Life Works
LifeWorks of Sonoma County offers an array of mental health services to our community. El Puente "The Bridge" is one of the many programs that LifeWorks offers. It builds a bridge between at-risk, gang-affiliated youth, their families, and the community. This is accomplished by in-home visits that include the entire family. Clinicians provide tools such as goal setting, self-esteem, emotional awareness, and a sense of purpose and community for the youth. They provide tools to the parents to build healthy boundaries and reinforce positive behaviors of their children.
LifeWorks Program Coordinator, Marbel Alverez, and Lead Clinician, Adrian Elizondo will go into detail about this extraordinary program and how it has affected the lives of many of our underserved members of the community in a very positive and profound way.
Marbell originally from a small Central American country Nicaragua who emigrated 26 years ago to Sonoma County and since that time resides in Santa Rosa, married with 2 children who are currently both college students. Her favorite hobby is hiking, who currently developed a group of women with the purpose of supporting selfcare, leading the women of the community so that they can continue to be mothers, wives but at the same time take care of themselves.
Marbell has been working at LIFEWORKS since 2006 She started as an educator in the EFC program then worked in the TBS program As Behavior Coach and currently works in the El PUENTE Program as a program Coordinator who works with parents and sometimes with youth.
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Adrian has been practicing psychotherapy for 7 years. He studied Psychology at Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) and became a Licensed Psychologist in Mexico. Then came to the United States to complete a MA in Counseling Psychology at John F. Kennedy University. He is currently a Licensed MFT and is continuing the path of getting his Professional Clinical Counseling License. Adrian has worked providing counseling/psychotherapy at schools, homes, office, Probation Camp, Juvenile Hall, etc. Adrian’s psychotherapeutic approach has been influenced by his experiences in climbing mountains and for that reason he is interested in holistic mental health approaches and perspectives like Somatic, Transpersonal and Adventure/Wilderness therapies. He has experience working with children, teens and adults using trauma informed approaches, mindfulness, attachment theory, solution focused, systemic and psychodynamic. He is interested on combining psychology and climbing in nature. He believes that an intentionally guided wilderness/outdoor experience is a powerful tool for personal growth and healing trauma. Adrian has experience helping clients with depression, anxiety, trauma, behavioral challenges, oppositional/defiance, substance abuse, different types of abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, loss/grief, bullying, anger/aggression and low self-esteem. Adrian has been trained on Triple P Level 4, has a certification on Mindfulness Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents, and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Certification from California Institute of Integral Studies in 2017.
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