‘The Good Doctor’: Will Dr. Lim and Dr. Melendez Survive Their First Valentine’s Day Apart?
If you’re like most fans of The Good Doctor, you’re rooting for Dr. Audrey Lim and Dr. Neil Melendez (affectionately called “Limlendez” by fans) to get back together. You’re also probably wondering what Valentine’s Day is going to be like for these two now that they’re broken up. Although they aren’t together, they still have to see each other at work. Will they survive their first Valentine’s Day as singles? How can they make things less awkward and get through the workday?
Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to the experts to get their advice. What would they say to help Lim (Christina Chang) and Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) deal with working with an ex on Valentine’s Day? Here’s the advice our experts have for the former couple.
Lim and Melendez will need to be mindful
Since seeing each other at work might be upsetting, it will be important for Lim and Melendez to remember to stay in the moment and stay focused at work. Amanda Stemen, MS, LCSW, creator and owner of FUNdaMENTALGrowth, told Showbiz Cheat Sheet she would remind the former partners to stay mindful:
I’d recommend they try to be as mindful as possible so that they’re able to stay out of their heads, which can often create more problems than the actual reality of a situation. This will also help them to know what they need to do to take care of themselves while going through this.
They might need to create some space for themselves, only seeing one another if it’s absolutely necessary at work, or taking breaks to grieve when appropriate. It will also allow them to concentrate on their work, which can be helpful in getting their minds off their personal life (and keep their jobs!). As doctors, giving to others through their practice may be the best thing they can do to mend a broken heart.
They can choose how to respond to the breakup
Although Lim and Melendez will certainly still have many feelings about their breakup, they can still choose to focus on the positive. Taryn Marie Stejskal, PhD, chief resilience officer for Resilience Leadership, told us it’s important to not get caught up in the negative emotions that often come after a breakup:
Does Valentine’s Day for Dr. Lim and Dr. Melendez have to be rough? I would argue that it doesn’t. A wise friend of mine, when I recently reconnected with a former flame, instructed me, ‘Decide how you what to feel about it. And then show up feeling that way about it.’
Perhaps one of our most resilient powers as humans is our ability to make choices. We can choose how we want to feel about relationships, breakups, and losses. Sure, we can feel sad. We can also be appreciative for the moments we shared, for the experiences we had, and for the ways in which we grew into a better person in the context of that relationship.
Planning ahead will help Limlendez get through their first Valentine’s Day apart
Limlendez can get through their first Valentine’s Day apart. If they each have a planned after-work activity, this will give them something to look forward to and get their minds off the workday. Heather Claus, relationship expert and founder of DatingKinky.com, says planning will be key for them to get through this awkward Valentine’s Day situation:
Plan ahead of time. Not just how you will act and what you will say during the day, but also what your plans are after work (for yourself or with friends), so you have something to look forward to, to de-stress. Know that things are going to be hard–so was med school and so many other things in life. They’ve made it through those things, and they’ll make through this, by planning for the best.
Read more: ‘The Good Doctor’: How Did Shaun’s Brother Die?
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