Family Therapy - Gabriela Lopez - Latina Big Si... [OFFICIAL]

Gabriela Lopez is a first-generation Mexican-American raised in East Los Angeles. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, but her most influential education came from watching her own mother navigate divorce, her father struggle with machismo, and her younger siblings deal with bullying for being "too Mexican" for school and "too American" for the family.

Today, she runs a boutique family therapy practice specializing in:

In many traditional Latino families, there is a rule: Lo que pasa en casa, se queda en casa (What happens at home, stays at home). This creates a fertile ground for hidden addiction, abuse, or untreated anxiety. Family Therapy - Gabriela Lopez - Latina Big Si...

Gabriela uses her "Big Sister" status to break this rule. She says, "Soy tu hermana, no tu chismosa. Aquí no salen los secretos de esta puerta, pero si salen de tu pecho, te van a aliviar." (I am your sister, not your gossip. The secrets won’t leave this door, but if they leave your chest, they will relieve you.)

In the therapy session, the clinician typically utilizes a Strengths-Based and culturally competent approach: This creates a fertile ground for hidden addiction,

To understand the effectiveness of Gabriela’s approach, consider a recent case. The Martinez family consisted of a single mother (Sofia, 50), a teenage son (Mateo, 16), and a college daughter (Elena, 22). Sofia was threatening to kick Mateo out because he was hanging out with a "bad crowd" and failing school.

Standard approach: A therapist might mediate a conflict resolution model, asking each person to state their feelings using “I” statements. This failed miserably because Sofia saw it as disrespectful that her son could "talk back" to her. Aquí no salen los secretos de esta puerta,

Gabriela Lopez’s approach: Gabriela started the session by looking at Mateo. “Mira, Mateo. Tu mamá cruzó el desierto con tus hermanas en brazos. No cruzó para que terminaras en la calle. ¿Qué le dices a tu mamá?” (Look, Mateo. Your mom crossed the desert with your sisters in her arms. She didn’t cross for you to end up on the street. What do you say to your mom?)

She then turned to Sofia. “Mamá, Mateo no es tu ex-marido. No le grites como le gritabas a él. Este niño necesita un padre, y ahora tú eres el padre y la madre. ¿Cómo vas a guiar a un hombre sin respeto?” (Mom, Mateo is not your ex-husband. Don't yell at him like you yelled at him. This boy needs a father, and now you are both father and mother. How will you guide a man without respect?)

Within three sessions, Mateo was speaking to his mother with usted (formal respect), and Sofia agreed to let him join a boxing gym (a masculine space Gabriela recommended to replace the "bad crowd").