Specializing in Anxiety Treatment, Depression, Substance use and Adolescent Therapy
Anxiety
Anxiety is normal... everyone feels anxious now and then.
Anxiety disorders are different, they are a group of mental illnesses and the distress they cause can keep you from carrying on with your life normally. For people who have an anxiety disorder, they more than often are in worry and fear. They and are in constant and overwhelming, and can be disabling. But with treatment, many people can manage those feelings and get back to a fulfilling life.
I like to think of anxiety as a check engine light. Check engine light comes on warning you that something is not working right and needs your attention.
​
It depends on the type of anxiety disorder, but general symptoms include:
-
Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness
-
Problems sleeping
-
Cold or sweaty hands or feet
-
Shortness of breath
-
Heart palpitations
-
Not being able to be still and calm
-
Dry mouth
-
Numbness...
​
​
Depression
Have you ever been sick and tired of being sick and tired. When you feel you are in your darkest hour and feel you have nothing left to give, you need to dig deeper because YOU ARE WORTH IT.
​
It is estimated that there are millions of people that are living with major depression. Major depressive disorder, also known simply as depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of low mood that is present across most situations. It is often accompanied by low self-esteem, loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities, low energy, and pain without a clear cause. People may also occasionally have false beliefs or see or hear things that others cannot. Some people have periods of depression separated by years in which they are normal while others nearly always have symptoms present. Major depressive disorder can negatively affect a person's personal, work, or school life, as well as sleeping, eating habits, and general health.
​
Depression Symptoms:
They include feeling several of the following for at least 2 weeks:
-
Feeling sad, anxious, or empty
-
Feeling hopeless or pessimistic
-
Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
-
Not enjoying things you used to enjoy
-
Trouble with concentration, memory, or making decisions
-
Sleeping too much or too little
-
Appetite changes
-
Gaining or losing weight
-
Feeling restless or irritable
-
Thoughts of suicide or death
Substance Use
Substance abuse is when you take drugs that are not legal. It’s also when you use alcohol, prescription medicine, and other legal substances too much or in the wrong way.
Substance abuse differs from addiction. Many people with substance abuse problems are able to quit or can change their unhealthy behavior. Addiction, on the other hand, is a disease. It means you can’t stop using even when your condition causes you harm.
​
In looking back in the past, we have always looked at recovery as a time for sobriety, or abstinence. When someone recovers from an addiction their aim is to stay as far away as possible from their drug of choice.
However, more recently, there have been other models that look at recovery in a different way. One of these is the harm reduction model. Harm reduction is an evidenced based practice of identifying ways in which the physiological, psychological, social and financial burdens of substance and/or alcohol use can be minimized. It uses education about addiction and about a person’s particular drug of choice to help empower and uplift them. Although abstinence might be the result in the end, a reduction of harm model accepts an individual where he or she is at and does not stigmatize them for their substance use.
Family Therapy
If you believe your family is dysfunctional, don't worry you are not alone as millions of other families share your pain.
​
Family therapy: A type of psychotherapy designed to identify family patterns that contribute to a behavior disorder or mental illness and help family members break those habits. Family therapy involves discussion and problem-solving sessions with the family. Some of these sessions may be as a group, in couples, or one on one.
Trauma
It is our wounds that create in use a desire to reach for miracles. The fulfillment of such miracles depends on whether we let our wounds pull us down or lift us up towards our dreams.
​
Trauma is a very severe shock or very upsetting experience, which may cause psychological damage.
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.
​
People who go through these types of extremely traumatic experiences often have certain symptoms and problems afterward. The severity of these symptoms depends on the person, the type of trauma involved, and the emotional support they receive from others. Reactions to and symptoms of trauma can be wide and varied, and differ in severity from person to person. A traumatized individual may experience one or several of them.
​
We all have a story tell, how your story ends is entirely up to you. I would like to help you move from the victim to becoming the victor.
Adolescent Therapy
If you are reading this.. I can sympathize. Adolescents are at the most emotional and difficult time of their life right now. They know more than you, they have all the answers, and some how they have this huge sense of entitlement at times . Sound familiar?
​
Adolescence typically describes the years between ages 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescence can start earlier, during the preteen or "tween" years (ages 9 through 12). Adolescence can be a time of both disorientation and discovery. This transitional period can bring up issues of independence and self-identity; many adolescents and their peers face tough choices regarding schoolwork, sexuality, drugs, alcohol, and social life. Peer groups, romantic interests, and appearance tend to naturally increase in importance for some time during a teen's journey toward adulthood.
​
​