Mental Health Is for Everyone: How El Nido is Supporting Angelenos Today

By: Deborah Davies, Director of Family Well-Being Initiatives at El Nido Family Centers 

At El Nido Family Centers, we see it every day: 

A mother who can’t sleep because she’s worried about rent. 

A teenager acting out because his father hasn’t been home in weeks. 

A grandmother raising her grandchildren, exhausted but determined to keep the family together. 

A single father balancing work and raising two kids after their mother passed away. 

These are just a few of the stories our counselors hear daily as they provide a safe and respectful space where participants can talk openly about anxiety, grief, loss, trauma, and more. And today, increasing financial stressors in the communities we serve have made these challenges even more complex. 

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. But when stress builds across multiple areas of life—finances, housing, health, parenting—anyone can experience a loss of mental well-being. That can show up as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, sleeplessness, anger, or even difficulty managing everyday responsibilities. 

Unfortunately, stigma still surrounds seeking therapy or support. In order to help reduce that stigma, El Nido embraces the idea that mental health is at the core of everything we do.  

El Nido’s mental health counseling services are free to anyone in Los Angeles County with children between the ages of 0–17. Our counseling services don’t just focus on emotional well-being—they help families recognize and build on their own strengths to take on what may feel like insurmountable challenges. Working with a counselor, families set their own goals. Whether it is a need for housing, child care, food, job training, access to services for a special needs youth, legal help, etc., all family members are treated with respect and with the belief that their situation can improve and underlying needs can be met with appropriate support.

How do we provide that support? 

All El Nido programs include a case management component to help address concrete immediate needs. But sometimes, individuals and families need more. Recognizing that oftentimes there are many barriers when trying to access and utilize all the various systems, agencies, and departments that may provide those needed supports, El Nido developed a pilot project in partnership with LA County Department of Children and Family Services to establish Enhanced Family Navigation services.   

Through this program, trained navigators work one-on-one with families to untangle the complex web of systems, services, and support programs available. They meet families where they are—sometimes literally—helping make phone calls, filling out forms, attending court appointments, finding child care, job training, or weekend classes, and yes, connecting to mental health services. 

They operate with a “whatever it takes” mindset, because we know that sometimes, having someone by your side is the difference between getting help and giving up. 

At El Nido, mental health isn’t one program—it’s the foundation of all our programs. 

Whether it’s parenting classes, early childhood education, youth development, gang prevention, or life and workforce readiness, our work is built on the understanding that mental health touches every part of a person’s life. Our approach is relational and long-term. It’s not about quick fixes—it’s about trust, consistency, and walking alongside each family on their own journey. 

That’s what makes healing possible. 

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, El Nido wants you to know: you are not alone. Everyone needs support sometimes—and when that time comes, we’re here to help.

To inquire about counseling at El Nido Family Centers, please contact clinicalreferrals@elnidofamilycenters.org or call 818-956-5000.