We were lucky to catch up with Gemma Garcia recently and have shared our conversation below.
Gemma, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
I had always been interested in psychology and the inner workings of the human mind. It even made the top three careers I would choose from to study for my Bachelor’s degree. The theatre performance won, and I thought “well, hey! In theatre I’ll get to be EVERYTHING!”. It was an incredibly fun experience and I would do it ten times over, but in the end, I ended up not pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. Fast forward a couple of years and in my mid-twenties I started my first business in photo and film. Then came the covid pandemic and it took my business away in one fell swoop. And here is where the story starts.
I found myself so lost as, not only had I completely lost my business, my baby, the thing I’d been working on for almost three years, but I had also just been diagnosed with bipolar I disorder and was at this time beginning my medications journey. If you are not familiar with psychiatric medication, they tend to have pretty nasty side effects, which is why one has to try different combinations to help with the diagnosis symptoms, bipolar I in my case, and with the medication’s side effects as well. One month in and I was in awful shape; my first medication had begun to cause a side effect called akathisia, which is basically a severe ‘discomfort’ that makes you want to tear your skin off (and actually believe that this is a viable solution to the problem). I was weaned off this medication and given a different one, a newer, more “cutting edge” antipsychotic which was supposed to be “magic” according to the reviews and experiences I read about online.
This medication turned out to be the worst mistake of my life, although how could I have known? It caused the worst depression I’ve ever fallen into, I’m talking about no personal hygiene, despondency, and waking up in a panic every day with an anvil on my chest. I would wake up thinking about every single thing that was going wrong in my life, wanting to go back to sleep immediately and just not wake up. I was suicidal because I saw no end to my worries and problems and knew in my heart that I would never overcome this. This was it.
I truly believe that the universe sent me my former partner for this season of my life as his love and acceptance of me as I am, knowing there would be challenges ahead, did not deter him from being there for me and quite literally keeping me alive. After sharing this with him once, he feels like I give him too much credit, but I insist that it’s true. I was the only one in my head and I’ve known no hell worse than me trapped in my own body by the thoughts of a medication-induced severe depression and the horrible physical side effects that made my muscles feel like frozen rubber bands so it felt like any movement could make them snap. Not to mention the blurry vision, and tremors, somnolence bordering on narcolepsy, and weight gain, oh the weight gain. Had I been alone during that time, I’m not sure I would have made it and to him I am forever grateful.
One day it clicked for him that the depression could simply not be my own but a severe side effect of the current medication and helped me contact my psychiatrist at the time to discuss it. She promptly weaned me off and put me on the combination I still swear by today, lithium, bupropion, and gabapentin. It took mere days for me to start feeling the absolute night and day difference of being able to gauge and semi-control my negative emotions at the time. I was astounded at how well this was working for me, so I started sharing on Instagram with anyone who would listen. I became an open book telling my story from the very first time I remembered experiencing symptoms, to the day I felt alive again after that horrendous excuse for medication. Messages and comments started to pour in with people from all over sharing their stories with me, asking me questions and even asking for help on their own journeys and I absolutely loved being able to be of service to these people living a similar journey as mine. I would spend hours every day responding to messages, hopefully helping people on their journeys. while stating very clearly that I WAS NOT A THERAPIST and they should also talk to their therapists, if they had one, about these things.
One day, my partner at the time said to me, as I sat on the couch answering messages for the day, “why don’t you just do that for your job? Be a therapist” And it was literally that simple moment in which I realized how much I’ve been doing this over the years for my friends, for family, how I’ve always been told I’m really easy to open up to… and that was it. I knew that I had found my purpose. It’s the perfect intersection between something meaningful and something I enjoy doing; that is my purpose. And I have been pursuing this ever since.
As of this moment, I am still studying for my psychotherapist license, but I have also begun my journey as a mental health coach, focusing on helping women break out of their self-imposed limits, and become badass bitches, and forces to be reckoned with! Even though we still have it pretty rough, I absolutely love being a woman. There is a power born from our feminine energy that is like nothing else in the world, and I help badass brave women find that power, learn to embrace it, and maintain the practices necessary to achieve life-changing confidence. Ooof! I get worked up and super pumped even just talking about it. I am so passionate about staying mentally strong, healthy, and fearless, that I get super excited at the idea of helping other women do it. And that’s how we got here :)
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Hmm.. where to start? I was born in northern Mexico to Mexican parents; I am 100% Mexican, even though it may not look like it. I moved to the United States with my family at the age of 11, and overstayed my visa. Consequently, I became undocumented and remained in that status for a decade. Since my junior year of high school, I worked many industries and odd jobs for under-the-table cash to save money for college, as I was determined to continue studying no matter what. With a little savings, a little help from my parents, and being granted LOTS of scholarships and grants, I was able to make it through. Finally, at the age of 21, I was granted DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status, and was allowed to work legally in the United States. I’ve now legally worked many industries, including entertainment for a while, and due to my own mental health journey and passion for human psychology, I have ended up here.
Online I am known as ‘The BipolarBossBabe” because of my journey and struggle with bipolar 1 disorder. It is because of my own struggle that I chose to pursue a journey in helping others with their mental health. I have been through hell and back in my experience with depression, mania, hypomania, psychiatric meds, and strained relationships as a result of unaddressed symptoms; bipolar disorder can be very unpredictable, so if you’ve heard of something weird or awful about mental illness or psychiatric meds, there is a good chance I’ve been through it. I have been on medication and a few natural supplements for almost three years now, and it was about two years ago that I found the combination that works for me. My intense episodes have been short and infrequent since then, and I have been able to create a lifestyle that supports my mental health and overall well-being. So one could say I’ve become a boss at managing my symptoms, and because of all the fitness that is part of my regimen, I’m not too hard on the eye ;D
So who am I? I’m The BipolarBossBabe!
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
If I could go back in time, I would study theatre for my bachelor’s all over again. I have met some of my best friends through that journey, if not all, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Although it has been a tough road, to say the least, I love where life has brought me, and I love where it’s taking me from here. I truly wouldn’t change a thing because if I hadn’t been through all the tough parts of my life thus far, I would not be nearly as well prepared to help my clients as I am right now. I wouldn’t be able to look a woman in the eye and say “Girl, it’s ok. It really IS going to get better. I know. I’ve been there. And if you need someone to show you the way, I’ll be right here”. So no, I would not change my path if I got to start over. I would choose my theatre path over and over to lead me around the world and show me about life, and eventually land me right where I’m standing.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
I think a growth mindset is the most important skill to succeed in positive psychology. It takes work and courage to face your mental and psychological challenges, and a growth mindset is imperative to effectively take a good hard look in the mirror and say “I need work”. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “growth mindset”, a growth mindset is the ability to look at challenges as opportunities for growth in lieu of setbacks. One of my favorite quotes, which’s distilled spirit I have tattooed over my left clavicle, says “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” I consider these among a select group of words I live by. Losing is not final; it represents the opportunity to try again with more knowledge than you had last time.”- Nelson Mandela. I live by the three words “win or learn”. I believe this is the ultimate way to always remember to keep a growth mindset. I don’t lose, I like to think; I either win or I learn how not to do something and then try again. In the field of psychotherapy and mental health coaching, it’s imperative that both coach and client rid themselves of preconceived notions and come in with clean slates, ready to be vulnerable and learn how to move forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: thebipolabossbabe.com
- Instagram: @thegemmaisabell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegemmaisabel
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegemmaisabell/
- Twitter: @thegemmaisabell
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegemmaisabell