Givinghood Foundation

On June 10th, Clínica Libre opened its doors to Givinghood Foundation and a group of students and professors from CETYS Universidad for a full-day immersive experience in our addiction recovery program. The goal was to provide a real, dignified look into what life inside a rehabilitation center truly feels like—beyond the stigma, beyond the labels. As part of the visit, participants engaged in equine-assisted therapy, one of the most powerful therapeutic tools we use to support emotional connection, regulation, and healing. This experience helped students understand that Clínica Libre is not a place of punishment or isolation—it is a house of life, recovery, and purpose. By witnessing it firsthand, they became part of our mission to dignify recovery and educate the next generation of changemakers.

In April 2025, Alexandra Rubio Barroso, founder and president of Givinghood Foundation, was invited as a bilingual speaker at the San Diego Spring Round Up, one of the most recognized events in the AA and Al-Anon community. Thousands of attendees gathered for a weekend of healing, service, and connection. Alexandra gave two heartfelt talks: • One on the impact of expectations around the illness of alcoholism, especially within families. • Another on psychological defense mechanisms, and how these unconscious patterns often block connection and recovery. These sessions brought not only clinical insight, but deep human empathy to a space of shared vulnerability. Her participation was a reminder that mental health, addiction, and family healing are not isolated paths—they are collective journeys. Being part of this event reinforced our mission at Givinghood: to walk alongside individuals and families with compassion, clarity, and hope.

For over 15 years, Alexandra Rubio Barroso, founder and president of Givinghood Foundation, has volunteered to teach addiction prevention in the Mexican public education system. At CETYS Universidad, she led a full-semester course designed not only to inform, but to transform. Each student is trained as a “multiplier”—a peer leader who shares these tools with vulnerable communities beyond the classroom. This commitment is more than educational. It is emotional, experiential, and deeply human. Students receive life skills, emotional intelligence, and a new lens through which to view the value of life itself. These classes empower young people to prevent, identify, and respond to addiction risks in themselves and others—with empathy, clarity, and action.

In 2024, we launched Break the Stigma, a fashion runway event that brought together over 500 people in an unforgettable night of art, awareness, and solidarity. More than 300 unique garments were hand-painted and donated by a local artist, turning fabric into a canvas of resilience and hope. On the runway walked 25 models — each one a powerful voice in our movement: individuals living with a diagnosis, people in recovery, and family members standing in love and advocacy for someone affected by addiction or mental health challenges. Break the Stigma was not just a fashion show. It was a declaration: that recovery is beautiful, and that mental health deserves visibility, dignity, and funding. All garments were sold to raise scholarships for treatment and mental health programs. The real runway wasn’t the stage — it was the journey each participant walked just by showing up.