Public Scholar · USA
Lived Experience
Keynote Speaker
Researcher · Speaker · Advocate

Defying Labels

Bilingual Trauma-Informed Therapist & Lived Experience Speaker in Los Angeles

Therapy for adoptees, foster youth, teens, LGBTQ+ clients, and Spanish-speaking families, plus immigration evaluations. Keynotes, workshops, and trauma-informed trainings for organizations working in foster care, education, homelessness, and juvenile justice. In person in Los Angeles and online across California.

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Public Scholar · USA
PhD Student · WashU
Keynote Speaker
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L. Patty Flores, MSW, bilingual trauma-informed therapist in Los Angeles

MSW, ASW

Therapist · LA

PhD Student

Washington Univ.

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✦ About Patty

PATTY, MSW, ASW,
PhD Student

Researcher, Speaker, Consultant, and Advocate for Youth Mental Health and Systems Change

Google Scholar Profile ORCID Profile

I am a bilingual (English and Spanish) trauma-informed therapist in Los Angeles, a doctoral student & Chancellor's Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), and a lived experience speaker. My work focuses on youth mental health, lived experience, and the systems that shape young people's lives, including foster care, adoption, immigration, homelessness, the juvenile legal system, and education.

As an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW126834) under the supervision of Christina Dixon, LCSW87870, I provide therapy in person in Los Angeles and online across California for adoptees and foster youth, teens and young adults, LGBTQ+ clients, and Spanish-speaking individuals and families, with a strong focus on parent-child relationships. I also provide immigration evaluations and letters.

My perspective is informed by my intersecting identities as a former foster youth, immigrant, queer individual, and someone who has experienced homelessness and involvement in the juvenile justice system.

For over a decade, I have served as a lived experience keynote speaker and trauma-informed trainer for organizations working in foster care, education, homelessness, and juvenile justice, including United Friends of the Children, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. I have presented to judges, attorneys, probation officers, counselors, professors, social workers, and community leaders across Los Angeles County and internationally. As a researcher and consultant, I collaborate with leading scholars in child welfare on research, program design, and policy development.

Read more about L. Patty Flores →
Speaking · Training · Life Skills

Moving Beyond Labels Through Lived Experience
Speaking & Training

Young people in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or involved in the juvenile justice system are often labeled difficult, defiant, or hard to reach. Defying Labels helps young people, and the professionals who serve them, see beyond those labels.

Patty offers lived experience keynotes and trauma-informed trainings for organizations, and life skills workshops for teens and youth, drawing on her own experience growing up in foster care.

Book Patty to Speak → Request a Youth Workshop
Ways to Work Together

Speaking, Training, Youth Workshops & Trauma-Informed Support
in Los Angeles & Beyond

Defying Labels brings lived experience, research, and trauma-informed practice to young people and the systems that serve them.

Keynotes & trauma-informed training for organizations in foster care, education, homelessness, and juvenile justice.

Life skills workshops for teens and youth in schools, nonprofits, and county programs.

Research & grant consulting for universities, foundations, and agencies.

Academic coaching for high school, college, and graduate students.

Bilingual therapy through C R Dixon Counseling Inc (supervised by Christina Dixon, LCSW87870) for adoptees & foster youth, teens, LGBTQ+ clients, Spanish speakers, and immigration evaluations, in Los Angeles and online across California.

✦ Professional Services

RESEARCH & POLICY CONSULTING

L. Patty Flores, MSW, is a doctoral student and Chancellor's Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis whose research focuses on foster care, juvenile justice, education, and the inclusion of lived experience in research and policy. Drawing on more than a decade of advocacy and her own experience in these systems, she partners with universities, nonprofits, foundations, and county agencies on research, grant, and program design consulting, including youth engagement, lived experience integration, and trauma-informed, culturally grounded practice. She collaborates with leading child welfare scholars, and her work has appeared in peer-reviewed publications.

Youth & Systems Expertise

More than a decade of advocacy and lived experience in foster care, education, homelessness, and juvenile justice systems.

U.S. & Latin America

Collaborations with scholars and organizations across the United States and Latin America, in English and Spanish.

Research & Policy

Peer-reviewed research on child welfare, lived experience, and policy design, with support for grant proposals and program evaluation.

Keynotes & Training

Keynotes and trainings for audiences of up to 500, including judges, probation officers, educators, and community leaders.

L. Patty Flores speaking at a university event
Public Speaking & Workshops

Speaking With Purpose, Lived Experience, and Systems Insight

Presentations and workshops for universities, nonprofits, county agencies, schools, and organizations seeking thoughtful conversations about foster care, education, youth voice, lived experience, and systems change.

✦ Engagements

LIVED EXPERIENCE SPEAKER &
TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING

Patty is a lived experience keynote speaker and trauma-informed trainer who grew up in foster care and has experienced homelessness and the juvenile justice system. She speaks on foster care, adoption, homelessness, juvenile justice, education, immigration, LGBTQ+ youth, and systems of care. Her keynotes, workshops, and staff trainings combine research, storytelling, and practical strategies that help professionals understand trauma, behavior, and belonging, and serve marginalized communities more effectively.

Patty provides trauma-informed training and professional development for organizations working in foster care and child welfare, education, homelessness, and juvenile justice, including universities, school districts, nonprofits, county agencies, and conferences across the United States and Latin America. Past audiences include United Friends of the Children, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the Los Angeles County Probation Department, and LAUSD, with presentations to judges, attorneys, probation officers, educators, and social workers.

✦ What People Say

TESTIMONIALS

United Friends of the Children

❝
Patty resonates authenticity as she tells her story. She uses her tumultuous and powerful journey as a tool for encouraging others to persist despite the barriers they face. Patty speaks with incredible poise and clarity as she connects with the audience. Her voice is needed in all spaces. ”

Megan Levitan

Director of Education at United Friends of the Children
Los Angeles County Office of Education logo

❝
Patty was a fabulous moderator for our panel. She was thoughtful and thorough as she helped the students navigate questions. She had patience as the students shared their powerful story and she contributed to the dialogue by sharing her own powerful journey. Patty is passionate, driven, and determined, and it was wonderful to work with her.”

Jennifer Kottke, Ed.D.

Homeless Education, Coordinator II Division of Student Support Services Los Angeles County of Education
Los Angeles County Probation Department

❝
Liliana (Patty) has spoken at the Success is our Future event for foster youth who are part of the Los Angeles Probation Department. Her strong determination and desire to rise above her situation defined her presence as she spoke to an audience of 500. She is passionate and truly motivated by her ambition to achieve foster youth success and change the direction of people's lives.”

Monique Chanaiwa

Supervising Deputy Probation Officer of Youth Development Services

✦ Let's Begin

Do not leave for tomorrow,
what you can do today!

If this resonates, contact me to start working together

I work directly with individuals and institutions navigating complex experiences and needing support.

Individuals Organizations Schools & Universities
Patty Flores - contact portrait

CONTACT ME

Los Angeles, CA, 91403 · In-person sessions in Los Angeles · Online across California
(213) 222-8794
patty@defyinglabels.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Defying Labels Services

Defying Labels offers public speaking, workshops, educational mentorship, research and grant consulting. However, services such as affordable immigration evaluations, letters, and therapy services in Los Angeles & California are provided under supervision by C R Dixon Counseling Inc. These FAQs help clarify the different ways we may work together.

What services does Defying Labels provide? +

Defying Labels provides trauma-informed therapy (in person in Los Angeles and online across California, provided under supervision through C R Dixon Counseling Inc), public speaking, workshops, educational coaching, academic mentorship, research consulting, and grant consulting.

Do you offer therapy in Los Angeles? +

Yes. I offer trauma-informed therapy in person in Los Angeles and online or by phone for clients anywhere in California. I mainly work with teens and young adults, with a strong focus on adoptees, current and former foster youth, and parent-child relationships in adoptive and foster families.

Do you offer therapy in Spanish? +

Yes. I am a native Spanish speaker and offer therapy fully in Spanish or in a mix of Spanish and English, in person in Los Angeles and online across California.

How much does therapy cost, and do you take insurance? +

My standard fee is $180 per session, with a limited number of sliding-scale spots for those who qualify. I am not currently in-network with insurance.

Do you offer keynote speaking, workshops, or training? +

Yes. I offer keynote speaking, workshops, panels, trainings, and presentations for universities, nonprofit organizations, county agencies, schools, conferences, and community-based programs.

What topics do you speak about? +

Speaking topics include foster care, child welfare, lived experience, higher education access, youth voice, resilience, immigration, systems change, trauma-informed practice, first-generation students, and the ethics of including lived experience in research and programming.

Do you speak for universities and academic spaces? +

Yes. I speak with universities, academic programs, research centers, student groups, and professional audiences on topics related to foster youth, higher education, lived experience, child welfare, research, and systems change.

Do you provide consulting for nonprofits, foundations, or public agencies? +

Yes. I provide research and grant consulting for nonprofits, foundations, universities, county agencies, researchers, and community-based organizations seeking support with youth engagement, lived experience integration, program framing, funding strategy, and community-centered research.

What is educational coaching and mentorship? +

Educational coaching supports high school, college, and graduate students with academic confidence, organization, writing, motivation, graduate school preparation, and educational transitions. Coaching is not therapy. It focuses on academic, personal, and professional development.

Do you work with first-generation, foster youth, immigrant, or nontraditional students? +

Yes. I provide mentorship and coaching for first-generation students, foster youth alumni, immigrant students, undocumented students, LGBTQ+ students, graduate students, and nontraditional learners navigating academic and professional spaces.

What makes Defying Labels different? +

Defying Labels brings together public speaking, research, mentorship, consulting, training, lived experience, and community-centered work. The goal is not only to provide services, but to support people, organizations, and institutions in thinking more deeply about systems, identity, healing, education, and change.