It can be very difficult to let go of familiar ways of behaving, even when you know that the behavior is no longer working. Sometimes you may find yourself repeating unhealthy ways of behaving, even when every fiber of you wants to change. This can be overwhelming and confusing. Partly, this may be due to not knowing how to change, not believing it is possible for you to change or holding onto the unhealthy behavior simply because it is familiar.
If you are open to the process of change then therapy can help you create different, healthier ways of behaving in your life.
You may have struggled with the same issues, repeated the same patterns and have attempted to help yourself in various ways. You may find some relief but then the problem resurfaces.
It seems that when people are too close to the issue, they are unable to see clearly how to solve the problem. Therapy may help to illuminate your blind spots.
I work with a wide range of issues in my psychotherapy practice. Some issues require deeper work and a longer therapy course. For other more specific problems, a shorter-term approach is appropriate. Therapy sessions are typically one time per week for 50 minutes per session. If you are dealing with a crisis, then we may meet twice weekly until you are feeling better.
Some common issues and examples that I have successfully helped people with in my psychotherapy practice include:
- Depression: Sadness, social isolation, suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, lack of motivation, negative thoughts, low self-esteem, guilt, and irritability.
- Anxiety: General anxiety about daily life, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, feeling unsafe or feeling judged by others.
- Co-Dependency: Avoiding conflict; sacrificing oneself to please others; inability to speak about needs/likes /dislikes due to believing others may disapprove or disagree, and worrying you will upset someone or lose the relationship if you speak authentically.
- Anger Management: Fear of expressing anger, not allowing yourself to feel anger, feeling out of control, having rage, destroying relationships due to excessive anger, inability to forgive yourself/others or harboring resentments.
- Grief and loss: Death and dying, divorce, life-threatening illnesses, chronic illness or ending relationships.
- LGBT issues: Self-acceptance, coming out, stigma, shame, questioning your sexual or gender identity.
- Trauma: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, assault/battery or domestic violence.
- Addictions: Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, shopping and co-dependent behaviors.
- Chronic mental illness: Coping with your own mental illness; mentally ill parents, children and/or siblings; having overwhelming feelings of powerlessness, shame or guilt.
- Adult children of alcoholics/addicts: Feeling like you always need to be in control, feeling unsafe, repeating destructive patterns or having difficulty managing painful feelings.
- Coping Skills: Using unhealthy or self-destructive ways to cope with difficult feelings and situations.
- Relationships: Loneliness, poor boundaries, difficulty forming or maintaining relationships, unsatisfactory or strained relationships, feelings of abandonment, difficulty with intimacy or difficulty expressing feelings.
- Work Stress: Unemployment, unhappy with career choice, working too much, inability to cope with work responsibilities or experiencing conflicts with supervisors or colleagues.