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Affordable and vital mental health care is now more accessible to the LGBTQ+ community, thanks to Alberto Díaz de León, the in-house psychologist at the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center (VG+CC).
Helping others has been vital for 32-year-old Mexican psychologist Alberto Díaz de León since an early age. He recalls being an adolescent watching a popular TV show hosted by sexual therapist Silvia Olmedo and thinking, “She’s very well-read, I want to know all she knows.” As a gay man, he was full of questions back then, and he found in that talk show the answers that allowed him to improve some aspects of his life, assist others, and solidify his decision to pursue a career in mental health.
Alberto holds a degree in Psychology from the Guadalajara LAMAR University, graduating in 2015, and a Master’s degree in Systemic-Relational Family Therapy from UNIVA Zapopan. He also finished a diploma in Educational Thanatology at the San Camilo Center, where he acquired the tools to assist those who are going through grief.
After practicing his career in Guadalajara, Alberto moved to Puerto Vallarta early this year and joined the “Gay Men in Puerto Vallarta: Everything Gay You May Need or Want to Know” Facebook group to offer his services. Unexpectedly, he was approached by Pedro Lopez, the director of the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center, who was looking for an in-house professional to provide mental health services at the association.
From then on, Alberto has been offering counseling at the center located in Zona Romántica, welcoming everyone over the age of 18 and addressing a wide array of problems our community faces. Among these, he highlights depressive symptoms, low self-esteem, relationship issues, anxiety, and grief/loss. He also serves as a first responder to users at the center who are diagnosed with a sexually-transmitted disease, helping them process the initial impact.
“It is a privilege, an honor, for people to place their trust in me, sharing both what brings them joy and what causes them pain. It is something truly sacred,” he says.
For many patients, it’s the first time in a therapy room, so they don’t know what to expect. Alberto, however, encourages them to trust the process and step through the gates of his office. He listens carefully to what people need and looks for the tools that the person already possesses, in combination with his field of knowledge, so that they can achieve a better quality of life.
Sometimes, he explains, the problems users face require more integral and comprehensive care, and he refers his patients to other health professionals such as psychiatrists, neurologists, nutritionists, and social workers. These professionals, in combination with his counseling, help each case. Referrals can include health providers at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS,) the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE,) and private medical facilities, depending on the patient’s health benefits.
“Health is a state of holistic well-being, encompassing the physical, social, and mental levels. It’s therefore important that we examine the aspects of our life that are affecting us or causing a strong or significant problem that’s preventing us from growing or performing well in areas like our personal life, work, romantic relationships, family, sexuality, etc. The importance lies in self-knowledge and self-analysis of the areas that comprise us so that we can be the best we can be,” he concludes.
The cost of each session with Alberto at the VG+CC is $500 pesos (for a once-a-week or twice-a-month basis) or $580 pesos per session for those who need him to issue a tax receipt (factura). The center is located at Morelos 101, Local B3, in Zona Romántica, and you can make an appointment via email at psicoalbertocitas@gmail.com or by calling 331 388 7343.
Alberto also offers private consultation at Cedesah Center, located in Fluvial Vallarta, which can be a convenient option for those who live in the northern area of the city. For more information on prices and agenda availability at this facility, please contact Alberto directly.
About the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center
The Vallarta Gay+ Community Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering empowerment, wellness, and inclusivity within the LGBTQ+ community.
The center provides PREP, PEP, DoxyPEP, Psychotherapy, HIV tests, STI tests and their treatment. The center also offers community activities like English classes, Yoga, Salsa lessons, HIV and transgender support groups, and more.
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