About
“Life Changing”
Three Presentations by leslie Acoca, MA, MFT, Acclaimed Psychotherapist, Trauma Researcher, and Recipient of the Dalai Lama Hero of Compassion Award.
So, you’ve Moved to San Miguel, What’s Next For You?
Strategies for navigating the top Eight life challenges facing Expats, Including:
Landing in a different country and finding markets, restaurants, places to live, friends, meetups, doctors etc. and coping with loneliness when everything and everyone around you is new.
Falling in Love and Starting a New Relationship.
Living in a long term relationship, but thinking you may be falling out of love, and are struggling with what to do next.
Divorced, widowed, or living with someone who is disabled and having to create a whole new life.
Single, and wondering whether you want another relationship or worried you won’t find one.
Changing your job or career.
Retiring and searching for a meaningful life after the structures of work and raising a family have diminished.
Learning how to identify and hold on to the best parts of your past life, and use them to create your new, best life- while letting go of the rest.
True Trauma: How to Understand and Heal from it.
Seven Strategies for Understanding different levels of trauma and recovering from the impact of trauma on your life.
Trauma is now a commonly used word, but what does it really mean? And how it is used today by media, mental health professionals and you in your own life.
When you are ready to look at your own individual traumas such as loss of loved ones, histories of abuse or severe illness, loss of job or status, suffering or witnessing violence etc.
How can Trauma impact or change you physically, mentally and socially? Brain fog, trouble sleeping, depression and anxiety, disrupted relationships, flashbacks, alcohol and other drug dependence to cope with pain, etc
Can I get Better? Yes, you can! There are good, effective, treatments for trauma.
Is there a timeline for getting better after Trauma... there are milestones but
no timeline.
Where or to whom do you go to for help and hope?
Here are three tried and true therapies, and some experimental and promising ones: Cognitive behavioral therapy, relational and narrative therapy, group bereavement therapy (if appropriate) and experimental but promising guided psychedelic therapies.
Claiming the Best Years of your One Wild and Precious Life: Starting Right Now:
Ten Strategies for getting and staying healthy, Claiming your unique physical beauty, Growing your Creative talents, Building your Financial stability, Moving and Traveling Mexico and the World and sharing pleasure with friends, lovers and spouses.
Physical Exercise: Keep on Truckin’
San Miguel has an almost perfect climate for year round activity; (First, buy the right shoes! Trainers like Hoka or Asics are great and necessary investments for walking in SMA. Leave those strappy heels and soft flats behind!)
Claim your health super power through daily active physical movement- like walking, running, treadmill, for 30 -90 minutes each day.
Take advantage of the massive benefits of Weight training 2-3 times per week.
Know the downsides and upsides of Yoga and Pilates. Especially for older folks.
Love your fresh food to stay healthy. San Miguel offers some of freshest and most delectable vegetables, fruits, grains as well as fresh fish, beef, lamb and chicken. You can walk to food markets every other street corner.
Eat more protein like SMA’s delicious eggs instead of oatmeal or cereal for breakfast It’s a great way to start the day. Plus protein helps maintain muscle tone and can decrease cravings for alcohol and sweets.
Keep tabs on your drinking habits.
Alcohol consumption can creep up on you in a new environment where you might be either lonely or going out to bars and restaurants with Friends. If you run into trouble with alcohol, AA meetings are available online and in person in town.
Make Friends and join Groups with the Likeminded. We know that Human and social connection are one of the 5 keys to health.
Again SMA offers a uniquely open and accepting environment for making friends and joining up with others who share your interests like writing, painting, fabric arts, collecting, shopping for beautiful objects, cooking etc.
Even if you are shy, make at least one new acquaintance each week and take their card or number to follow up. If you like them. Always get their contact info and give them yours
Pet friends. (Full disclosure, I’m not a pet person). Cats and dogs are loving, stable companions for many humans, especially here in SMA which is very Pet friendly. Also, dog walking gets you out of your house and walking on a daily basis, and is a great conversation starter. A dog is the ultimate wingman (or girl)
Travel with Friends to Mexico’s Magic Towns, Big Cities, Beaches and historic ruins & travel abroad together. (Mexico and world travel is the subject of a whole other talk.)
If not Now When? Start or Finish your Creative Product and Get it Up in Lights. If you’ve put off writing your New York Timed Best Seller, or exhibiting your watercolors, or learning to sing on a stage, now is the time.
Define and Claim your Own Beauty. Beauty and looks are one of society’s trickiest and most fraught areas. On the one hand, we are told to come as close to unrealistic physical perfection as we can (and able to pay for!) in order to be loved and successful. On the other, we are told to let our hair go grey and develop our inner character. We can alternatively be told we are vain and fake, or old and frumpy, depending on our appearance.
No one should dictate or pressure anyone into looking or dressing in any way but what is natural and desirable for them. I would love to explore the combined topics of health, beauty and ageing in depth with both women and men. I know we can help each other by sharing our different experiences.
Welcome, Bienvenedos,
My name is Leslie Acoca. I am a licensed California psychotherapist and life coach with 20 years of experience helping individual adults and teens, couples, and families, to successfully navigate life transitions; such as starting a new relationship, moving to a new environment, changing careers, retiring, or launching a new health and fitness program.
As Founder of the Girls Health and Justice Institute, as well as a therapist, I have developed a unique specialty working with girls and women experiencing anxiety, depression, body dysphoria, and substance abuse using a trauma-focused approach.
I also serve clients experiencing complex trauma resulting from the loss of loved ones to suicide. Over the last three years, I have co-led a group for survivors of suicide, and provided individual bereavement therapy for teens and young adults who have lost loved ones to suicide or illness.
My goal is to support you and your loved ones to find sustainable solutions that restore your trust, relationships, and mind-body health. My style is relational, warm, direct, and practical. I am trained in depth psychology, family therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, and mindfulness, tools that I use to maintain a solution-focused approach to your physical and emotional healing. I often work with consulting psychiatrists and/or physicians to support clients’ medical needs.
My experience and training give me the capacity to provide a safe, trusting, therapeutic environment where even the most difficult issues can be explored and addressed.
Contact information:
If you would like to find out if I can assist you, please email at [email protected]; or call me at +1 505 819 7305. I do not currently accept insurance; and primarily provide telehealth sessions. My hourly fee is $150; and I accept most forms of electronic payment.
My background includes:
Yale University, BA with honors.
Dual Masters in Psychology and Counseling from the University of San Francisco
Licensed California Marriage and Family Therapist, (# 11147)
Recipient of the Dalai Lama Hero of Compassion Award.
Founder and Director of four mental health and medical non-profit California organizations.