You Don’t Have to Keep Pretending You’re Fine
Therapy for anxiety, burnout, and the exhaustion of living between who you are and who everyone expects you to be.
About Me
Welcome to Raices (roots in Spanish) Flourish where your roots become your strength, not your burden. I’m Jessica Batres, a Registered Social Worker who helps people in Ontario navigate the complex layers of identity, anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, abuse, burnout, cultural tension, and anyone exhausted from living up to impossible standards. I’m here to walk alongside you.
Individual Therapy
50 Minute Therapy Session
I offer 50-minute therapy sessions virtually or by phone (across Ontario) in a space where you can show up as yourself. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, postpartum depression or anxiety, abuse, transition to motherhood or other new roles, addictions, navigating family expectations, breaking cycles of people-pleasing or perfectionism, working through identity questions, or carrying the weight of living between two cultures, our time together is focused on your goals and well-being. We’ll work at your pace to untangle what’s holding you back and make space for who you want to become. Sessions are available in English, French, and Spanish.
I specialize in working with children of immigrants, second-generation Canadians, and anyone navigating the complexities of identity, belonging, immigrant parent guilt, the complexities of balancing two cultures and living up to impossible standards.
Individual therapy available across Ontario. If you would like to meet in person, please let me know. We can find a space in Durham Region, Ontario.
The cost is $170/session. I offer a limited number of sliding-scale spots. Direct billing now available for most insurance providers. Please book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss options.
Couples Therapy
50 Minute Couples Therapy Session
I offer therapy for couples who want to feel connected again—whether you’re navigating cultural differences, adjusting to major life transitions, like becoming parents, struggling with communication or feeling distant, caught in cycles of conflict you can’t seem to break or simply feeling more like roommates than partners. Together, we’ll work to rebuild closeness, strengthen communication, and create a relationship that feels supportive, intimate, and aligned. Sessions are available in English, French and/or Spanish.
Online couples therapy available across Ontario. If you would like to meet in person, please let me know. We can find a space in Durham Region, Ontario.
The cost of one session is $225. I offer a limited number of sliding-scale spots for clients who could benefit from reduced rates. Direct billing now available for most insurance providers. Please book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss any of these options further.
Podcast Appearances
When Rest Feels Like Betrayal: How Living Between Two Cultures Shapes First-Gen Mental Health
Show: The Christina Crowe Podcast: Making the Invisible VISIBLE
Host: Christina Crowe
Date: September 8, 2025
Exploring how living between cultures shapes first-generation mental health. We discuss the unique challenges second-gen individuals face when rest and self-care feel like a betrayal to family sacrifices, and how to navigate the tension between honouring your heritage and caring for yourself.
When You Had To Be The Parent: Emotional Healing for Adult Children
Show: What Would Sabrina Say
Host: with Sabrina Duong
Date: November 4, 2025
A deep dive into the experience of parentification in immigrant families. We explore how taking on adult responsibilities as a child impacts your relationships, sense of self, and ability to set boundaries as an adult, and most importantly, how to begin healing.
Burnout, Boundaries, and Real Self-Care That Works
Show: What Would Sabrina Say
Host: with Sabrina Duong
Date: November 25, 2025
Moving beyond bubble baths and self-care clichés to discuss what actually helps when you’re burnt out. We talk about setting boundaries in cultures that prioritize collective needs, recognizing the signs of burnout unique to second-gen experiences, and implementing sustainable practices that honor both your identity and your wellbeing.
Speaking Engagements
Healing doesn’t just happen in therapy, it happens in community. Through workshops, panels, and public speaking, I create spaces where we can learn, reflect, and grow—together.
“Mental health care should not be a privilege—it’s a right. And it should reflect our stories, our culture, and our roots.”
– Julissa Arce, Mexican American author and advocate
From the blog
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New Year, New Approach: Gentle Goals for Anxious Perfectionists
Happy New Year! You’ve made your vision board. Written your goals. Maybe you’re already feeling the pressure creeping in—that voice that says this time you’ll finally get it right. But what if this year, instead of trying to perfect yourself, you practiced being kinder to yourself? Why New Year’s Goals Often Backfire It’s the first week of…
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When Family Gatherings Feel Draining: Holiday Boundaries for Second-Generation Canadians
Holidays are coming up and there’s pressure… the gifts, the planning, the family gatherings, the travel. All during our “time off”, when we’re supposed to rest. Except the holidays don’t always feel like a respite. For instance, in my family we try as much as we can to visit my in-laws and my own family.…