritual. I also draw constantly – sometimes in sketchbooks, sometimes on my process notes or the back of receipts. I’m also a quiet gamer. I also used to play World of Warcraft at a hardcore level, and still love a good shooter game to unwind. Even though my work is serious and connected to world issues, my day to day life is full of stillness, creativity, and play.
Pricing:
- $100 a session
- Sliding scale rates available
- I take insurances and EAPs
- I offer 15 free minute consultations
- I am only available for Florida residents.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.happythoughtsmh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happythoughts_mh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HTMentalHealth/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-m-rincon-lmhc/
- Twitter: https://x.com/happythoughtsmh
Image Credits
All of these are mine.
