Learn more about the benefits of therapy, as well as specialty areas.
Benefits of Individual Therapy
We understand it takes courage to reach out for help when going through a difficult time. You may debate for days, weeks, or even months about whether to pick up the phone. Engaging in therapy can be such a rewarding experience, and exactly what you've been searching for to overcome a paticular struggle. The best part about therapy is that you can:
- Speak about your difficulties in a safe, nonjudgmental, confidential environment
- Set and achieve your personal goals with a skilled professional
- Receive honest and supportive feedback
- Gain valuable skills for long-term, positive results
- Have someone to guide you towards improved insight and self-awareness
- Grow as a person and become the best version of yourself
Common Difficulties I Address
- Generalized Anxiety
- PTSD
- Trauma
- Low Self Esteem
- Social Anxiety
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Perinatal Anxiety / Depression
- Panic Disorder
- Adjustment Disorder
With common symptoms including:
- Self Doubt
- Perfectionism
- Fear of uncertainty
- "People-Pleasing"
- Feeling Stagnant
- Feeling "on edge"
- Among Others
- Depressed
Trauma, Anxiety and Depression exists on a spectrum of severity. Nevertheless, the effects can be felt at all levels, and can impact your quality of life in the work, home, school, and social settings. If you can relate to any of the difficulties below, know you are not alone, and that I have successfully worked with many individuals with similar experiences, who have gone on to lead meaningful and rewarding lives.
See below to learn more about my specialty areas
I take a special interest in using Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to treat individuals 18 and over who experience trauma, depression and persistent anxiety.
Trauma - Have you experienced events in your life that continue to haunt you. Do you suffer from debilitating negative beliefs about yourself due to this images. It is possible through EMDR to get past these memories and feel the weight off of your shoulders and start to experience life in a new light.
PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is most commonly known to effect soldiers or war. PTSD effects us all. Do you notice you have difficulty in certain situations, experience flashbacks, panic attacks when triggered by non threatening event, recurrent dreams and a overall general worry that you are in some sort of danger? You may suffer from PTSD.
General Worrying: Experiencing worrisome thoughts that are not restricted to one situation or topic. You may find yourself worrying about how you will get through the day, whether you are doing a good-enough job at work or school, or the uncertainty of your future. You may worry about your relationships, household chores, financial concerns, or all of the above. Worrying can present as an "on edge" feeling, and go hand-in-hand with Self Doubt. You may begin to question yourself and your abilities, and whether you can handle life's challenges in front of you. Regardless of the situation, worrisome thoughts can become consuming, lead to feelings of depression, and impact your ability to focus on all the good there is around you.
Perfectionism: Holding yourself to uncomfortably high standards, where you either procrastinate on tasks in fear of making a mistake, or spend an excessive amount of time on projects in front of you, to the point where you can become mentally exhausted, anxious, and even encounter feelings of depression. Irritability can also strike when errors are made, or when you feel you are not living up to your expectations. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to do well and succeed, it is important to take a step back and ask whether your actions are affecting not only your own well-being, but your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers.
Social Anxiety: When public social encounters bring you anxiety. You may fear embarrassing yourself or those around you, being judged, or inadvertently offending someone. You may become overly concerned with how you look, act, speak, and behave in front of others, to the point where social situations are not enjoyable, feared, and ultimately avoided. The truth is, individuals who experience social anxiety do want to make friends and be included in groups; however, their anxiety, which is treatable, serves as a barrier.
Panic Attacks: A sudden onset of intense anxiety, often accompanied by several of the following symptoms: rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating, a lump in your throat, the fear of losing control, among others. While a panic attack can present as a one-time occurrence, some individuals may live in continuous fear that another attack will strike. This can result in withdrawal from specific people, places, and once-enjoyable activities. The good news is that panic is a highly treatable condition!
Obsessions and Compulsions: Having repeated, unwanted thoughts or images that feel out of your control. These thoughts may bring on intense feelings of anxiety, disgust, fear, or guilt, and lead to time-consuming rituals in an effort to feel better. Obsessions include, but are not limited to, contamination, losing control, feelings of responsibility, moral concerns with right/wrong, and order/perfection. Rituals, or compulsions, may include washing, checking, cleaning, mental compulsions, and repetitive behaviors. Some individuals feel embarrassed by these thoughts and behaviors, and will often keep them a secret from friends and/or family members. Nevertheless, these symptoms can take a negative toll on a person's daily functioning, and prevent enjoyment of positive experiences.
Postpartum Anxiety/Depression: Becoming a new mom (or dad) can be one of the happiest moments in your life. However, it can also bring on unwanted feelings of sadness, and anxiety. You may put on a happy face for others, then become tearful when alone. While you love your baby and want to feel excited and full of energy, becoming a parent can be a challenging adjustment. You may begin comparing yourself to others, and feel you are not good enough, or doing enough. You may even feel disconnected from your baby, experience cloudy thoughts, and feel irritable with those around you. Anxiety can also surface, in which you repeatedly worry about doing everything "right."
People Pleasing: Wanting to keep everyone around you happy, often at the expense of your own well-being. You may find yourself afraid to say "no," leaving you to take on one task or responsibility after another. You continuously say "yes" in fear of upsetting the other person, or having them think less of you. The problem arises when you begin to feel overwhelmed, and even resentful. You may begin to put a lot of pressure on yourself to "perform" in front of others, as you would hate for someone to consider you lazy, uncaring, or even selfish. You may feel on-edge, fearing that at any given moment, someone may find fault in your actions, and come to dislike you.
Feeling Stagnant: When taking a moment to assess where your life is headed, you may feel those around you are moving forward - getting a promotion, buying a house, getting married, having kids -- while you feel stuck. You may be going through the motions of every day life, but have no clear goals in front of you, or feel unsure in how to pursue them. This can leave you with feelings of sadness, as well as anxiety, about what your next step should be. While some individuals may feel stagnant in a general sense, others may feel stagnant specifically at work, in their relationship, or while reaching a specific goal.
Couples, and Families Therapy
Mental Health Recovcery, processing, support, coping skills, etc... Highlighting relational patterns, uniting the divided self, and working collaboratively towards goals.
Group Therapy
Provide a forum for those of similar situations to engage in a larger inter-relational structure for perspective, self-awareness, and a sense of community.
Women Process Group's - "There goes the motherhood", These groups are constantly changing; however, currently we have a group that is focused on helping mothers get support they need. Motherhood is one is the hardest job in the world it can really help to feel that you are not alone and that there is help and support available.
If you have a suggestion for a group please feel free to send one of us a email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Thank you!
