Specialties

Anxiety

The origin of anxiety is often multifaceted and can result from a history of stress, childhood trauma, learning disabilities, abuse, or lack of self-esteem. Anxiety commonly affects the way you physically feel and how you are able to engage in everyday activities. Symptoms of anxiety include increased heart rate, increase in blood pressure, feeling clammy, dry mouth, persistent perspiring, inability to relax, jumpiness or feeling “on edge”, and constantly being in a state of fear. Often, living with anxiety has become a normal part of many peoples lives. However, consistent high levels of anxiety can lead to serious health risks as well as have a long-term impact on relationships and quality of life. Common ways anxiety becomes a part of our life without realizing it is through a fast-paced lifestyle, demanding work or relationships, poor physical health, an anxious or high stress environment (work or family), and traumatic events whether they be from childhood or experienced as an adult.

Depression

Depression

Depression is the dark cloud that follows you everywhere you go, taking the light from not only you, but everyone close to you. Experiencing depression is not just a lack of enjoyment, but an increase in emptiness, confusion, guilt, self-loathing, fatigue, irritability, avoidance, physical discomfort, dread, and a sense of hopelessness. No matter how long you have had these feelings, you can lead a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life with treatment. Talking with someone not only provides a safe space to talk, but connects you with someone who listens and understands what is going on and find ways to get your life back.

Medically Fragile & Chronically Ill

Medically Fragile &
Chronically Ill

Illness can be seen as a member of the family and must be taken into consideration whenever plans are made. This position in the home is often made more powerful out of fear of the illness or the impact it has on relationships between family members. Whether it be cancer, stroke, a child with diabetes, or any other life altering medical event, navigating its role in your and your family’s lives can be challenging; often creating emotional hardships and effecting medication management, daily functioning, ability to work or provide care, family relationships, and much more.

Psychosomatic

This term is used when a physical disease that is thought to be caused or made worse by mental factors, or when mental factors cause physical symptoms but where there is no physical disease. A headache brought on by stress or butterflies in your stomach when nervous (or excited) are universal examples of this phenomenon, however can have a much larger impact on the body. Mental health struggles and emotional states can worsen current physical diseases and frequently affect the skin, respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, and gastrointestinal tract. Issues can also include migraines, syncope, Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), chronic pain, and conversion disorder. Multiple of factors may play a role in psychosomatic disorders, such as biological factors or personality traits, personality, environmental and family influences, learned behaviors and more. Therapy can be effective in the treatment of psychosomatic disorders as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, specialists, and other appropriate medical professionals.

Grief and Loss / Traumatic Death

Grief and Loss /
Traumatic Death

The death of someone you care about can be one of the most difficult and challenging events you experience as the loss leaves an empty space in your life. The relationship and type of loss contributes to bereavement and the approach in the healing process, considering whether the death was anticipated, sudden and traumatic, or whether the loss is ambiguous with no clear indication of what may have happened. Although the symptoms of fear, sadness, anger, and shock may linger and be intermittent for years, along with time and social support, working with a therapist can bring acceptance and a new life after a death.

Phase of Life Adjustment

People feel most vulnerable during major life changes when not only the future seems uncertain, but they are uncertain of who they are. This uncertainty often results in feelings of uncertainty, insecurity, worry, helplessness, and overall feelings of being lost. It can be hard to navigate normal transition periods like yearly adulthood, mid-life, and late-life. Life’s other transitions include marriage, divorce, work problems, emerging young professionals, empty-nest, illness, or major life events. People often feel vulnerable with the adjustment to a new environment, like a new job, new home, new school, new relationship, or new family members. Talking to a therapist can help you navigate these changes specific to your life, to help you grow in this new phase of your life.

Professionals

The added complexities and responsibilities that are associated with the working professional can only truly be understood by being in that position. Whether you are a physician, executive, researcher, developer, or any of the other numerous professionals that lead demanding and stressful careers, finding balance and effectiveness in life is challenging. Organizational strategists and executive coaching often come up short in addressing underlying and persistent personal issues that create a barrier to not only your career, but also to your family and personal life. Working through personal barriers that are not always available on the conscious level can open up abilities within you to increase potential in all aspects of your life.

Men's Issues

There are many assumptions and expectations that go along with being a man. This double-edged sword is a burden carried and one of the reasons for not seeking help. A few examples of men’s issues are the challenges of fatherhood and being a husband, the stress of being a provider and protector, fulfilling cultural norms and values, and meeting family expectations. Traditionally men have externalized emotions through acts of anger, high-risk behaviors, aggression, and are twice as likely as women to have a substance abuse problem and four times as likely to complete suicide. Not wanting to be a burden and trusting someone with vulnerability are large barriers to reaching out for help. It is important that you talk with someone who understands issues specific to men and is able to provide the right environment to help.

Relationships

The connection between two people can bring a lifetime of joy and fulfillment. However, relationships are not effortless, and can grow to be challenging or downright miserable at times. Common issues within a relationship can include a lack of communication, decrease in intimacy or romance, conflict and disagreement, future plans, or lack of trust and infidelity. Working with a therapist, whether it be at the beginning, or years into a relationship, can address areas of struggle and help rebuild the connection that brought you together.

Identity & Self-Esteem

What you know and believe about yourself is a critical component in your ability to grow as a person, your relationships, and your daily activities with work and school. Lack of identity and low self-esteem can be demonstrated through anger, anxiety, depression, apathy, poor self-care, self-criticism, perfectionism, procrastination, or addictive behaviors. The impact on identity and self-esteem are many, ranging from adverse childhood experiences, marginalization, recent job loss, break ups, questioning gender or sexuality. Working with a therapist can challenge these negative beliefs and thoughts, as well as develop the ability to value yourself for who you are so you can begin investing in yourself for a better tomorrow.