Esperanza Gutierrez, 18, strikes the boxing pad as hard as she can. The sweat drips down her forehead.
She stops for a second to catch her breath. The boxing coach waits patiently for Gutierrez. He doesn’t push past her limits.
She nods, and the training continues. She throws a left punch and the coach swings his padded hand.
For Gutierrez, boxing is a safe space, an activity she dedicates her Thursday evenings to. She isn’t boxing to train for a match. She’s doing it as a form of therapy.
Gutierrez is a patient with Therapy Boxing, a program founded by former professional boxer Paul Anthony “Paulie” Ayala and licensed therapist Jaime Corona at the University of Hard Knocks boxing gym in west Fort Worth.
Therapy Boxing combines counseling with the sport as a way to help teenagers and young adults navigate their traumas to build healthy social skills and establish independence.
‘Important for healing’
Corona, who also serves as the owner of New Horizon Counseling Center, was on the lookout for a new therapeutic outlet to tackle recurring issues he kept seeing during counseling sessions.
He remembers attending a class at Paulie Ayala’s University of Hard Knocks and being immediately drawn to the boxing gym.
While observing Ayala and how he operated his gym with compassion, Corona was struck with the idea of fusing his counseling services with boxing. He believed the sport could help with redirecting behavioral issues among young patients.
“I see a lot of trauma cases, you know, kids who have lost a parent to murder or are struggling with suicidal ideation,” he said. “They come into therapy, we talk and process, but then they’re back into this war zone where they are reliving the trauma. I needed to figure out how to get the fear out of them.”
Corona presented Ayala with the idea of combining their expertise to create a new program. Ayala could see how the idea aligned with his boxing gym’s community focus. After a few months of preparation, Therapy Boxing launched in March 2016.
“When we first started, I saw it as a challenge for me,” Ayala said. “I’m not going to prepare these kids for the ring, I’m going to prepare them for life.”
Through Therapy Boxing, referred patients between the ages of 15 and 21 receive individualized counseling and participate in private boxing classes led by Ayala’s trainers at University of Hard Knocks.
In order for participants to feel safe, parents and family members are not allowed to sit in during the classes, said Corona.
“We’ve had parents bring their kiddos and they think their kid is gonna be the next pro boxer, and this program is not to make them do that,” he said. “What Ayala does is highlight their strengths. We don’t yell at them. Exercise is important for mental health and this is important for healing.”
Research on depression, anxiety and exercise shows that physical exercise can help improve moods and lessen anxiety, according to academic medical center Mayo Clinic.
The program is also designed to accommodate a patient’s needs. Patients aren’t required to attend a certain number of boxing classes, said Corona.
“You come when you need it,” he said. “There is no stipulation if you miss three classes. We don’t reject them. We embrace them when they’re here. It just works out better that way.”
Gutierrez has been a Therapy Boxing patient since late 2022. She was initially overwhelmed with the program, but felt safe knowing she wouldn’t be judged. The program has helped improve both her physical and mental health, she said.
“I’ve had multiple counselors in my life, and Jaime has been the one that’s helped the most,” Gutierrez said. “Boxing has helped me with my confidence more than anything. Being in a private class, you can get away from the craziness, especially if it has to do with your family life.”
Measuring success
The Therapy Boxing founders measure the success of the program based on how many young people’s lives they’re able to impact. It always makes the founders smile when previous patients come back to visit the boxing gym and share life updates.
Since its founding, Therapy Boxing has had over 500 participants, said Corona.
“Some of these kids are in fight or flight in the beginning,” he said. “When they come back, thank God they got out of that dark world they were in, because a lot of them don’t see any hope. To see them progress, it’s very satisfying. In a way I seem selfish, but I guess that’s what encourages me to continue to do this.”
Corona hopes other licensed therapists establish similar programs at other North Texas boxing gyms.
Even though Therapy Boxing has become a second home for Gutierrez, she’s saying goodbye soon.
In a few months, she’s moving to San Antonio to attend Palo Alto College. The thought of leaving is bittersweet, she said.
Still, she’s grateful for the guidance and support she’s received from Ayala and Corona.
Gutierrez plans on searching for a gym in San Antonio, one just as welcoming and supportive as University of Hard Knocks.
For now, Gutierrez is hanging up the boxing gloves. But she knows it’s not the end.
David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
Camilo Diaz is a multimedia fellow at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at camilo.diaz@fortworthreport.org.
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