Get Inspired with #HispaFam - December 2025 Newsletter
“Your presence in 2025 has been invaluable. As this year comes to an end, I hope you take a moment to honor what matters most and continue planting seeds of love, kindness, and hope in the hearts of those around you.”
-Dra. Nidia Medina, CEO, Hispanic Family Counseling, Inc.
Reflection December 2025
As we approach the close of 2025, how quickly time has flown by! During this season, we often gather with family and friends, remember those who are no longer with us, and reflect on what we didn’t accomplish and the battles we’ve faced. Often, all of this can make this time of year feel bittersweet and even heavy.
Yet the lights, colors, music, and joy we see in others invite us to confront our own reality. How are you feeling at this moment? No matter your situation, I invite you to take a second to breathe. Yes—just pause and become aware of your breath.
Now, let’s turn our gaze back to this 2025. Instead of focusing on what we didn’t achieve, let’s take a moment to be grateful for all that we experienced. During this time, we shared meaningful moments with those we love, held honest conversations, looked more attentively at one another, and opened our arms—and many times our hearts. We embraced those who were near and also those who, though at a distance, remain part of us. We shared meals, laughed together, and also cried when it was necessary.
Those moments, more than any material achievement, are what truly matter. In fact, they were moments in which we nourished our own being and that of others.
Your presence in 2025 has been invaluable. As this year comes to an end, I hope you take a moment to honor what matters most and continue planting seeds of love, kindness, and hope in the hearts of those around you.
Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year!
-Dra. Nidia Medina, CEO, Hispanic Family Counseling, Inc.
#HispaFam Christmas Brunch!
The #HispaFam family came together to celebrate our Christmas brunch, sharing a time of unity, gratitude, and joy during this special season. It was a meaningful moment to thank and recognize our entire team—administration, providers, supervisors, and interns—whose daily dedication makes our mission possible.
We enjoyed team-building activities, decorated gingerbread houses, shared an excellent meal from #Chabuca, and most importantly, celebrated our accomplishments and the goals that inspire us for the year ahead.
Thank you for being part of this family and for continuing to build a future filled with hope together.
Celebrating Life!
We joyfully celebrated Myrieth Rico’s #birthday!
As an intern, Myrieth has done an outstanding job, and it was such a delight to surprise her and make her day special on behalf of the entire #HispaFam.
Thank you for your dedication and positive attitude , Myrieth !
Happy Birthday Myrieth!
Hispanic Family Counseling at a beautiful HAPBWA Foundation celebration
Liza Colón and Ángela Ayala, Referral Supervisor, represented HispaFam at the Holiday Luncheon & End of Year Celebration “Say Bye Bye to 2025” hosted by the HAPBWA Foundation.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch and a festive atmosphere at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, at the Plancha restaurant. The event offered networking opportunities, a photo-ready venue, and the chance to connect with community leaders.
Dr. Myrelis Aponte-Samalot delivered an inspiring keynote on how to reprogram the brain for a successful new year, focusing on changing habits and applying psychological practices that can be started immediately.
We sincerely thank De Isamar de Soto Torres, President of HAPBWA Foundation, along with the board members and everyone who helped organize this beautiful, festive, and meaningful event for our community.
We had a wonderful time and left motivated to welcome 2026 with focus, intention, and new tools!
Celebrating 28 Years of HAPBWA
Liza Colón and Myrna Montañez,Director of Operations , attended the Anniversary Gala, Christmas Celebration, and Awards Ceremony, an event full of joy, elegance, and wonderful company.
Congratulations to Matty Frías, recipient of the Excellence Award, and to all the women honored, whose talent and dedication have made a significant impact in the community.
HAPBWA, as an organization of Hispanic-American women entrepreneurs in Florida, continues to promote female leadership and open opportunities for businesswomen and entrepreneurs.
We thank President Jackie Barboza and the entire board for organizing such a well-attended, enjoyable, and memorable event
HispaFam Thanksgiving Day
At Hispanic Family Counseling we celebrated Thanksgiving Day after our Staff Meeting, enjoying a delicious lunch together. The Administration shared a very special moment of gratitude to God for the blessings we’ve received, for the unity and camaraderie that define us as a team, for the leaders who guide us, for our agency, and for the opportunity to serve and support our community. It is an honor and a privilege, but also a great responsibility that we embrace with dedication, heart, and joy.
#DíaDeAcciónDeGracias #HispaFam #Bendiciones #UniónYCompañerismo #Thanksgiving #Grateful #Teamwork #Blessings #CommunityLove #GraciasADios
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On Christmas Eve: Making Space for What You Feel
Christmas Eve holds a special place in many Hispanic families. It is often filled with traditions, food, music, faith, and the expectation of togetherness. Yet beneath the lights and celebrations, this night can carry many emotions—joy, nostalgia, grief, longing, exhaustion, or even silence.
If tonight doesn’t feel the way you expected, that’s okay.
You don’t have to feel perfect on Christmas Eve. You don’t have to feel grateful, joyful, or festive at all times. What you feel is valid, whatever it may be.
For some, this night brings warmth and connection. For others, it brings memories of loved ones who are no longer here, family dynamics that feel heavy, or the weight of a year that asked a lot. Many experience all of these emotions at once. This is more common than we often admit.
Tonight, we invite you to choose presence over performance.
It’s okay if traditions change. It’s okay if your energy is low. It’s okay if your celebration looks quieter or simpler than in years past. What matters most is allowing yourself to be where you are, without judgment.
If it feels helpful, take a brief pause.
Breathe in slowly.
Exhale gently.
Remind yourself: I am allowed to feel this.
Christmas Eve doesn’t have to be about doing more or holding everything together. It can be a moment to soften, to rest, and to make space for your inner world before the new day arrives.
As Christmas Day approaches, may you carry compassion for yourself and others. And if tonight feels difficult, remember—you don’t have to navigate it alone. Support, understanding, and care are always within reach.
From all of us at Hispanic Family Counseling, we wish you a peaceful Christmas Eve, filled with gentleness, meaning, and hope.
By:Sheila Burgos
Jacquelyn Longo, LCSW
Jacquelyn was born in Orlando, Florida, but shortly after, she moved to Spring Lake Park, Minnesota where she spent most of her grade school years. Once Jacquelyn graduated from school, she moved back to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida where she got her bachelors in Sociology with a minor in Computer Science, and a certificate in Forensic Psychology and Victim Advocacy. Jacquelyn then continued on and got her masters in Social Work also from the University of Central Florida. Jacquelyn had worked as a Victim Advocate at the Orange County Sheriff's Office for 5 years before moving on to the Department of Veteran Affairs where she is a case worker to the homeless Veterans. Jacquelyn had completed her internship at Hispanic Family Counseling Inc., and was quickly hired after to work part time as a therapist where she has been since 2019. Jacquelyn has experience with grief and trauma groups along with individual counseling for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, among other topics. Jacquelyn is a firm believer in treating every client with dignity and respect, and to make each client feel comfortable in each session. Jacquelyn believes in fighting for social justice and what is right in the world.
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