Areas of Service
Do you often have these thoughts or feelings?
• I feel sad/can’t stop crying, worthless, and can’t do anything to make things better.
• I don’t have any energy, enthusiasm and/or motivation to do tasks and things I like to do.
• I don’t want to be around others.
• I have trouble concentrating, remembering things, and/or making decisions.
• I feel restless, easily irritated, and/or angry/rageful most of the time.
• I am eating and/or sleeping more or less than usual.
• I feel bad about myself or feel guilty about life decisions.
• I can't overcome difficulties in my life.
• I have trouble functioning in my personal life (school, work, home, relationships).
• I have frequent physical symptoms (such as pain or stomach issues).
• I have thoughts of death or suicide.
If you have any combination of these thoughts and just don’t feel like yourself chances are you may be battling depression.
It is important to know that you are not alone and that there are people that can help guide you through your battle.
Do you have the “lows” associated with depression as well as “highs” that include the following:
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Long periods of intense joy, excitement, or euphoria
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Extreme irritability, agitation, or a feeling of being “wired” (jumpiness)
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Being easily distracted or restless
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Having racing thoughts
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Speaking very quickly (often so fast others are unable to keep up)
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Taking on more new projects than one can handle (excessively goal directed)
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Having little need for sleep
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Unrealistic beliefs about one’s abilities
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Participating in impulsive or high-risk behaviors such as gambling or spending sprees, unsafe sex, significant drug abuse, or making unwise investments
Have these “highs” and “lows” caused significant difficulty in managing your life (home, work, school, and/or relationships) and at worst led to hospitalization?
If you’re ready to take charge and stabilize your life contact me for a consultation.
Anxiety can be a natural way of the body and mind to respond to life’s changes and challenges. However it can become overwhelming and hard to control no matter how hard you try.
Symptoms of Anxiety include:
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Feeling nervous, restless or tense
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Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
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Having an increased heart rate
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Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
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Sweating
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Trembling
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Feeling weak or tired
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Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
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Having trouble sleeping
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Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
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Having difficulty controlling worry
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Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
These symptoms can occur alone or along with depression.
Therapy can help to uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears, learn how to relax, look at situations in a new, less frightening way, and develop better coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills. I invite you to contact me for a consultation.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD)
We all know kids who can’t sit still, who never seem to listen, who blurt out inappropriate comments, or don’t follow instructions no matter how clearly you present them.
While it’s normal for kids to forget their homework, daydream during class or act without thinking, inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity are also signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. ADHD makes it hard for a person to restrain their spontaneous responses, including everything from movement to speech to assertiveness.
Some children with ADHD may be constantly in-motion, bouncing off the walls and disrupting others around them. Other children with ADHD may sit quietly, with their attention miles away.
There are three primary characteristics of ADHD: Inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity, though all three aren’t always noticeable in one child.
Children with ADHD may:
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Have trouble staying focused or get easily distracted
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Appear not to be listening when spoken to
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Constantly fidget and squirm
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Talk excessively
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Act without thinking
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Interrupt often, or say the wrong thing at the wrong time
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Have a quick temper or “short fuse”
Whether or not your child’s symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are due to ADHD, they can cause problems if left untreated. Children who struggle to focus or control themselves or get into trouble at school often find it hard to make friends. These frustrations can later lead to low self-esteem as well as conflict for the whole family.
Treatment can make a dramatic difference in your child’s symptoms. With the right support, your child can get on track for success in all areas of life.
If you’re interested in learning more about ADD and ADHD therapy, contact me today for a consultation. I would be happy to share how I can help your child achieve success and grow.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
This type of Behavioral Disorder consists of more than typical or occasional temper tantrums or defiant behavior. Oppositional defiant disorder is characterized by persistent defiance and disobedience toward authority figures. Symptoms may include:
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Frequent arguing with adults
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Deliberately annoying other people
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Refusing to follow rules
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Blaming others for mistakes
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Becoming easily angered
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Behaving in a vindictive manner
Children with ODD demonstrate symptoms at home, at school, and in other environments. Behaviors usually lead to a need for frequent disciplinary action and they tend to struggle to get along with their peers. Without intervention, ODD may develop into conduct disorder.
A team approach is best for assisting a child with addressing ODD symptoms including equipping the child with more effective skills to manage their emotions and behavior as well as offering parents alternative strategies to address the child symptoms. Contact me for a consultation to learn more.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration defines trauma as:
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A result from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening
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Has lasting effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.
Everyone experiences and copes with trauma differently. However, if unhealthy choices are used to manage trauma, they can have a significant impact on your daily life and relationships and not only last from childhood to adulthood but affect the next generation as well. If you feel like this describes you contact me to discuss how I can equip you with healthier tools.