Teens

Anxiety

Do you live with anxiety that interferes with your daily life? Has this ever happened to you: You are having a regular day, doing something you enjoy, then all of a sudden you feel lightheaded, short of breath, or like you’re going to pass out or die. Or maybe you worry so much that you stop doing important things. Maybe you worry people will judge you, worry about getting sick, or worry about something bad happening. You might have scary thoughts or images that pop up in your mind at random times.

People who feel this way usually try everything to feel better. They try pushing the thoughts away, or maybe self-medicate with unhealthy behaviors, but the anxiety and panic only seem to get worse.

We will work with you to discover the root of your anxiety and teach you tools that will not only relieve your anxiety short-term, but also have long-term benefits so you see a lasting decrease in overall anxiety and panic.

We will work with you to discover the root of your anxiety and teach you tools that will not only relieve your anxiety short-term, but also have long-term benefits so you see a lasting decrease in overall anxiety and panic.

Depression

It’s not a matter of just lightening up or moving on. It’s more than a bad day or just feeling burnt out. Depression is all-consuming. It can feel like a thick cloud surrounding you. It goes wherever you go and nothing feels the same anymore.

Depression is one of the most debilitating experiences but is sadly misunderstood. The good news is depression is treatable. Depression keeps you sick. It tells you nothing will work and you will always feel this way or worse. The first thing to know is depression lies. Depression doesn’t want you to even make the call to talk to a therapist. You must do it anyway.

Don’t let depression steal more of your life and time. You can get better with the right treatments. I have worked with chronically depressed clients who tried everything and thought they would never improve, only to find themselves feeling better than they ever thought they would, after working together.

We will work with you to identify the root of your depression as well as the factors that keep it in play. You can transform your lifestyle to one that is more depression-proof so you can live a full life without therapy in the future.

Divorce/Relationships

Divorce is a unique challenge because it brings two kinds of feelings simultaneously – anger and regret/guilt. We could be angry at our ex-spouse while still feeling guilty about all the things we could have done differently. By the time a relationship ends, you could be filled with self-doubt. You might blame yourself for things you had no control over or wonder if you are deserving of love or can ever trust again. Maybe your partner blamed you or convinced you that you are insecure or not thinking clearly. Maybe your partner insulted you or made you feel self-conscious and even though you know they were wrong, you keep replaying their words in your mind. Maybe your marriage seemed perfect to everyone and sometimes you are unsure of why it couldn’t work. You could feel guilty about children, in-laws, and pets, or wish for closure that won’t come.

These experiences can happen to anyone leaving a relationship, even if you were not married. We will help you explore what happened and learn to cope with your feelings. We can work together to find ways for you to come to a place of peace with your past relationship and put all of yourself into your future. Divorce is a process and it is good to get help as early as possible.

Teens

Whether it concerns self-esteem, body image, bullying, coming out, or family problems, we have worked with all kinds of adolescents and we find they are all unique and wonderful individuals. Working with teens is a practice of understanding. Teenagers need to be understood, even on those days when they don’t really understand themselves, because this is the time when we go through tremendous changes and figure out who we are. As teens, we are no longer sheltered from the harder truths in life but we are still learning how to navigate the world. Luckily, regardless of the problems, most teens mature to live happy, fulfilling lives. Our job is to help support teens as they navigate the complex problems life throws at them. I have worked with teenagers and young adults in many settings including inpatient behavioral health, college counseling center, child welfare, juvenile justice, adoption, and foster care.

Trauma

We are a clinical expert in treating both PTSD and CPTSD (complex trauma). PTSD symptoms usually occur when we experience one big traumatic event and complex trauma symptoms develop when we experience multiple big and small traumas over time.

Common PTSD Symptoms: flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, anger, feeling numb, startling easily, feeling detached or out of body, insomnia, intrusive thoughts.

Common CPTSD Symptoms: all or some of the above plus inability to control emotions, fear of abandonment, difficulty making decisions, self-hate, self-harming, depression, poor self-care, emotional outbursts, dangerous impulsive behaviors.

Some people experience dissociative symptoms like feeling outside of one’s own body or feeling like surroundings are not real.

Trauma symptoms can result from sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, being assaulted, witnessing something terrible, almost dying, being shamed, etc.

I treat all symptoms of PTSD and CPTSD by addressing the underlying traumas using techniques based in both neuroscience, existential theory, and narrative therapy. We particularly specialize in treatment of adult survivors of childhood trauma.

You can heal and start enjoying your life again or for the first time. Your past does not have to control your future. Even if right now it seems impossible, you can learn to reduce, manage, and eliminate trauma symptoms.

Borderline Personality Disorder

This highly misunderstood set of symptoms refers to the highly emotional way some people experience the world. Usually rooted in trauma, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can cause extreme emotional ups and downs that can make relationships and daily living extremely difficult. This disorder can be effectively treated and many people find they can discover who they truly are and build a life they enjoy living with proper treatment. We use various approaches, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to treat Borderline Personality.

Addiction/ Substance Use Disorders

We work with individuals in recovery and those who are questioning if substances are having a detrimental effect on their lives. We offer a holistic technique based on harm-reduction and tailored to each individual. Some individuals need a higher level of care, some need to maintain abstinence, and others benefit from learning healthier coping mechanisms. We respect each individual’s journey.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/ ADHD

Forgetfulness, irritability, and lack of focus can interfere with your ability to meet your potential and live the life you want. Behavioral interventions have been shown to be highly effective in managing the most common symptoms of adult ADHD. We can help you set goals for ADHD management and identify behavioral strategies that can help you succeed.

Anger

Anger issues can destroy relationships, career opportunities, and even a person’s physical health. Anger is often rooted in deeper issues and serves as a mask for other difficult emotions. Counseling can help you uncover and heal the underlying causes of chronic anger as well as identify anger management skills that work for you as an individual.

Autism Spectrum

We work with children and adults on the autism spectrum as well as their families. Our services focus on acquiring coping strategies, social skills, and the tools needed to be more effective in academic, vocational, and social settings.

Behavioral Problems

We work with behavioral problems in children, teens, and adults. These can include compulsive behaviors like skin picking and hair pulling, anger, and ineffective coping strategies.

Bipolar Disorder

While Bipolar Disorder is a chronic condition, therapy can help make it more manageable. Counseling can help people with Bipolar Disorder manage stress, identify and avoid mood episode triggers, create safety plans, and manage medication and treatment plans.

Caretaker Issues

We work with people caring for ailing loved ones. Whether you care for a parent, child, or other loved one with medical issues or mental health issues, this role can be taxing. Caretakers often find themselves feeling helpless and frustrated, or even resentful and guilty. It can be challenging to always put your own needs aside and to feel as though you are limited in how much you can help your loved one. Therapy can help caretakers cope, find balance in their lives, make decisions, and take care of themselves as well.

Chronic Illness

People living with chronic illness and chronic pain can feel frustrated and defeated. It is not uncommon to also experience anxiety and depression. Those with chronic illness may find it challenging to adhere to their treatment plans and experience stressful thoughts about their medical conditions and might find that their medical providers do not help alleviate these stressors. Unfortunately, this can take a toll on mental health which, in turn, can worsen physical symptoms. A therapist can help you find effective ways of coping and use cognitive-behavioral strategies to alleviate emotional distress, physical pain, and

Codependency

Though people debate the validity of the term “codependent,” the concept refers to someone caught in a pattern of self-defeating behavior that revolves around another person. Someone stuck in a pattern of codependency may feel like they need to be needed, or like everything will fall apart if they aren’t the ones keeping things together. They may expend excess energy trying to keep others from engaging in harmful behavior. People stuck in this pattern often find themselves feeling depleted, used, and taken for granted. They might feel their needs are being overlooked and that no one cares for them as much as they care for others. Breaking the pattern of codependency can feel scary but opens one up to leading a more fulfilling life.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a cutting-edge treatment for trauma, phobias, and irrational fears. EMDR uses bilateral brain stimulation through tactile or visual sensations to reduce distress related to fears and traumatic memories. This treatment can accelerate trauma treatment for many clients.

Personality Disorders

All personality disorders occur on a spectrum of severity. Living with people who have traits of antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, etc. can be challenging. These relationships can lead to confusion, frustration, and even posttraumatic stress. Counseling can help those who have been affected by people with personality disorders recover from a range of resulting mental health symptoms.

Post-partum, New Parents

We work with new parents who can experience a range of emotions resulting from this major life change. New parents can experience stress, worry, depression, guilt, loneliness, relationship strain, and overwhelm. A therapist specializing in post-partum counseling can help new parents manage their stressors, bring harmony into their relationships, manage issues like sibling jealousy, and address a host of other complaints.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

We help clients who have loved ones with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, including parents of newly-diagnosed children. We help families understand this spectrum of mental illness and how to best approach treatment and lifestyle changes. We help clients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, that are being managed with medication, to find coping mechanisms, identify and manage triggers, and customize and adhere to their treatment plans.

Sleep Problems

Sleep problems and disorders can take a huge toll on one’s quality of life. Lack of sleep and poor quality sleep can lead to memory problems, difficulty concentrating, poor reaction time, poor work performance, irritability, anxiety, and depression. Sleep difficulties can also exacerbate both mental health and medical problems. We use cognitive-behavioral therapy to help people overcome sleep issues including insomnia and nightmares.

Sex therapy

We offer sex therapy for women, men, nonbinary individuals, and couples. Issues addressed include orgasmic disorders, pelvic pain and erectile dysfunction.

Grief/Loss

Counseling for those who have lost a loved one or are coping with the illness or decline of a loved one, including caregivers.

Eating disorders

We offer therapy for a variety of eating-related concerns including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

We offer behavioral therapy for OCD, intrusive thoughts, and other related concerns like hair-pulling, skin-picking, and nail-biting.