Dr. Carol Deas-Lopez
Are you feeling at your wit’s end and concerned about your loved one’s mental health?
Do you find yourself ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop?’
Have you felt like you can’t think, feel, or speak without it becoming World War III?
These experiences are real and are not uncommon when a loved one’s mental health has gone untreated. In fact, relationship difficulty is a prime indicator that there is indeed a problem. The question is:
Have your concerns become too difficult to manage by yourself?
I understand very personally how challenging it is to navigate something like this. Partners feel like they’re single and living with a roommate. Mothers and fathers feel like they’ve lost a child. For all of us who have loved someone with a serious mental health condition, there is a tremendous sense of grief and a strong desire to “fix it,” so life doesn’t feel so out of control. Maybe you’re even asking yourself “how did I get here?”
At this very moment, what’s most important is that you’re reading my words and deciding to make yourself a priority, maybe for the first time.
My primary goal is to help you explore what’s bringing you to therapy, get to the root of the problem, connect the pieces of the puzzle, put the emotional distress in the rearview mirror, become your authentic & loved self, and accrue coping strategies along the way, to better handle stressful situations. Wow! That sounds like a lot, and it is!
Therapy is life changing! It has the power to heal us emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It can also be difficult and challenging, because it requires us to look at ourselves and our lives in ways that we haven’t before. Since we are all unique beings who learn at different paces, patience and time are sometimes needed for the seeds of change to take root. I know with certainty that therapy is an awesome addition to your self-care regimen.
Self care can go right out the window when you find yourself struggling to cope with unmanageable stressors such as a loved one’s mental health symptoms and behaviors. Truthfully, one of the worst things that we can feel as humans is emotionally/physically depleted. The good news is we can change this trajectory anytime we want, and get on a healthier, more holistic path.
Here are some of my specialties:
intimate/family/peer relationships
addiction & recovery
codependency
trauma
grief and loss
life transitions
burnout
If you are experiencing concerns in one or more of these areas, maybe it’s time to take a leap of faith. Two of my favorite sayings are “the process is perfect” and “nothing changes if nothing changes.” They speak very well to the power of decision and change, even small change.
One of the most important aspects of the therapeutic process is that you get to decide who you want to work with. This is a very personal decision, because~let’s face it~you are the expert on you, and I want you sitting across from someone who gets it.
If you find yourself feeling curious about me, I would love to have a conversation about what’s bringing you to therapy and see if we’re a good fit. It might seem a little overwhelming if this is your first time seeking out a therapist, because of so many choices, and you may not feel sure about what to say or ask. During our consultation, I will help you feel at ease with the process. Most of all, I encourage you to embrace that, no matter who you decide to work with, this is an empowering and courageous step that is to be celebrated!
I want to leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Mandy Hale:
“Sometimes it takes getting pushed to the very edge before you can find your voice & courage to speak out again. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to realize you’re done descending & it’s time to rise. Sometimes it takes being told you’re nothing, being made to feel like you’re nothing, to help you see that you are complete.
YOU. ARE. ENOUGH.
You see, sometimes you have to realize that you’ve HAD enough to realize that you ARE enough.”
Cheers to good mental health.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Carol Deas-Lopez