Exploring Life & Business with Elizabeth Gallo of Resilient Lotus Psychotherapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Gallo.

Hi Elizabeth, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a 2^nd generation Mexican-American born and raised in Southern California. My story is one of both adversity and resilience. I was born with cerebral palsy. I lost function in one of my kidneys when I was seven and developed epilepsy at age eleven. No other member of my family had any serious medical issues. I was often teased because I walked with a limp. I was continually going to doctor’s appointments and physical therapy. The people closest to me treated me like a “normal” person. They didn’t focus on my disability. But out in the real world, away from my immediate family, the situation was different. I didn’t quite fit in with able-bodied people. At the same time, I wasn’t impaired enough to fit in with people who had a disability either. I felt a sense of loneliness, sadness, and confusion throughout my childhood.

When I was in eighth grade, a social worker came to our class and talked to us about what she did. As I listened to her speak, I felt a spark inside myself, as if something had been awakened. I thought, “I want to help people, too.” From that day forward, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and the desire to help people never left me. At 19, I got a job at Walmart with the plan of supporting myself until I finished my undergraduate degree. School was challenging for me and it took me nearly eight years to finish. But I stuck with it until I got my degree.

My undergrad years at CSU Fullerton were pivotal in my life. One class in particular – Character and Conflict – was especially meaningful. The class would separate into small groups and have deep discussions about a variety of topics. I realized there were other sensitive and growth-minded people like me during my time in this class. For the first time, I felt genuinely seen and accepted. This transformative experience led me to switch from social work to marriage and family therapy.

I’d been working at Walmart for many years at that point and wanted to do something that was better aligned with my values and interests. However, it quickly became apparent that my physical limitations were preventing me from getting jobs I was otherwise qualified for. I struggled to maintain motivation. It seemed like getting away from Walmart was going to be impossible. I began noticing how far other people my age had advanced in their careers and how much more successful they were. At times I felt like giving up — maybe my disability really did make me inferior to other people. But my desire to help other people always kept me going. I decided to volunteer at a local community center so I could do the kind of work I wanted to do, even if it meant doing it for free. At least I’d be getting experience. I applied for assistance from the Department of Rehabilitation, but their help turned out to be unnecessary because I was offered a paying job helping people with disabilities.

From there I worked in a group home, then as a case manager as I worked my way through graduate school. My self-confidence gradually increased as I witnessed the impact of my work on clients’ lives. My supervisors were impressed with my abilities and began assigning me tasks they typically reserved for employees who already had their master’s degrees. It was then that I began to realize that living with cerebral palsy had actually been an asset, that it had given me greater empathy and prepared me to work with people and populations in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to. Far from being a barrier, my disabilities were actually a catalyst that helped me achieve my professional goals. I was ultimately able to become a licensed marriage and family therapist in March 2022 and open my private practice called Resilient Lotus Psychotherapy as of May 2023.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has definitely come with some bumps in the road. A significant struggle throughout my journey has been low self-esteem. In addition to the prejudice and discrimination I encountered. The adversity I faced often left me grappling with feelings of inadequacy and or as though I was falling behind in comparison to my peers. As a result, there have been moments when I have avoided potential opportunities or experienced imposter syndrome. However, I have always emphasized the fact that I have been blessed with quality family and friends who in the words of Maya Angelou, have been a rainbow in my clouds. Ultimately, strengthening my ability to persevere and strive toward my goals.

It also initially felt very frightening to move away from community mental health and toward private practice. How to run and manage a business was not part of the curriculum in graduate school. This left me thinking that going into private practice was too high of a risk and would leave me feeling like I was out of my depth. However, I was very fortunate to have a patient and kind supervisor as I transitioned out of community mental health and into private practice. We had many reassuring conversations. I was then able to slowly learn about some business-related aspects that I had not been previously exposed to. Even though I don’t feel 100% confident in how to run a business now, I am left feeling at ease because the therapist community has demonstrated how encouraging and supportive it can be.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have been working within the mental health field for eight years and have provided services within community mental health and private practice. Through Resilient Lotus Psychotherapy, I am currently able to provide individual and couples therapy via telehealth throughout California. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, it is very important to me that transparency, authenticity, and quality of care be present in the services I provide. I specialize in supporting clients with chronic illness, anxiety, and developmental trauma. A unique aspect of my therapeutic approach is the use of humor, respectful confrontation, and relatability through lived experience. I prioritize an exploration of past experiences to determine if they are connected to current presenting problems.

I want to add on other components as my business continues to expand over time as well. It has always been important to be a source of guidance to those who are in earlier stages of the licensure process. I will be able to achieve this by providing clinical supervision. This will be a means to have a positive impact on the field of mental health by better ensuring that people are able to be connected with quality clinicians. I also quickly realized that access to clinicians with a specialty or experience in chronic illness was scarce. This led to my desire to offer case consultations to clinicians needing assistance in supporting those with a chronic illness. Because of my lived experience and training, I am able to aid clinicians in better understanding the unique needs and circumstances of those living with a chronic illness.

What does success mean to you?
I was able to get a better sense of what success means to me as I worked on learning more about myself and what I most value. Much of this awareness and clarity was obtained as I navigated through graduate school. I came to connect a sense of success to values that include achieving a sense of fulfillment, personal growth, making a positive impact on the lives of those I encounter, and gaining knowledge by speaking to others about their expertise and experience. My profession as a licensed marriage and family therapist has been a means for me to prioritize these values. I also believe that success entails being able to tolerate discomfort and resiliency because it is how I have overcome moments of uncertainty and failure.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @resilientlotuspsychotherapy
• Other: https://latinxtherapy.com/therapists/resilient-lotus-psychotherapy/

Image Credits
Photographer: Valeria Velasquez
Logo Design: Onaje Ferguson| Ferguson Design and Graphics