Born in Miami to a large Latin family, I grew up in an environment where we didn’t talk about bad feelings, guilt, or shame—we were taught that crying didn't solve anything and talking about hard or vulnerable things just made everyone straight-up uncomfortable. My parents and many family members struggled with addiction and mental illness, and when I became a teenager, I succumbed to the family disease of addiction. I became particularly addicted to the chaotic cycle of dysfunctional relationships and self-inflicted turmoil, even after achieving sobriety. I truly dreamed I would find someone, and then I would be "fixed".

Throughout my life, despite having been in therapy on and off since I was 6 years old, I felt stuck and stunted. I was...