People who suffer from anxiety and depression are often completely unaware that they could be free from these highly distressing states of mind. They have accepted and identified with their behavior to the extent that they view these unnecessary states as "just the normal bumpy road of life." Unfortunately this often only provides transient relief and adds to the failure individuals feel when they start to feel bad again. In addition, a number of people self-soothe by overly using alcohol and/or drugs in order to feel "better." This ultimately compounds the problem leaving them feeling even more isolated, lonely, and unhappy.
Anxiety: Living in a state of fear, apprehension, worry, and self-doubt.
Anxiety can be a constant companion or it can suddenly occur as in a panic attack, a phobia, or the onset of ritualized obsessive-compulsive behaviors. We understand anxiety as the body's response to overwhelming stress.
Therapy Works!
In therapy, you and your therapist will tailor a program that works for you. It is important to remember that there are many reasons why some individuals suffer from anxiety, it is not your fault, and there is a way out! You will learn how to identify when you are disconnected from yourself and how to reconnect. You will learn skills and techniques that will both reduce the level of anxiety and help you more permanently remove negative beliefs that keep you trapped in experiencing your world in an anxious, fearful, and guilt producing way. You will also learn how to access and strengthen the inner resources that you already have. Relaxation skills focus on breathing, imagery, and energy work. Self-soothing skills focus on learning ways to give to yourself and nurture yourself without guilt. You will also learn the art of staying present in your life.
We can help you with:
- Acute anxiety
- Generalized anxiety
- Panic attacks and Phobias
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Childhood trauma
Depression: Living with chronic feelings of unhappiness, loneliness, separation from others, and often despair.
Depression, left untreated, can move from a way of thinking about the world to a way of being in the world. Individuals who suffer from depression have highly negative thoughts about themselves and their life-world, feel powerless to implement change, and feel hopeless seeing no way out of their problems. Since they have learned to adjust to and normalize this way of thinking and experiencing their world, they often do not recognize the extent of their depression. Physical symptoms are generally present such as tiredness, even after resting, appetite disturbances, anxiety, insomnia, and diminished sex drive. One's ability to think clearly, to make good decisions, and to concentrate is impaired. Emotionally, they may experience unexplained feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, despair, worthlessness and apathy. They may engage in risky behaviors such as alcohol or drug abuse, disordered eating, suicidal attempts, or other self-destructive behaviors. Relationships with others often become highly distressing to the individual, and although they want closeness, they often respond with anger, criticism or withdrawing further increasing their feelings of isolation and loneliness. The longer you wait, the more tenacious the depression becomes. It never completely goes away by itself, but rather, it may appear to go away simply to return when you are in a highly stressed state.
Therapy Works!
It is important to remember that if you are depressed that it is not your fault and that there is a way out! It is important to ask others for help which may include helping to schedule and bring you to an appointment with a therapist. Once in therapy, your therapist will work with you to determine the quickest way out of the depression. You deserve to feel better in a way that will continue to work for you long after your therapy has ended. Therapy will give you the tools and resources so you can be free of depression. You will learn how to manage depressive states, how to forecast their arrival so you are prepared, and how to remove more permanently negative cognitions and behaviors that reinforce the depression and keep you stuck. Your therapist may suggest exercise, natural supplements, or medication as an adjunct to your therapy and to provide more immediate relief. It is important to remember that you are always in control of what happens in your therapy. Your therapist may teach you healthy ways to manage anger, ways to self-soothe and nurture yourself, and ways to feel in control of your life. You will learn how to be present, empowered, and connected to your own inner resources and strengths.
We can help you with:
- Grief and loss
- Depression
- "Baby blues" - postpartum depression
- SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Bipolar depression
- Childhood trauma