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A new partnership is taking shape at Lázaro Cárdenas 481 in Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romántica. Within the walls of this office, two distinct approaches to wellness are finding common ground. Stan Wagner of Puerto Vallarta Neurofeedback and Adrian López of Inland Mental Health Services have partnered to operate under one roof, creating a resource for a community navigating the complexities of modern life and expat transitions.
The partnership between these two members of our LGBTQ+ community began a year ago through a referral by Pam Thomson, a well-known local figure who connects tourists, residents and expats with medical services. While López and Wagner maintain separate practices elsewhere—in Versalles and the area near Costco, respectively—this shared space is designed for synergy. With two consultation rooms side-by-side, the goal is to make the integration between neurofeedback and mental therapy seamless for their clients.
Two Disciplines, One Goal
Though their backgrounds differ, the two professionals find that their work overlaps significantly. López is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Wagner, who holds a degree in urban planning and previously focused on healthy building design, transitioned into individual wellness and neurofeedback after moving to Mexico.
“We are in spheres that come in contact with one another through mental health and wellness,” Wagner says. “Adrian has many patients, I have many clients, and there is a lot of overlap. It goes hand-in-hand in terms of bettering oneself and discovery.”
Wagner’s practice, Puerto Vallarta Neurofeedback, utilizes what he describes as a “bio-hack.” During 33-minute sessions, clients listen to music with subtle interruptions that train the brain to be more flexible, effectively carving new neural pathways. It is a relaxing process that helps individuals break out of mental ruts.
López, meanwhile, uses CBT to help patients challenge their thought patterns. “We can teach people to think objectively,” López explains. “Your thoughts are not facts. There are specific techniques to start challenging your thoughts so that you can look at them objectively and improve the way you feel.”
Addressing the “Reality” of Paradise
A primary driver for this collaboration is the specific demographic of Puerto Vallarta. The city attracts many retirees and expats who arrive with high expectations, often to face the “reality” of a challenging life in a foreign country.
“Oftentimes people come down here with the dream, and then there’s the reality,” says Wagner. He is particularly focused on seniors who find themselves unexpectedly isolated. “Life can be difficult if you don’t have a support network. I am interested in how those networks bring color to life.”
López notes that he sees a seasonal aspect to this loneliness. When part-time residents leave for the summer, the full-time older adult population often feels the void. “We tend to normalize not feeling good,” López says. “We say, ‘That’s the way it is, I am just sad or stressed.’ But we can look at those patterns. How we feel at the end of the day is a result of the summation of everything that happened throughout that day.”
Support for All Ages
While older adults are an important focus, the partnership is also seeing a rise in younger clients. Parents are increasingly looking for alternatives to medication for children struggling with behavioral or school-related issues. Wagner recalls a case where a child, frequently sent home from a private school, was able to remain in class full-time after five weeks of neurofeedback.
“We are not physicians, so we defer to the medical community for the needs of the child,” Wagner notes. “But we love to be part of a holistic solution.”
López adds that for younger people living in the Vallarta area, isolation outside of educational institutions can become a concerning factor. He works with these clients to quantify their emotions, using daily schedules to identify which activities contribute to their well-being and which do not.
Breaking the Silence
The conversation with Wagner and López inevitably turns to the heavier realities of mental health in town, including recent cases of suicide. López emphasizes the need to normalize discussions regarding suicidal ideation and depression.
“Suicidal ideation doesn’t always mean death is the final result someone wants,” López explains. “Sometimes it is just a desire to get out of a situation where they see no way out. If we normalize the discussion around mental health, people understand they can talk about it. It is completely preventable. All it requires is a period of time for the person to be contained and then the ideation will dissipate. But we need to start getting this out there so that people understand that we can talk about it and that everyone at some point has had those types of thoughts.”
Wagner attributes some of this mental strain to “imposter syndrome” where people do not feel worthy of the lives they have and the pervasive influence of social media. “We see happy people doing happy things, but they don’t share what’s not grand,” he says. Wagner advocates for “showing up”—engaging in person for coffee or dinner where friends can sense when something is off.
As Puerto Vallarta continues to grow, the need for accessible, collaborative mental health services becomes more vital. For those navigating the highs and lows of life in town, this new hub in Zona Romántica offers a safe place to start the conversation.
By working under the same roof, Wagner and López hope to provide a more comprehensive support system.
“With clients moving from one consultation room to another, we expect they will have more opportunity to grow from conversations and discovery,” Wagner concludes.
Appointments and Contact:
- Adrian López: https://www.inlandmentalhealth.com or contact Via WhatsApp at +52 (322) 274 2729
- Stan Wagner: Visit the Puerto Vallarta Neurofeedback website (https://www.vallartaneurofeedback.com/) or contact via WhatsApp +1 303 618 5080.
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