Nikola Hermosilla
Bakersfield,CA
Summary
Decolonized social worker with extensive expertise in navigating complex life challenges through self-awareness, civility, and empathy, particularly within marginalized communities. Committed to fostering equitable and inclusive holistic healing practices for At-Promise youth and adults, focusing on reducing recidivism and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. Proficient in implementing micro, mezzo, and macro interventions grounded in abolitionist principles, with a strong track record of impactful initiatives such as a grief curriculum for justice-impacted youth and an Incentive Program that positively influenced 145 participants. Recognized for leadership and integrity with the Garden Pathways Service Excellence Award and advocating for creative expression as a vital component of emotional healing through published poetry.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Grief Curriculum Developer
Garden Pathways
01.2025 - Current
- Designed and implemented a grief counseling curriculum used as court-mandated counseling for justice-impacted youth
- Integrated somatic practices, creative expression, and narrative processing to support emotional regulation and healing
- Addressed complex grief, identity loss, and generational trauma through culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate methods
- Created companion worksheets, group facilitation guides, and reflection prompts for use in schools, re-entry programs, and diversion settings
Program Facilitator
Garden Pathways
07.2020 - Current
- As a certified group facilitator, I have designed and facilitated evidence-based curricula for a wide range of youth and families, both justice-impacted and those at risk of entering the system. My work centers trauma-informed, CBT-based interventions that promote emotional regulation, healthy identity development, and relational healing. I have facilitated Seeking Safety groups for youth and adults addressing trauma and substance use; Youth on a Mission groups inside juvenile halls, focused on leadership, accountability, and resilience; and Parents on a Mission (POM) classes for parents whose children attended our downtown education center and daycare. In that setting, I also supported classroom environments for children on the spectrum or experiencing behavioral challenges, bridging care between the classroom and home. Additionally, I led Breaking the Cycle (BTC), a 52-week court-mandated group for men and women navigating domestic violence and anger management. I hold full certification as a BTC facilitator, completing over 104 hours of required training. I am also trained in Transformative Education, a cognitive behavioral group model.
ADULT & YOUTH MENTORING SPECIALIST
Garden Pathways
12.2019 - Current
- I operate as a one-stop support hub for at-promise youth, centering autonomy, dignity, and opportunity in their transition to adulthood, rather than incarceration. Grounded in trauma-informed care and cultural humility, I dismantle barriers while advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across all systems of care. I coordinate services across schools, courts, healthcare, and community-based organizations to help youth access education, secure employment, and develop emotional regulation and self-management. As a multidisciplinary advocate, I ensure that individualized service plans reflect not just immediate needs, but long-term visions of self-worth and sustainable independence. Whether facilitating psychoeducational groups, designing restorative justice events, or building pathways to post-secondary success, I strive to create spaces where young people don’t just survive, but are seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Education
Master of Arts - Social Work
University of Massachusetts Global
Irvine, CA08.2025
Bachelor of Arts - Communications, Public Relations
California State University
Bakersfield, CA05.2020
Associate of Arts - Communications
Bakersfield College
Bakersfield, CA12.2017
Skills
- Tracked program impact and success metrics to support case planning, grant deliverables, and continuous quality improvement, ensuring alignment with trauma-informed, equity-driven outcomes
- Contributed to grant writing, reporting, and evaluation for a $2M justice-impacted youth initiative, translating frontline experience into funder-aligned narratives and measurable results
- Adept at recognizing both explicit disclosures and implicit cues, drawing on somatic and behavioral indicators to assess needs that may go unspoken, particularly among trauma-exposed youth
- Specialized in intervention with Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC), including mandated reporting, safety planning, and cross-system coordination with child welfare, juvenile court, and mental health providers
- Conducted high-stakes case management with vulnerable youth navigating exploitation, identity-based harm, or systemic neglect, ensuring services were developmentally appropriate, non-stigmatizing, and rooted in trust-building
Timeline
Grief Curriculum Developer
Garden Pathways
01.2025 - Current
Program Facilitator
Garden Pathways
07.2020 - Current
ADULT & YOUTH MENTORING SPECIALIST
Garden Pathways
12.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Communications, Public Relations
California State University
Associate of Arts - Communications
Bakersfield College
Master of Arts - Social Work
University of Massachusetts Global
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