Meet Gina Arellano

 

We recently connected with Gina Arellano and have shared our conversation below.

Gina, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

I’m a therapist with my own private practice that specializes in treating adults with ADHD. Living with ADHD myself, I know of the many challenges that come with having ADHD, especially in areas requiring focus, organization, time management, and emotional regulation. However, I’ve made it my mission to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and self-improvement.

One of the biggest strategies I use is creating and implementing a realistic structure in my daily routine. I use tools like a digital calendar/planner, reminders, and timers to break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps, which helps me stay on track. Visual aids, like color-coded tasks and digital to-do lists, are essential in keeping me organized and ensuring I remember tasks, complete projects, and meet deadlines.

Emotional regulation can be one of the more difficult skills to master, but it is especially important for people with ADHD. I focus on mindfulness and grounding techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, to calm my mind and connect with my body. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy to do, but I do notice a difference in my ability to focus and regulate myself after I take a moment to ground myself. Regular breaks and physical activity are also very helpful in releasing any pent-up energy and angst.

Rather than viewing my ADHD as a burden, I see it as the superpower it really is. And part of having a superpower is learning how to manage it so that you can burn bright without burning out. This perspective allows me to approach daily life struggles with fresh, innovative solutions, implement rewards and consequences to help with activating behaviors, and establish realistic goals and expectations for myself. I’ve also cultivated a support network of friends, family, and mentors who understand my challenges and provide encouragement and advice when needed.

Importantly, I’ve learned to practice self-compassion, acknowledging that it’s okay to struggle sometimes. By focusing on my strengths and finding ways to manage my weaknesses, I’ve been able to persist and succeed in both personal and professional endeavors, turning what could be a hindrance into a unique advantage.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a mental health therapist and I specialize in therapy for adults with ADHD. I help professionals with ADHD who are struggling with managing day-to-day life learn to gain more stability and power over their lives and have a healthier view of themselves. So if you’re struggling with ADHD, I can help you develop new behaviors and implement strategies that will help you feel more secure and confident in your daily activities and relationships with others.

I know attending sessions and making appointments on time can be a big struggle for people with ADHD. This is why practice is 100% telehealth/online, it just makes attending appointments easier when you’re just one click away. My style of therapy is direct and goal-oriented/focused. My treatment consists of psychoeducation, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and skills building. I find short-term therapy (3-6 months) to be more effective when working with individuals with ADHD. This means that we will focus on about 1-2 goals for 3-6 months, take a break for a month or so, and then meet again for another 3-6 months on your next 1-2 goals. I know therapy can feel hard and scary at times, so I tend to curse and use a lot of humor. I find laughter to be really helpful, especially in the midst of working through hurt and pain.

One of my biggest strengths is that I have ADHD myself, which has allowed me to have a deeper understanding and connection to my clients than I would if I were neurotypical. Whether you’re taking ADHD medication or not, I can help you find the necessary skills you need to help you reach your goals and learn to better manage your ADHD.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I believe creativity, resilience, and strong organizational strategies were the most impactful in my journey. I also would like to highlight the importance of risk-taking. I believe risk-taking is a vital component of success. If I hadn’t decided to take the risk of leaving my agency and starting my own practice, I would never have known the success and fulfillment that could come from being my own boss. That’s not to say that running your own business is all sunshine and daisies, because sometimes you take a risk and it doesn’t work out. But even in those cases, I still learn and grow from them and they make me a better therapist and business owner.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal like is an adult with ADHD who is willing to put in the work, wants to make a change, and can relate to the following entry:
You try so hard to get things right, but no matter how hard you try, there always seems to be something you forgot to do or a mistake you didn’t realize you made. You believe there’s something wrong with you because other people don’t seem to struggle to do everyday tasks as much as you. You’re often left feeling disappointed and dissatisfied at the end of the day because you feel there was more you should have done. You’re completely overwhelmed with the amount of things you have to do that you don’t even know where to start. So you end up spending your time scrolling through your phone, watching tv, shopping, and playing games. Before you know it, it’s already 2:00 am, even though you promised yourself you were going to bed early tonight. But even when you try to sleep, you can’t, because your brain just won’t stop thinking about everything and anything You’ve been told by others that you’re just being lazy and you aren’t trying hard enough. So you’re constantly overexerting yourself and feeling burned out because you believe your best isn’t good enough. You try so hard to pretend everything is okay.. that you’re okay, and nothing’s wrong until you ultimately reach a breaking point where you can no longer pretend and it blows up in your face. Then you just go back to pretending that everything is fine again. You’ve become used to this cycle, but recently it’s gotten worse and it’s really starting to affect your work and your relationships. You’re tired of working so hard just to get caught up, only to end up right back in the same place over and over again. You want to stop feeling like you’re a complete failure at life every time something doesn’t turn out how you planned. You want to find someone who understands the way your brain works and why you do the things you do.

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