Down.

Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘viewing things through rose-tinted glasses?’ Depression is the opposite of that. It sucks the energy and happiness out of you. When you are depressed, it’s hard to experience the world the same way as non-depressed people do. If that weren’t enough, we often add guilt and shame for being miserable for good measure. The good news? Depression is treatable and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Talking to a therapist can offer huge relief and teach you the skills to get better.

Anxious.

Back in the day, humans would get a massive spike in adrenaline and cortisol (a hormone linked to stress) when facing life- threatening situations. Like a lion chasing you. That spike was helpful and triggered the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response - a life-saving survival mechanism, which was really great when lions were chasing us. The problem is that we continue to have the same physiological response (increased heart rate, rapid breathing, a sense of dread, feeling sick to our stomachs) even when there isn’t a threat on our life. Enter panic attacks. Enter generalized anxiety disorder. Enter phobias.

Therapy can help you “reset” your anxiety response, by retraining your body and your brain to tamp that anxiety down to normal, helpful levels.

Physical health concerns.

Dialysis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancer treatment, mobility impairments, recovery from surgery. Life can be really difficult. Navigating life with with a co-occurring physical health problem can be twice as hard. Do you need help managing your health? Increasing motivation to follow doctors’ recommendations? What about just coping with chronic health problems? I completed my practicum at the NC Cancer Hospital and have 10+ years of experience working with clients with complex physical and mental health concerns. It’s really common for folks with complex medical needs to struggle with depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. If this sounds like you, welcome to the judgment-free support zone. Let’s get started.

The kitchen sink.

Many of my clients often feel paralyzed by depression and anxiety at the same time. Those two sure hang out together don’t they? People who struggle with depression get anxious about whether it will ever get better, and it’s hard not to get depressed if you’re sitting with anxiety burrowing a hot little hole in your chest. If ya know, ya know.

Or it might be you don’t know exactly what’s going on, but you just know something is off. It’s ok not to have a name for it. Trust yourself. I believe we can take a deeper look at what’s going well and what could go better, and map out a path to get there.

Gaslighting.

Is someone in your life making you question your decisions, your abilities or your judgment? Sometimes it can be helpful to have a third party (that’s me) to talk to and help figure out “what’s real and what’s not” and what’s fair and realistic. We can also look at whether a relationship is helpful and safe, and how to build helpful relationships and end destructive ones.

Hearing voices.

Hearing, seeing or feeling things that aren’t there can be really scary. Especially when we’re told not to talk about it. Pretend everything is fine. Let me be the first to say: It will be ok. I have 10+ years of experience working with people going through the same thing. Consider this a safe place to open up about what you’ve been experiencing and to learn about really effective treatment options. Let’s connect to give you answers, and work together to find a plan that helps.

Something else?

Are you experiencing something that I haven’t mentioned? Chances are I have worked with someone who has gone through something similar and we can collaborate to make a plan to help. Please feel free to reach out for a free consult. If you need help in an area outside of my expertise, I’d be happy to refer you to someone who could be a better fit.