Aging and Lifespan Concerns
Anxiety and Panic Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Behavior Modification
Depression and other Mood Issues
Grief, Bereavement and Loss
Mood Dysregulation and Bipolar Disorders
Parenting and Family Issues
Perinatal and Post-Partum Mood Issues
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Relationship Problems
Stress Management
Trauma (PTSD and Complex-PTSD)

Aging and Lifespan Concerns

As we go through life, there are many developmental milestones we encounter.  Some are expected, such as leaving for college, getting married, and retirement, while others are more challenging, unexpected, or even traumatic, such as job loss, divorce, or health problems.  These milestones may lead to adjustment difficulties, added stress, trouble coping, or a major disruption in life.  The added support of therapy can help to navigate those difficult times with the goal of returning to a healthy, well-adjusted life path.

Anxiety and Panic Disorders

Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress, and as such, everyone experiences varying levels of anxiety throughout their lifetime. For some individuals, however, the experience of anxiety can occur without an apparent reason and can be extremely unpleasant and debilitating. Some symptoms of anxiety include excessive worry, inability to control the worry, intense nervousness, increased heart rate, sweaty palms, headaches, and gastro-intestinal problems. Anxiety problems can be mild to severe and may be indicative of Acute Stress, Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a behavior disorder that is usually first diagnosed in childhood, however it does occur in adults as Adult ADHD. The diagnostic criteria of ADHD involve problems with attention and/or hyperactivity (easily distracted, daydreaming, inability to sit still, etc.). To gain an accurate diagnosis of ADHD, often a psychological evaluation or ADHD screening is recommended along with parenting strategies, executive functioning training and behavioral modification.

Behavior Modification

Many individuals engage in behaviors that they would like to change, however they lack the ability (or motivation) to change them. Behavior Modification is a specific behavioral intervention that aims to change “Target” behaviors through a highly structured method. The first step in the therapy is to identify the target behavior, then a plan is constructed to monitor and change it. This approach is also useful in parenting methods designed to address undesirable behaviors in children as well as promote, encourage and reinforce the positive adaptive behaviors they would like to see more often.

Depression and Other Mood Issues

Sometimes we can’t shake the feeling of sadness and emotional despair.  Other times, we are irritable, pessimistic and unmotivated. There are many different ways mood issues can impact people, and therefore, each person has their own unique emotional experience.  Therapy can assist you in better understanding your emotional experiences so that you can feel more in control and empowered to overcome the hurdle of heavy, burdensome emotions and mental fatigue brought on by even a mild depression.

Grief, Bereavement and Loss

Feelings of grief, bereavement and loss can occur in many different ways, such as the decline of your health or the health of someone you care about, the end of an important relationship, the loss of a job or career path, or the death of someone in your life. Although grief is a normal, healthy response to loss, many people are surprised by the emotions they feel, or don’t feel, as they go through the process. Grief therapy can provide support and guidance as you journey through these difficult times.

Mood Dysregulation and Bipolar Disorders

Mood dysregulation refers to an extreme range of emotions that are difficult to stabilize in response to stresses.  Bipolar disorder is similar to a dysregulated mood, in that there are highs and lows that are often extreme and occur in a cycle of mood swings that may or may not be triggered by external stresses.  To achieve better emotional regulation, we can help you reduce extreme reactions to emotional stimulants by teaching you better control and expression of your feelings. This is usually done through a combination of skill-building and interventions that are especially helpful in developing more consistent emotional stability.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an extreme form of Anxiety that takes over your body’s alarm system so that instead of only warning you of real danger, that alarm system begins to respond to any trigger (no matter how small) as an absolute, terrifying, catastrophic threat.  There is a behavioral response to these alarms (compulsive behaviors) are your attempts to keep yourself safe when that alarm goes off. In other words, your compulsive behavior fuels that part of your brain that gives out these many unwarranted alarm signals. In order to reduce your anxiety and your obsessions, you have to make a decision to stop the compulsive behaviors. In the short term, that feels uncomfortable. In the long run, however, you begin to challenge and bring your alarm system (your anxiety) more in line with what is actually happening to you. We have therapists trained in the specific types of therapy that are known to be most effective with OCD including Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)!

Parenting and Family Issues

Unfortunately, children do not come with instruction manuals. Even though several parents have strong parenting skills, many still struggle with how to manage some difficult parenting situations. These could include parenting a gifted child, parenting strong-willed children, behavior disorders in children, anxiety and emotional problems in children, parenting in blended families, parental conflict and divorce, and many other unique situations. In dealing with parenting issues, it is important to consider the individual child and the unique situation specific to the child and the possible reasons for his or her behavior. In working with parents, we take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to parenting.

Perinatal and Post Partum Mood Issues

Having a baby can be one of the great joys in life, however, it can also be one of life’s biggest stresses.  From issues of infertility, complicated pregnancies, and post-partum hormonal and life style changes, many new parents develop some sort of perinatal or post-partum mood or adjustment problem. 

Most new moms experience postpartum “baby blues” after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues usually begin within the first 2 to 3 days after delivery and may last for up to two weeks. Postpartum depression is not a character flaw or a weakness. Sometimes it’s simply a biological side effect of having a baby. If you have postpartum depression, prompt treatment can help you manage your symptoms and help you bond with your baby. We have post-partum experts skilled in the many facets of treating these issues.

Relationship Problems

Relationships occur on several levels of intimacy from brief acquaintances and work relationships, to long-term family and romantic relationships. When experiencing conflict in relationships, it is often beneficial to explore your pattern of interpersonal relationships in order to identify what you could do to cope with (or change) unhealthy relationship patterns and improve your overall quality of life.

Stress Management

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. Chronic daily stresses, and unexpected life stresses, can exhaust your coping resources and lead to serious mental and physical problems. Stress management gives you a range of tools. It can help your mind and body adapt to the high level of daily stress you experience and lead a more balanced, happier life.

Trauma (PTSD and Complex-PTSD)

Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, a crime, an unexpected life event, or a natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms. While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives. Therapy can help find constructive ways of managing these difficult emotions, overcoming the hardships, as well as healing and recovering from the traumatic event.