Providing individual, couples, and family counseling. Appointments available online to residents of Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina
Depression
We all feel down, unmotivated overwhelmed, sad and irritable from time to time but when these feelings are persistent for more than a few weeks you may be experiencing depression. Depression may occur as a result of traumatic events, life transitions or even a change of seasons. Depression may also be caused by a chemical imbalance and may be persistent. If symptoms persist, talk therapy and learning new coping skills will help. While isolating and waiting for it to pass may be what you feel like doing, it is the most problematic way of coping and will likely result in deeper depression.
Couples Counseling
Relationships are challenging. All of us want and need human connection and we enter into relationships with many expectations, hopes and dreams. Because we are unique individuals those unspoken ideals can lead to misunderstanding one another. To be healthy in our relationships we need to know ourselves well and be able to share our thoughts with our partners. The Gottman Theory of couples therapy refers to this as sharing “love maps”. Couples counseling may include individual sessions to help each partner identify and articulate their desires and challenges. Joint sessions will then help to improve communication leading to emotional and physical intimacy. Whether you’ve experienced a breach in your relationship and are struggling to repair it, or you simply want to improve your relationship, working with a therapist will help.
Anxiety
Anxiety, put simply is thinking ahead to the future or rethinking the past in a way that creates a physiological reaction in the body. Moving from a calm relaxed state into an aroused state indicates that your thoughts created a sense of fear or worry and caused the nervous system to move into a protective mode. As these thoughts gain traction the arousal can intensify and become physically uncomfortable causing increased heart rate, shortness of breath, muscle tension and nausea. Once we launch into this fight, freeze, flight, appease state we lose our ability to think clearly, our thoughts become exceedingly irrational and we lose our ability to cope in healthy ways.
Some anxiety is necessary and normal to motivate us to do things or make amends for the ways we handled something in the past. But if anxiety begins negatively impacting our daily lives or our relationships, therapy will help.
Anxiety can generally be treated without medication if new coping skills are implemented and practiced. Dietary changes and supplements may help and in some cases medication may help until healthy coping skills become a normal part of life.
Substance Abuse/Dependence/Maladaptive Behaviors
Our natural tendency is to want to avoid discomfort. As we grow and life presents challenges we may not have the coping skills we need to handle things well so we may turn to substances or behaviors that shift our mood, bring us pleasure and get us back to feeling good. For many people this cause and effect pattern becomes the norm and they find themselves over using alcohol, food, medication, marijuana, sex, exercise or work as regular means of coping. As these habits form they generally negatively impact relationships with themselves and others. The original challenges remain, the emotions are suppressed vs processed and they end up feeling isolated, alone and misunderstood. Talking with a trained professional will help. Getting to the root causes, learning new coping skills will get you on the path to healing.
Grief and Loss
When we experience the loss of someone or something there is a profound impact that affects every aspect of life as we know it. It feels like the rest of the world goes on as normal when nothing in your world is the same. It may be hard to find someone to talk to after the initial rush of condolences subside but you don’t have to be on this journey alone. Talking with someone who is holding the space for you to work through a myriad of thoughts and emotions will bring some relief. There is no time limit on grief. If you’re feeling the painful effects of your loss it is the right time to seek help.
Walk and Talk Therapy
Walk and Talk Therapy provides an alternative to traditional therapy. It allows the therapeutic bond between client and counselor to take place in a natural setting which invites the healing effects of nature into our work. Vitamin D from the sun, the balancing and grounding properties of the earth, and the soothing energy of the sea all contribute to our overall health and wellbeing.
As we work you’ll gain insight by releasing the burdens that challenge you to make room for the therapeutic benefits of nature to restore you so you can experience a new more peaceful way of life.
I provide walk and talk therapy and light body movement therapy on beautiful Sunset Beach in the southern most part of North Carolina. This beach offers expansive spaces to walk and talk privately as well as nature trails to explore while harnessing the calming and healing effects of the ocean. Clients seeking walk and talk therapy will need medical clearance from their physician. Sessions will be held in all seasons, weather permitting utilizing tele-health sessions in inclement weather.
Spiritual Counseling
We are more than our bodies and our minds. Our spirit is the true essence of who we are and who we are meant to be outside of our physical limitations and the effects of the things that have happened to us or worry us. We all have an inner voice or spirit that wants to guide us to a life of peace, love, acceptance, forgiveness, compassion and kindness toward others but in this busy world it's sometimes difficult to hear this voice or even know it exists. If you’re seeking a more peaceful way of living in relationship with God, yourself and others, holistic counseling that incorporates aspects of your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing will help.
Trauma
Trauma refers to an emotional or psychological response to an overwhelmingly distressing event or series of events that surpass an individual's ability to cope and integrate the experience. These experiences can leave a lasting impact on a person's mental and emotional well-being, often resulting in symptoms such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks, and disrupted interpersonal relationships. In psychotherapy, the focus is on providing a safe and supportive space for individuals to explore and process these experiences, facilitating healing, resilience, and a renewed sense of well-being.
Life Transitions
Adapting to changes in life can bring feelings of anxiousness. Our minds are constantly seeking security. When things are unpredictable it can be uncomfortable. We know change is constant and we need to adapt but sometimes we end up feeling frozen and stuck. Seeking counseling to work through thoughts and emotions resulting from change can bring calm and clarity creating a healthy path to move forward.
Parenting Support
Being a parent carries a lot of responsibility, and the process can difficult at times. Children continually go through changes and stages that are overwhelming for them and for you. Whether you are married or single, there will be times when you question whether you’re handling things well. You may find yourself disagreeing with a partner, family member or friend who is offering input or advice. You may be following experts’ approaches but worry that they’re not effective for your child. This is when counseling can help alleviate the stress you’re feeling and give you the confidence you need to help your child grow and thrive.
Conflict Resolution
All relationships will go through challenging times. Learning how to navigate these ruptures when they occur is the key to thriving in healthy relationships.You may have methods of coping you learned from earlier times in life to avoid conflict or confront others that can lead to further disconnection. Through counseling you will learn to understand your own reactions and responses to challenging people and situations. You will learn how to communicate in a way that your feelings are heard and understood, you will learn how to accept things beyond your control and set healthy boundaries that allow you to maintain important relationships in your life or at work.
