Public Scholar · USA
PhD Student · WashU
Keynote Speaker
Therapist · Researcher · Speaker · Advocate

Defying Labels

Trauma-informed therapy in Los Angeles, California (CA)
- Advocacy & Systems Change USA

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Therapist · LA, California
PhD Student · WashU
Keynote Speaker
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Patty Flores

MSW, ASW

Therapist · LA

PhD Student

Washington Univ.

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✦ About Patty

PATTY, MSW, ASW,
PhD Student

Researcher, Speaker, Consultant, and Advocate for Youth Mental Health and Systems Change

Google Scholar Profile ORCID Profile

I am a doctoral student & Chancellor's Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). My work focuses on youth mental health, lived experience, and the systems that shape young people's lives, including foster care, the juvenile legal system, and education.

I bring over a decade of experience advocating for youth navigating complex systems. My perspective is informed by my intersecting identities as a former foster youth, immigrant, queer individual, and someone who has experienced homelessness and involvement in the juvenile justice system.

I have served as a leadership keynote speaker for organizations across Los Angeles County and internationally, presenting to judges, attorneys, probation officers, counselors, professors, social workers, and community leaders. As a researcher and consultant, I collaborate with leading scholars in child welfare on research, program design, and policy development.

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Therapy & Healing

You're not "too much."
You've been misunderstood.

I work with individuals who have been labeled difficult, defiant, or hard to understand — helping them make sense of their behavior, identity, and experiences.

If you've ever felt unheard in your family, misunderstood by systems, or unsure how to navigate your reactions and patterns, this is where we begin to work through it.

I don't just speak about these issues — I work directly with people navigating them through 1:1 therapy and coaching.

Work With Me →
Trauma‑Informed Support

Trauma-Informed Therapy
in Los Angeles, California (CA).

Healing from trauma, especially childhood trauma, identity wounds, or experiences shaped by foster care, adoption, or systemic barriers - requires support that understands your story, your culture, and the realities you’ve had to navigate. I work with youth, young adults, and adults seeking trauma‑informed therapy for adoptees and foster youth in Los Angeles and across California through a trauma‑informed, culturally humble lens. Many families looking for therapy for teens in Los Angeles or support for adolescent mental health can access care that is trauma‑informed, culturally grounded, and developmentally appropriate.

I provide therapy services in Los Angeles under the supervision of Christina Dixon, LCSW87870, with a focus on trauma‑informed therapy for childhood trauma, identity development, and the emotional patterns that come from surviving instability, pressure, or systems involvement. For clients who need flexible access, I offer online therapy sessions for teens also known as "telehealth therapy" with a trauma‑informed approach. Online therapy can be benefitial for those with busy schedules as well as individuals across California.

I also support individuals seeking affordable trauma‑informed therapy in Los Angeles through sliding‑scale options. This includes flexible, low‑cost therapy pathways and bilingual support for Spanish‑speaking clients. My low‑cost mental health services include therapy for adopted children, therapy for adopted teens, therapy and support for college students, and youth mental health counseling for teens and young adults navigating school stress, transitions, family challenges, or identity exploration.

Alongside therapy, I also support students and young adults through coaching and mentoring for high school, college, graduate school, and early‑career transitions. This includes guidance with academic stress, motivation, identity development, and navigating the pressures that come with school stress, system‑impacted, carrying the weight of expectations, or being first‑generation. Whether you need therapeutic support, structured coaching, or both, you deserve care that meets you where you are and honors the path you’re building.

Beyond individual support, I serve as a foster care & mental health speaker in the USA, offering training and guidance to organizations, schools, and programs committed to trauma‑informed and culturally responsive care. Whether you’re an adoptee, a former foster youth, a first‑generation student, or someone at an ogranization/university requesting services - you deserve support that is tailored to you.

✦ Professional Services

CONSULTING

L. Patty Flores brings a powerful and informed voice, providing institutions with insight shaped by her lived experience, academic research, and professional work. With over a decade of advocacy within the foster care, education, and juvenile system, she offers a unique analytical lens as a researcher, lived expert, and keynote speaker, supporting organizations seeking trauma‑informed, culturally grounded guidance.

Youth Advocacy

Over a decade supporting youth in foster care, education & justice systems.

Global Reach

Collaborative work with leading scholars across the U.S. and Latin America.

Academic Research

Peer-reviewed work on child welfare, lived experience & policy design.

Keynote Speaking

Powerful presentations to 500+ audiences including judges and community leaders.

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Human Expertise in an AI Era

Beyond AI Generated Content

AI can help generate ideas, summarize information, improve grammar, and overcome writer's block. What it cannot replace are mentorship, lived experience, professional judgment, strategic thinking, relationship building, and a deep understanding of people, communities, and systems. Whether you are developing a research project, strengthening a grant proposal, preparing for graduate school, building a community initiative, or navigating your educational journey, the strongest work is built through critical thinking, human connection, and meaningful guidance.

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L. Patty Flores speaking at a university event
Public Speaking & Workshops

Speaking With Purpose, Lived Experience, and Systems Insight

Presentations and workshops for universities, nonprofits, county agencies, schools, and organizations seeking thoughtful conversations about foster care, education, youth voice, lived experience, and systems change.

✦ Engagements

SPEAKING &
WORKSHOPS

Patty has been a foster care, child welfare, & mental health speaker with lived experience in the USA. Patty’s presentations are a combination of determination and strength while demonstrating her dedication to a trauma-informed approach and social justice, having been a youh advocate and speaker for years. Patty’s affiliation with diverse communities allows her to connect with diverse audiences.

Patty has been invited to speak at universities, organizations, schools, and government entities. Her work spans across the U.S. and Latin America, where she collaborates with organizations supporting women, youth, and LGBTQ+ communities. She brings a perspective that connects deeply with diverse audiences while challenging how we understand behavior, systems, and lived experience.

✦ What People Say

TESTIMONIALS

Megan Levitan

❝
Patty resonates authenticity as she tells her story. She uses her tumultuous and powerful journey as a tool for encouraging others to persist despite the barriers they face. Patty speaks with incredible poise and clarity as she connects with the audience. Her voice is needed in all spaces. ”

Megan Levitan

Director of Education at United Friends of the Children
Megan Levitan

❝
Patty was a fabulous moderator for our panel. She was thoughtful and thorough as she helped the students navigate questions. She had patience as the students shared their powerful story and she contributed to the dialogue by sharing her own powerful journey. Patty is passionate, driven, and determined, and it was wonderful to work with her.”

Jennifer Kottke, Ed.D.

Homeless Education, Coordinator II Division of Student Support Services Los Angeles County of Education
Megan Levitan

❝
Liliana (Patty) has spoken at the Success is our Future event for foster youth who are part of the Los Angeles Probation Department. Her strong determination and desire to rise above her situation defined her presence as she spoke to an audience of 500. She is passionate and truly motivated by her ambition to achieve foster youth success and change the direction of people's lives.”

Monique Chanaiwa

Supervising Deputy Probation Officer of Youth Development Services

✦ Let's Begin

Do not leave for tomorrow,
what you can do today!

If this resonates, contact me to start working together

I work directly with individuals and institutions navigating complex experiences and needing support.

Individuals Organizations Schools & Universities
Patty Flores - contact portrait

CONTACT ME

Los Angeles, CA, 91403
patty@defyinglabels.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Defying Labels Services

Defying Labels offers public speaking, workshops, educational mentorship, research and grant consulting, immigration evaluations, and therapy services. These FAQs help clarify the different ways we may work together.

What services does Defying Labels provide? +

Defying Labels provides public speaking, workshops, educational coaching, academic mentorship, research consulting, grant consulting. Therapy services and immigration evaluations and letters are provided by L. Patty Flores, MSW, ASW126834, Associate Clinical Social Worker, under the clinical supervision of Christina Dixon, LCSW87870 for C R Dixon Counseling Inc. Online therapy are available for California residents.

Do you offer keynote speaking, workshops, or training? +

Yes. I offer keynote speaking, workshops, panels, trainings, and presentations for universities, nonprofit organizations, county agencies, schools, conferences, and community-based programs.

What topics do you speak about? +

Speaking topics include foster care, child welfare, lived experience, higher education access, youth voice, resilience, immigration, systems change, trauma-informed practice, first-generation students, and the ethics of including lived experience in research and programming.

Do you speak for universities and academic spaces? +

Yes. I speak with universities, academic programs, research centers, student groups, and professional audiences on topics related to foster youth, higher education, lived experience, child welfare, research, and systems change.

Do you provide consulting for nonprofits, foundations, or public agencies? +

Yes. I provide research and grant consulting for nonprofits, foundations, universities, county agencies, researchers, and community-based organizations seeking support with youth engagement, lived experience integration, program framing, funding strategy, and community-centered research.

What is educational coaching and mentorship? +

Educational coaching supports high school, college, and graduate students with academic confidence, organization, writing, motivation, graduate school preparation, and educational transitions. Coaching is not therapy. It focuses on academic, personal, and professional development.

Do you work with first-generation, foster youth, immigrant, or nontraditional students? +

Yes. I provide mentorship and coaching for first-generation students, foster youth alumni, immigrant students, undocumented students, LGBTQ+ students, graduate students, and nontraditional learners navigating academic and professional spaces.

Do you provide therapy throughout California? +

Yes. Online therapy is available for California residents. Therapy services are separate from speaking, consulting, coaching, and mentorship services. Therapy is provided by L. Patty Flores, MSW, ASW126834, Associate Clinical Social Worker, under the clinical supervision of Christina Dixon, LCSW87870 through C R Dixon Counseling Inc.

Do you offer therapy in Spanish? +

Yes. Therapy services are available in both English and Spanish. Clients may choose to participate in sessions in English, Spanish, or a combination of both languages depending on their preferences and needs. Therapy is provided by L. Patty Flores, MSW, ASW126834 under the clinical supervision of Christina Dixon, LCSW87870.

Do you offer low-cost or sliding-scale therapy? +

A limited number of reduced-fee or sliding-scale therapy appointments may be available based on financial need and scheduling availability.

Do you provide immigration evaluations? +

Yes. Immigration evaluations may be available in English and Spanish for hardship waivers, asylum, VAWA petitions, U-Visa cases, and other immigration matters. Immigration evaluations are separate from ongoing psychotherapy services and may require coordination with an attorney or legal representative. These services are supervised by my LCSW supervisor.

What makes Defying Labels different? +

Defying Labels brings together public speaking, research, mentorship, consulting, training, lived experience, and community-centered work. The goal is not only to provide services, but to support people, organizations, and institutions in thinking more deeply about systems, identity, healing, education, and change.