Updated May 7, 2013
Xiomara A. Sosa is a clinical mental health – forensic counselor (Intern), a mental health and physical health coach, a nonprofit executive, and a United States military veteran. She practices a progressive, innovative path to integrative health by combining behavioral and primary health care. Xiomara’s clinical specializations are anxiety disorders, mood disorders, child custody evaluation, and divorce mediation. Her treatment and theoretical orientations are affirmative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems therapy, and solution focused brief therapy. Her coaching is focused on coping skills; coming out; crisis intervention; disaster mental health; emotional health; family conflict; healthy lifestyle; homophobia (external and internal); life and work balance; living well; personal growth; relationships; trauma; and weight loss. Her cultural competency is especially focused on working with the Hispanic, veteran, and sexual and gender minority (LGBQQTI) communities. Her areas of expertise include coming-out and externalized and internalized homophobia. She works with individuals, couples and families of mixed ages and genders. Xiomara is bilingual (Spanish) and provides services in private consultation, by telephone or electronically. Xiomara’s passion is in counseling/coaching and social change advocacy with a focus on public policy/action and community outreach organizations. She is a psychology, mental health, and health and human services advocate and a humanitarian passionate about human rights. As a social entrepreneur and social change advocate her goal is to promote social policy that protects the wellbeing of all people. She works for social welfare initiatives through volunteerism and altruism. Xiomara’s key advocacy issues are prevention and intervention of bullying and suicide. She is an active member of the American Counselors Association and The American Mental Health Counselors Association in leadership positions.
Professional, Nonprofit and Military Work
Xiomara is the Founder and Principal of XAS Consulting, LLC, a practice she founded in 2005-present, to provide professional mental health and physical health coaching services. XAS helps people achieve and sustain a healthy, well balanced lifestyle and state of mind. When she completes her internship and acquires her licensure she will expand her practice to include clinical mental health – forensic counseling services. xasosa@xasconsulting.com
Xiomara is also the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Get-Right! Organization, Inc., a social change advocacy nonprofit organization she founded in 2010-present, whose mission is to educate families, teach children, and support communities about mental health and physical health. get-right@get-right.org
She is also the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of You Are Strong! Center on Veterans Health and Human Services, a social change advocacy nonprofit organization she founded in 2011-present, whose mission is to combat stigma and provide health and human services information to veterans and their families. xasosa@youaresgtrong.org
Xiomara is the Family Support Specialist/Volunteer Case Manager/Intern Therapist at Carolina Youth Development Center, Inc., March 2013 – present. She provides home and community based services to families at risk of child maltreatment. She provides assessment, service planning, short term counseling, intervention, and development of a family’s resources. Based on family needs, Xiomara monitors the families’ progress, conducts home visitations, and provides parent education and community referrals. In addition, she provides child development support, case management, conducts parenting interventions and assists with family support services.
Xiomara was the Client Services Coordinator/Bilingual Case Manager/Intern Therapist at My Sister’s House, Inc. (MSH) August 2012 – March 2013. She coordinated client services, provided case management, individual counseling and facilitated counseling groups at MSH, a shelter-based program serving domestic violence victims. She provided referral services, intake, crisis intervention, advocacy, and developed a support services program for MSH. Xiomara also provided linkage with community services and coordinated financial assistance services through the Department of Social Services. In addition, she developed support services programs that included life skills training, employment assistance, job skills training partnerships, and needs assessments. She also provided victim advocacy services with the judicial and law enforcement systems, which included court accompaniment, participated in and conducted speaking engagements, health fairs, workshops, etc., and was lead with community resources listing.
Through her nonprofit organizations she is able to do her social change advocacy work through initiatives she holds near and dear to her heart. Via XAS Consulting, Xiomara created and launched, in partnership with prominent social media and coalition partners, a series of national social change advocacy networks through the XAS Advocacy Network Series (ANS), using her nonprofit organizations as the platform for each individual network. These networks will help shed light on issues affecting diverse communities through a series of articles about issues affecting their needs, resources, spotlights, interviews and critical legislative, government, and military initiatives. The campaign includes Town Hall Meetings and Legislative Days with representatives and community stakeholders, to educate, raise awareness and advocate for the needs of those communities.
Via You Are Strong! Xiomara is Executive Creator and Co-partner with Latina Lista of the National Hispanic Veterans Advocacy Network (NHVAN), the first of the ANS, which launched on Memorial Day of 2012. NHVAN’s mission is to provide culturally competent advocacy for the health and human services needs of U.S. Hispanic military veterans. NHVAN’s vision is to create a well-established, organized, active, and strongly connected community of Hispanic veterans by improving communication and advocacy for their health and human services needs that is culturally appropriate. It elevates the voices of Hispanic veterans and spotlights their unique challenges, needs and stories by providing a platform where the greater Latino community can share in the pride of knowing about these courageous men and women and the sacrifices they made for their country.
Via Get-Right! Xiomara is Executive Creator and Co-partner with NEW LATINA of the National Hispanic Mental Health Professionals Advocacy Network (HMHP), the second of the ANS series, which launched on October 18, 2012. HMHP’s mission is to promote education, awareness and advocacy for the mental health services needs of U.S. Hispanic communities. HMHP’s vision is to create a well-established, organized, active, and strongly connected community of Hispanic mental health professionals by improving culturally relevant communication and advocacy for the mental health needs of the Hispanic community. This partnership will help shine light on issues affecting the Hispanic community from a cultural perspective via an article series about issues affecting their mental health needs. HMHP will also share resources, conduct interviews with mental health professionals and organizations, and will assemble and disseminate critical legislative, government and mental health initiatives.
Xiomara has over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector where she developed her expertise in the helping field. She also developed her skill and knowledge in creating and implementing programs in communities that target social welfare work. Her passion for humanitarian and human rights issues began as a child born and raised in New York City which grew through her volunteerism and altruism.
Xiomara left New York and served a military tour of duty with the Air Force Reserves and the United States Army. There she was selected to serve in a prestigious position at The Pentagon in Washington, DC where she worked directly for the Brigadier General at the United States Army Research Institute for Behavioral and Social Sciences, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Personnel Programs Analysis Office, and Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. Through that experience she polished her skills on how advocacy interconnects with health and human services efforts.
Her budding passion for humanitarianism landed her a position at the Academy for Education Development (AED), a nonprofit organization working globally to improve education, health, civil society and economic development, the foundation of thriving societies. At AED she worked in the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research supporting the Director in their mission to create and strengthen the infrastructure that supports the positive development of all youth.
At the National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organizations (COSSMHO) she worked closely with the President and CEO and the Vice President of Policy and Research on a wide range of advocacy issues related to health and human services with Congress, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the Department of Health and Human Services, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. She also supported organizational initiatives with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other philanthropic foundations on behalf of COSSMHO. Xiomara served as COSSMHO’s liaison with other national nonprofit organizations on outreach efforts and for The National Hispanic Health Network, a 30 Community Based Organization HandsNet electronic communications system. She also worked tirelessly to promote the President’s book on Latina’s health, The Latina Guide to Health, a consumer’s health guide for overall health and wellness for Latinas.
Her evolution in social change advocacy progressed as she moved on to MANA, A National Latina Organization where she worked with members and chapter leaders on empowering Latinas through leadership development, community service and advocacy.
Following that she managed a $980,000 budget at NLGJA, an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues, and to advance their mission in opposing all forms of workplace bias and providing professional development to its members. There she developed the National and Regional Leadership Development Institutes designed to meet training needs in fiscal management and program development and implementation for NLGJA’s leadership. These series of trainings ultimately led to the crafting of goals set forth in NLGJA’s Strategic Plan. Xiomara was instrumental in acquiring the $100,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to fund this initiative.
She then managed close to a million dollar Department of Labor grant at the National Student Partnerships, an organization whose mission is to combat poverty and expand opportunity for all people in the United States.
Before founding XAS, Get-Right!, and You Are Strong!, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Society for Hispanic Professionals (NSHP) where she strengthened NSHP’s infrastructure and solidified NSHP as a viable and noteworthy presence in the Hispanic professional community that includes over 20,000+ members.
Professional Memberships and Service
Xiomara is a member of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and its Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina chapters. She is a board member of the NC chapter – LPCANC. Xiomara serves on AMHCA’s Public Awareness, Advocacy and Marketing Committee and is the Southern Regional Liaison of the Graduate Student Committee. Xiomara also serves as a Mental Health Officer on the Semper Fidelis Health and Wellness Advisory Board and is a member of the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) Alliance (BCA). She is an American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health volunteer and American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces volunteer. Xiomara is also a member of the FemFessionals Charleston, SC chapter and the national Coalition for LGBT Health.
Xiomara was a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and its Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina chapters. She was President-Elect of the Florida chapter’s (FCA) Florida Association for Marriage and Family Counseling (FAMFC); was a member at large of FCA’s Florida Association of Multicultural Counselors Division (FAMCD); and of ACA’s LGBTQQIA Affirmative Counseling and Social Justice Committee. She was a member of ACA’s Counselors for Social Justice Division and ACA’s Veterans Network. Xiomara was also a member of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors.
Xiomara served as a member of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s National Youth Media Campaign’s Partnership Development Expert Panel. She also served on the Senate Republican Conference Task Force on Hispanic Affairs Advisory Committee. She was a participant in the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse Treatment Month Planning Group, and the Social Security Administration’s Outreach Planning Group. Xiomara was appointed to serve on the Arlington, VA Multicultural Advisory Commission, was a member of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation’s Latino Survey Planning Group, served on the Arthritis Foundation’s Speaking of Pain Advisory Council and Diversity 2000 Committee, and was a member of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc. Xiomara also served on the HandsNet Editorial Board, the Newspaper Association of America’s Diversity Committee, and was a member of the Center for Media Education’s Children Media Policy Network. Xiomara also served on the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Committee of the Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade.
She also served on the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League’s (SMYAL) Board of Directors, served as a SMYAL Youth Group Facilitator, and as an appointed member of the Whitman-Walker Clinic’s Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Services Board of Directors on behalf of SMYAL. She also served on the Bridge Builders Fund Board of the Directors and the Gente Latina de Ambiente Board of Directors. Ms. Sosa was a Cultural Competency Trainer for the Mautner Project for Women with Cancer, a member of the Potomac Executive Network, and the Women’s Health and Wellness Network.
Her prior professional affiliations include membership in the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives, the American Society of Association Executives and the Florida Society of Association Executives.
Awards, Certificates, Ribbons, and Medals
In 2012 she was nominated for The Trailblazer Award by WEGO Health for their Health Activist Awards and The Mobilizor Award by the Social Revolucion at SXSW. In 2011 and 2012 she was nominated for The Woman of Worth Award by L’Oreal Paris. CATALINA Magazine awarded Xiomara the 2010 Deloitte Groundbreaking Latina Leader of the Year award for her work which consistently promotes a positive image of Hispanics and their culture, and to promote her accomplishments as one of the nation’s leading Latinas. She was also awarded the Northern Virginia Family Service Special Foster Care Certificate of Approval and Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of valuable contributions as a Therapeutic Foster Parent. Xiomara is a recipient of the Campaign Air Force Training Ribbon, the Campaign Army Service Ribbon, the Army Achievement Medal for Meritorious Service, and the Department of the Army Certificate of Achievement for Meritorious Service.
Media and Reviews
Xiomara was featured as a leader on the Fabulosamentelatina.com Success channel and as a Personal Consultant on their advice channel. She was also featured on the AOL Latino Icons channel as a Latina leader and on Latinas Inspire as an inspirational Latina. Xiomara was named “Latina de la Semana” by El Tiempo Latino and was featured in the Latinas Today section of Latina Style Magazine. Her reputation has attracted media commentary by such outlets as the Sun Sentinel, Catalina Magazine, and Careerjournal.com/The Wall Street Journal Executive Career Site. She’s also been sought after to review books written by Hispanic authors such as Profound CrossRoads by Anthony Ramos. To read additional articles and features on Xiomara visit XAS News and Announcements.
Education
Xiomara completed her graduate course work in mental health and her specialization studies in forensics for a M.S. in Mental Health – Forensic Counseling (clinical mental health – forensic counseling) at Walden University. She is currently working on her field work internship and will pursue her licensure when completed. She earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Phoenix. She attended The United States Air Force (USAF) University – Community College of the Air Force, is a graduate of the USAF Military Training Center, the USAF Technical Training Center, and the United States Army Training Center.