Local StoriesDecember 14, 2023

Inspiring Conversations with Mary Joseth Miranda-Tourino

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Joseth Miranda-Tourino.

Mary Joseth Miranda-Tourino

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

I was born and raised in Quito – Ecuador, South America – came to the US at age 20, and established grounds in Davie, Florida. I am a mother of two wonderful teenagers, a sister, and an aunt. I have a life partner who is supportive in every aspect of my life and I have learned to love again.

I am a licensed clinical social worker for the states of Florida and Nevada, I love my career and the work that I do as I have been trusted to assist, guide, support, and counsel individuals and families when they are at times in the worst moments of their lives.

I work especially as a grief counselor for all ages, but my heart is with the young ones who are going through loss and don’t know how to express it and the adults in their lives have difficulty navigating loss.

I have learned about life’s losses in the deepest ways, I lost both my parents at a young age. I truly believe that finding spirituality and inner strength is a way to see the beauty in the world. Life’s turns have taught me to love and care for others to embrace life with empathy, care, education, and courage. My goal in my career is to be able to provide assistance and support to individuals to overcome their problems with compassion, love, kindness, and along with psycho-education/guidance.

I believe compassion and self-awareness along with love and a sense of purpose is the strength we need to live a life of purpose.

Can you talk to us 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 has not been, I lost my father at age two and my mother at age 23, I did not get the support that I needed from the adults in my family to speak about the loss of my parents when my father died, my mother had just delivered my brother a week earlier and she got postpartum depression along with the loss of my father.

Times were not easy and I was raised by a single mother who worked hard to provide for me and my brother. She was then diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42 and died at age 45. I am the oldest of three siblings and I took it upon myself to work to help others clinical social work was the route to go.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about We Belong Counseling – Mary Joseth Miranda-Tourino?

I am a mental health care provider and work with all ages. I specialize in grief and family services. I am most proud to be able to help and assist adults in understanding children’s grief and loss I also specialize in anxiety since I know what it is to feel anxious. I have worked as a clinical social worker for the past 12 years. I have owned my private practice in the city of Plantation for the past four years. I believe that we cannot do life by ourselves.

So, the name of the company is We Belong Counseling as I want everyone to feel that they are not alone. When it comes to feeling sad, lonely, not understanding life or even feeling that you do not want to keep. Moving and keeping with your life. I like. To provide this space so that you can safely have the feelings. For us to be able to move forward to finding solutions. Within the limit of your power, which to me is endless.

What’s next?

I am in the process of finishing up a children’s book regarding grief and loss so that we can help adults navigate the loss of loved ones with children. My goal is that I would love to be in a TED Talk, publish a couple of peer-reviewed journals about grief and to also expand my practice, to add a BCBA certification, and create a center for children’s developmental disabilities all in one shop for therapy.

I am finishing up my second master’s and special education to be able to obtain BCBA – board-certified behavioral analyst certification. Which I am hoping that I’m going to be able to do in spring 2024. I also would like to start working on more conferences and continue to work on helping guiding and supporting everyone who comes to my practice.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.webelongcounseling.com/
Instagram: @WeBelongCounseling_
Linkedin: Mary Joseth Miranda-Tourino, MSW, LCSW, ACHP-SW, A-CYFSW

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