Eric LopezLMHC

Growing up in South Florida, even as the somewhat nerdy but still cool guy whose mom was the best teacher, proved to be very challenging. When I got into UF by the skin of my SAT's, I wanted to learn, grow, and gain understanding about myself and others. I wanted to return to my community and help others like myself. The more life experiences I have had, the more I find others like myself. I love helping and I enjoy continually getting better at it.

Essential to my life philosophy is the belief that people can indeed change. I have found hope in my own life and it is a great joy to be able to help others find hope in theirs. I have learned to respect myself in my journey and I believe I bring that same hope, that same impetus, that same belief into therapy. Change is possible and hope is a thought away. Motivation can be sparked.

The first part of determining goals is getting to know the client. It is essential to understand the client and what is important to them. Helping the client to clarify what the issues are is the next step. Prioritizing and choosing what issues to address is the client's decision, while I, as therapist, can provide guidance and direction. Often in the course of working on treatment goals, others are identified.

• Florida, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, MH20349

My previous experience includes providing therapy to individuals with depression, anxiety, bipolar depression and addiction. I have worked in both community mental health settings and telehealth platform settings. Most recently I worked as a therapist counseling individuals experiencing their first episodes of psychosis in their lives during the pandemic. I have worked with children and adolescents along with their families in helping them overcome academic and behavioral difficulties in school and home settings. I have also worked in elementary and high school settings as well as juvenile detention facilities and homeless shelters. The most recent advent of telehealth and ease of access it provides clients is a positive thing. Connecting with clients, building a relationship on trust, understanding them and their lives from their perspective, is the cornerstone of effective counseling. From there, client and therapist can explore thought life as it pertains to their experience. The road to change is taken at the client's pace and from the client's perspective, with the therapist as a guide at times helping to assess motivation, encourage, and develop insight.