Francisca
Francisca
I practice what I preach
Francisca is a psychologist, university professor, and mother. Anxiety has always been part of her life, and she describes herself as someone with an anxious personality. She has dealt with panic attacks throughout her life.
Having a panic attack is feeling that the world is getting smaller. Your body shuts down, you start sweating, you get dizzy, you feel a pressure in your chest, and you feel like you are going to die.
Throughout her life, fear has tried to get in the way of Francisca’s daily activities, but she has faced it and has continued teaching, being a great mother, and taking care of her patients. Through medication and therapy, she has managed to cope.
Being a clinical psychologist and having her master’s degree in neuropsychology and education has helped her to better manage her crises, because Francisca practices what she preaches.
When I am in class and feel a panic attack coming on, I tell my students, ‘Please give me a minute and let’s have a moment of silence.’
When I am going through a lot of anxiety at home, I also explain this to my children. I tell them, ‘It’s okay for mom to cry. Mom is scared, anxious, and worried about things that don’t make sense.’
Modeling her actions is one way she teaches the people in her life that it is okay not to be okay and that we don’t always have easy days.
Francisca also speaks openly about her disorder because she knows someone else may be going through the same thing and she can be a light at the end of the tunnel for that person.
Despite dealing with panic attacks and anxiety, she is a functional person in her day-to-day life.
I have a great support network. They are close people who are with me when I need help. And above all, I know how to take care of myself.
Francisca is a person who knows she is strong enough to support herself. When life gets tough, through any circumstance, she knows she can embrace herself in joy and in weakness.
I want to share this with people who are going through mental health challenges. You are not alone. You have yourself and you are your own strongest ally.
Francisca’s story is also available in Spanish
