Meet Lily Gatica—Therapist at Best Therapists

Lily is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist offering virtual therapy to those residing in California, Texas, and Florida. Lily is passionate about helping individuals and couples live a meaningful and enjoyable life. She specializes in anxiety, depression, complex trauma, and relationship issues. During Lily's training, she treated individuals ranging from 18-64 with a wide range of disorders using a psychodynamic lens. She worked closely with toddlers and parents using an attachment based approach during her time at an early childhood development center. Over the years, Lily's work grew through somatic and mindful trainings that allowed her to develop a holistic approach in sessions. She is certified in EMDR and is an IFS informed therapist. Lily works closely with couples who are in conflict or in crisis. She is curious about her clients and maintains the belief that everyone is unique and has a story to tell. Lily is compassionate, honest, and ultimately meets her clients where they are.

The thought about talking to a stranger about what's going on is terrifying. When the process involves an honest conversation about symptoms, family problems, and addiction or other "shameful" family secrets, it can keep anyone from healing. You were taught to keep it to yourself and not cause trouble. To not air family secrets and that emotions are dramatic and useless. Especially the biggest of all- grief. There is nobody that gets to escape grief in this process. It's a myth that any of it has to be painful or overwhelming. And struggling with feelings or needing to heal doesn't make you weak. Nobody taught you how to do this. Your past doesn't have to define you or prevent you from living. You don't have to "suck it up" anymore.You can break the patterns and create a better life for yourself. If you process the guilt, shame, resentment, sadness, then it doesn't stay. You can truly move on. No longer pretending, you get to enjoy your life as it is instead of reliving the past. Going to therapy can be a difficult choice especially when you know healing is messy and painful. I use effective and quick methods like EMDR and others for the fastest and least painful healing possible. With a therapist's help, you can learn the skills you weren't taught and you can heal. It's time to offer yourself the ability to move past this.

Masters in Clinical Psychology I Antioch University Los Angeles, 2018