There are times in life when we all need help. It demonstrates incredible strength to admit this and ask for help. Maybe you are struggling feeling stressed, anxious, or sad. Maybe you have experienced loss, trauma, or divorce. Maybe you wish you could speak to someone who will listen with empathy and non-judgment. Our services are focused on ensuring you are on the right track to recovery and a better you.
Telehealth Services
If you would like to utilize this service, please contact us for further assistance. We will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Mental Health
Here are just a few of the issues and mental health conditions we can address:
PTSD/Trauma
Depression
Anxiety
Mood Disorder
There are several types of mood disorders. Some examples of mood disorders include:
- Major depressive disorder — prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness
- Bipolar disorder — also called manic depression or bipolar affective disorder, depression that includes alternating times of depression and mania
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a form of depression most often associated with fewer hours of daylight in the far northern and southern latitudes from late fall to early spring but can occur anywhere
- Cyclothymic disorder — a disorder that causes emotional ups and downs that are less extreme than bipolar disorder
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder — mood changes and irritability that occur during the premenstrual phase of a woman’s cycle and go away with the onset of menses
- Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) — a long-term (chronic) form of depression
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder — a disorder of chronic, severe, and persistent irritability in children that often includes frequent temper outbursts that are inconsistent with the child’s developmental age
- Depression related to medical illness — a persistent depressed mood and a significant loss of pleasure in most or all activities directly related to the physical effects of another medical condition
- Depression induced by substance use or medication ― depression symptoms that develop during or soon after substance use or withdrawal or after exposure to a medication
We would like to help. Talk to us today.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Personality Disorder
Self-esteem
Co-Dependency
Do you expend all of your energy in meeting your partner’s needs? Do you feel trapped in your relationship? Are you the one that is constantly making sacrifices in your relationship? Then you may be in a codependent relationship. Researchers also found that codependent symptoms continue to get worse if left untreated. The good news is that they are reversible. There is help for recovery and change for people who are codependent. The first step is getting guidance and support. We are ready to help.
Symptoms of Codependency
- Low self-esteem: Feeling that you are not good enough or comparing yourself to others are signs of low self-esteem. However, some think highly of themselves, but it is only a disguise — they actually feel unlovable or inadequate. Underneath, there are feelings of shame and guilt.
- People-pleasing: It is good to want to please someone you care about, but codependents usually don’t think they have a choice. Saying “No” causes them anxiety. Some codependents have a hard time saying “No” to everyone. Someone who is codependent goes out of their way and sacrifices their own needs to accommodate other people.
- Poor boundaries: Boundaries are an imaginary line between you and others. It divides what are yours and somebody else’s, and that applies not only to your body, money, and belongings, but also to your feelings, thoughts and needs. That is especially where codependents get into trouble. They have blurry or weak boundaries. They feel responsible for other people’s feelings and problems or blame their own problems on someone else. Some codependents have rigid boundaries and are closed off and withdrawn, making it hard for other people to get close to them. Sometimes, codependents go back and forth between weak and rigid boundaries.
- Reactivity: A consequence of poor boundaries is that you react to everyone’s thoughts and feelings. If someone says something you disagree with, you either believe it or become defensive. You absorb their words, because there is no boundary. With a boundary, you would realize it was just their opinion and not a reflection of you and not feel threatened by disagreements.
- Caretaking: Another effect of poor boundaries is that if someone else has a problem, you want to help them to the point that you give up yourself. It is natural to feel empathy and sympathy for someone, but codependents start putting other people ahead of themselves. In fact, they need to help and might feel rejected if another person does not want their help. Moreover, they keep trying to help and fix the other person, even when that person clearly is not taking their advice.
- Control: Control helps codependents feel safe and secure. Everyone needs some control over events in their life. You would not want to live in constant uncertainty and chaos, but for codependents, control limits their ability to take risks and share your feelings. Sometimes they have an addiction that either helps them loosen up (alcoholism), or helps them hold their feelings down, (workaholic), so that they do not feel out of control. Codependents also need to control those close to them, because they need other people to behave in a certain way to feel okay. In fact, people pleasing and care taking can be used to control and manipulate others. Alternatively, codependents are bossy and tell you what you should or should not do. This is a violation of someone else’s boundary.
- Dysfunctional communication: Codependents have trouble communicating their thoughts, feelings and needs. Of course, if you do not know what you think, feel or need, this becomes a problem. Other times, you know, but you will not own up to your truth. You are afraid to be truthful, because you do not want to upset someone else. Instead of saying, “I don’t like that,” you might pretend that it is okay or tell someone what to do. Communication becomes dishonest and confusing when you try to manipulate the other person out of fear.
- Obsessions: Codependents have a tendency to spend their time thinking about other people or relationships. This is caused by their dependency, anxieties, and fears. They can also become obsessed when they think they have made or might make a “mistake.” Sometimes you can lapse into a fantasy about how you would like things to be or about someone you love as a way to avoid the pain of the present. This is one way to stay in denial, as discussed below, but it keeps you from living your life.
- Dependency: Codependents need other people to like them to feel okay about themselves. They are afraid of being rejected or abandoned, even if they can function on their own. Others need always to be in a relationship, because they feel depressed or lonely when they are by themselves for too long. This trait makes it hard for them to end a relationship, even when the relationship is painful or abusive. They end up feeling trapped.
- Denial: One of the problems people face in getting help for codependency is that they are in denial about it, meaning that they do not face their problem. Usually they think the problem is someone else or the situation. They either keep complaining or trying to fix the other person, or go from one relationship or job to another and never own up the fact that they have a problem. Codependents also deny their feelings and needs. Often, they do not know what they are feeling and instead focus on what others are feeling. The same thing is true for their needs. They pay attention to other people’s needs and not their own. They might be in denial of their need for space and autonomy. Although, some codependents seem needy, others act as if they are self-sufficient and not needing help. They refuse to reach out and have trouble receiving. They are in denial of their vulnerability and need for love and intimacy.
- Problems with intimacy: This is not a reference to sexual relations, although sexual dysfunction often is a reflection of an intimacy problem. The reference is about being open and close with someone in an intimate relationship. Because of the shame and weak boundaries, you might fear judgement, rejection and abandonment. On the other hand, you may fear being smothered in a relationship and losing your autonomy. You might deny your need for closeness and feel that your partner wants too much of your time; your partner complains that you are unavailable, but he or she is denying his or her need for some separation.
- Painful emotions: Codependency creates stress and leads to painful emotions. Shame and low self-esteem create anxiety and fear about being judged, rejected or abandoned; making mistakes; being a failure; feeling trapped by being close or being alone. The other symptoms lead to feelings of anger and resentment, depression, hopelessness, and despair. When the feelings are too much, you can feel numb.
Treatments
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Sand Tray
Play Therapy
Solution-Focused
Grief Counseling
Family Therapy
Spirituality
Spirituality is from a Christian perspective. Jesus the Messiah is the foundation of my ministry. Prayer and counsel are provided upon request. No one is turned away for their beliefs.
“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”— I Corinthians 9:22
Other Services
Equine Therapy
Animal Therapy
We now have a petting zoo that includes various animals. This therapy builds on the natural human-animal bond.