"Find your inner strength and be set free"
ODD
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
ODD should be treated in childhood, to prevent long-term, chronic problems that can last throughout childhood into adulthood. Children with ODD may have trouble at home and school. They will have difficulty making friends. Treatment can help restore your child's self-esteem and rebuild a positive relationship between you and your child as well as other important adult figures.
OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Symptoms of OCD can be either obsessions or compulsions, or both. Symptoms can be mild and gradually progress in severity. OCD may lead to complications such as, contact dermatitis from frequent handwashing, an inability to attend work, school or social activities, troubled family and social relationships, poor quality of life, and suicidal thoughts and behavior. It is important to seek professional assistance, if stress worsens the symptoms, persistent, repeated and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive, compulsive or ritualistic behavior to get rid of the thoughts. You can learn skills to prevent this and take back control over your mind today with professional support.
Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Selective Mutism, Social & Separation Anxiety, Agoraphobia or other phobias
People with untreated anxiety may lead a life of isolation. They may use avoidance strategies for fear of an anxiety or panic attack. They may stop going to school, work and their work performance may severely suffer.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional Intelligence, Self Esteem, Emotional Disturbance/ Regulation Support
Counseling can bring relief and hope when it becomes difficult to maintain positive emotional well-being on your own. Some benefits of counseling for emotional health include, improved communication and interpersonal skill, improved self-acceptance and self-esteem, capability to change self-defeating behaviors and habits, more suitable expression and management of emotions, relief from depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. Counseling can show you how to navigate through uncertain times in your life. It can help you improve relationships with those closest to you as well. While self-care can relieve minor issues, you may need professional help with severe symptoms that last longer than two weeks. Mental health is important for everyone at every age. Counseling can bring relief and hope when it becomes difficult to maintain positive emotional well-being on your own. Therapy can also help you build thought and behavior patterns to stave off mental illness. Therapy is a matter of overall wellness.
Anger Management
Trauma
Behavioral Issues
Communication Disorders, Risk Taking Behaviors and Self Harming
Trauma Informed Care, PTSD, Abuse, Domestic Violence
Impulse Control Disorders
The worst way to deal with anger is to do nothing. Whether the anger you are experiencing is related to your own temperament or learned, anger or fits of rage may also be related to an underlying condition such as Intermittent Explosive Disorder, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, or ADHD. Suppressing of anger leads to dangerous, reckless or risk-taking behaviors including substance abuse. The most important thing to remind yourself of is that anybody or anything that angers you − controls you. You CAN control your POWER!
Symptoms of Childhood Trauma, if left untreated, can continue through adulthood; The effects of childhood trauma are diverse depending on the traumatic event, the child, and the role of the caregiver in it all. As a child, they may develop their own coping mechanisms as a means of survival and to get through the day-to-day functions. ​In case of no intervention in the early years, these behavioral traits can continue into adulthood. When traumatized, Children may display signs of; social withdrawal, experience mood swings, show violent behavior, mask their emotions and feelings. These symptoms in adulthood can appear with more severity and can turn more potent.
Childhood behavioral issues can be a source of stress for children and family members alike. Communication issues, difficulties in school, increased stress, negative sibling behaviors and marital problems may all arise from behavioral disturbances in children. Family intervention may prove to be a vital part of improving these key factors in households under pressure from children with behavioral problems.
Spirituality
Beyond just the basic effects of trauma, depression, anxiety and other emotional and mental disturbances, we can look at these challenges and how it is identified in religious settings and offer a Christian perspective on this phenomenon. When I work with clients, there are four major realms I am think in and how your life challenges are affecting you: biologically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. While the first three might be more obvious when thinking of mental health issues, spirituality is a realm that can heal or hurt depending on the human beings a part of that domination. The story of God and creation doesn’t end with the Fall or somewhere in the middle of the Old Testament with Israel wandering in a desert until (literally) God-knows-when. Instead, we have a Savior who came to redeem us and He promises not only spiritual salvation, but physical restoration as well. While it might not be in this life, the Bible talks about not only the resurrection of our souls, but the physical resurrection as well. In the meantime, the Bible teaches us that we should seek out healing and that God wants to take care of our needs. When experiencing emotional distress or disorders, reaching out for help is the first step. Are you ready to begin your spiritual journey to complete healing today? Contact me.
Family Issues
Family Conflict, Codependency, Divorce, Parenting, Relationship Issues
One of the most challenging relationships we experience in life is the one that’s also the most rewarding — the parenting relationship with our children. Parenting children today is more difficult than ever before. Parenting books and classes can be quite helpful, but when you need a more personalized approach for a deeper understanding and specific guidance for you and your child; The Nurtured Heart Approach is one way at address parenting issues as it helps you recognize and focus on what your child or teen really needs and raises parenting to a new level. The Nurtured Heart Approach gives parents tips on how to adjust their energy and attention in order to focus on what is going right in their child’s life and not accidentally reward, with time and energy, what is going wrong. It helps develop the relationship you have always wanted with your child. Reach out to start your journey today!
School Issues
ADHD and SEL Support (Social Emotional Learning)
Efficacy of the Nurtured Heart Approach to Reduce ADHD Behaviors in Children. The NHA is an intervention designed to teach parents and teachers a set of skills and attitudes to decrease ADHD symptoms in children. It has been applied in a number of settings from homes, schools, and foster care agencies both in several states in the U.S. and in over 16 countries. The Nurtured Heart approach helps both the child/person with ADHD but also the adults/others interacting with them. It is an easy method that anyone can learn to do and it can be universally applied – you don’t need issue specific interventions. It is a wonderful way to separate the person from the behavior!
Depression
Depression is a complicated disorder
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are grouped into three clusters
The answer to healing and recovering from depression may take a variety of methods. We believe in using every method available to help clients achieve success. Depression is too complicated to have a quick fix or one approach that will work for each client. Each person is unique and experiences depression for different reasons. Different approaches work for different clients at specific times in their life. We will fight for you and your health, as long as you are willing to fight with us. Never stop fighting for your health. You have the right to feel healthy, have energy, and recover from depression. There is HOPE!
Personality is the combination of thoughts, emotions and behaviors that makes you unique. It's the way you view, understand and relate to the outside world, as well as how you see yourself. Many people with one personality disorder also have signs and symptoms of at least one additional personality disorder. It's not necessary to exhibit all the signs and symptoms listed for a disorder to be diagnosed. Personality disorders can significantly disrupt the lives of both the affected person and those who care about that person. Personality disorders may cause problems with relationships, work or school, and can lead to social isolation or alcohol or drug abuse. The treatment that's best for you depends on your particular personality disorder, its severity and your life situation. If you have mild symptoms that are well-controlled, you may need treatment from only your primary doctor, a psychiatrist or therapist. However, working with a therapist with experience in treating personality disorders is important!
ADHD
Attention Deficit Disorder
Mood Disorders
Affective Disorder, Bipolar Disorders, Anxiety Disorders
The symptoms determine which type of ADHD someone may be experiencing.
There are 3 types of ADHD; Inattention, Hyperactive and Combined. Children often process information more slowly and less accurately than others and have trouble following directions which can cause school related issues. Children with hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD can be a disruption in the classroom which can make learning more difficult for themselves and other students. However, there is a lot we can do together to prevent this and focus on holistic ways to assist with learning and increase management of impulsive as well as overall attention to unwanted behaviors.
Anyone can feel sad or depressed at times. However, mood disorders are more intense and harder to manage than normal feelings of sadness. Early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the severity of symptoms, enhance the person’s normal growth and development, and improve the quality of life of people with mood disorders. When correctly diagnosed and treated, people with mood disorders can live, stable, productive, healthy lives! However if left untreated mood disorders can become intense and severe. Contact us now for more information.
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger's Syndrome (AS)
Left untreated, an individual with autism may not develop effective social or communication skills. If a child or adult is not making friends, sustaining a conversation, able to play in an imaginative way, inflexible with routines and/or overly preoccupied with certain objects, it is important to learn the cause of these behaviors and obtain supports and services to help. Many children require extra support to focus on theory of mind and emotional regulation skills. Using techniques like Sensory Integration, Family Therapy, Talk Therapy, Music Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy to teach these skills in a naturalistic, incidental fashion can often help circumvent behaviors that surround behavioral outbursts in social settings. By proactively teaching the skills necessary to navigate through socially intricate contexts, children can learn to regulate their emotions. This may apply to children diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, ODD. Treatment may work better the earlier autism is diagnosed.
People with Aspergers may have social anxiety. This can make them afraid of reaching out for help. Finding a therapist that has experience with Asperger's is key. We can adapt their approach to suit the needs of the person in therapy. A therapist working with someone with ASD might use more visual information. The person with ASD is then likely to be more engaged. When people are engaged, they are more likely to make progress in therapy. This is no different for people with autism. If you think your child shows signs of Autism or Asperger's Syndrome, there is no better day then today to begin treatment for your child. Together we can find the best treatment for your child as well as learn coping strategies and social skills to assist with everyday life.​
Neurodivergent Disorders
Neurodivergent is a term used to describe people whose brains develop or work differently for some reason. This means that they have different strengths and struggles from people whose brains develop or work more typically. While some people who are neurodivergent have medical conditions, it also happens to people where a medical condition or diagnosis hasn’t been identified1.
Some examples of neurodivergent disorders include: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A mental health disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Dyslexia: A learning disorder that affects reading skills. Dyspraxia: A developmental coordination disorder that affects movement and coordination as well as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A neurodevelopmental disorder that affects attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
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It’s important to note that being neurodivergent is not a negative thing. In fact, many people who are neurodivergent have unique strengths and abilities that can be beneficial in certain situations. Let’s chat!
Mindfulness Therapy
Chronic Pain, Emotional Regulation, helps people recover from addictions, insomnia and reduces anxiety and depression
Mindfulness, from a therapeutic, secular perspective is a conscious awareness of our present moment. This includes openness and non-judgment about the experience. It is often coupled with other types of therapy, such as Cognitive-based Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Mindfulness therapy is not concerned with relaxation, though that might be a result of certain practices. The focus is on increasing our awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions that hinder our progress.
Dual Diagnosis
Behavioral Issues
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety or Panic Disorders i.e., Social Anxiety, Dependent Personality Disorders, Trichotillomania and Self Injury
Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders or Life Long Cycles of Dysfunction
Symptoms of OCD can be either obsessions or compulsions, or both. Symptoms can be mild and gradually progress in severity. Dual Diagnosis such as OCD and Panic disorders may lead to complications such as, an inability to attend work, school or social activities, issues with maintaining family and social relationships, poor quality of life, and suicidal thoughts and behavior due to isolative or repetitive behaviors. It is important to seek professional assistance, if symptoms are persistent, repeated and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive, compulsive or ritualistic behavior to get rid of the thoughts. You can learn skills to prevent this and take back control over your mind today with professional support.
All young children display impulsive or defiant behavior occasionally. Sometimes, this is part of a normal emotional reaction. But if these behaviors are extreme or outside the norm for their level of development, it could be a sign of a behavioral disorder. In adolescence, drinking or using drugs, risky sexual practices, not doing homework and getting lower grades in school, fighting or bullying, hurting themselves could be a response to environmental factors. Family intervention may prove to be a vital part of improving these key factors in households under pressure from children with behavioral problems. On the contrary, disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder ADHD, conduct disorder and bipolar disorder may also play a role in this type of behavior. When children act out persistently so that it causes serious problems at home, in school, therapy may be a key component. Being healthy is important for all children and can be especially important for children with behavior or conduct problems. In addition to behavioral therapy and practicing certain healthy lifestyle behaviors may reduce challenging and disruptive behaviors your child might experience. When unaddressed in youth these challenges can cause Lifelong Cycles of Dysfunction. At any age, if it important to address these issues and find the underlying issues today.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Concussions, Contusions and related emotional disturbance
Treatment for a traumatic brain injury encompasses multiple types of therapy, including physical therapy (for movement), occupational therapy (for daily tasks), speech therapy (for language), and neuropsychology (for cognition), as well as work with a psychotherapist and psychiatrist. Counseling after a brain injury may focus on processing the patient’s experience after such a tremendous change and charting a path forward. This may involve discussing feelings of anger, depression, or grief, exploring changes to one’s sense of identity, developing coping skills for limitations of communication, memory, attention, and emotion regulation, and identifying how to build a meaningful and fulfilling life moving forward.