Anxiety & Depression

Anxiety Disorders are the most common Psychological disorders in the U.S. with 19.1 million (13.3%) of the adult population (ages 18-54) affected. This number increases when you factor in the high number of older adults who suffer from anxiety disorders.

Anxiety Disorders include:

Panic Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Phobias (e.g., lizards, heights, flying)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

All five Anxiety Disorders can cause overwhelming and persistent anxiety, fear, and interfere with daily living. Fortunately, the vast majority of those with an Anxiety Disorder can be helped with the right professional care. Most experts agree that anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of both biological and environmental factors. Individual psychotherapy can help individuals learn coping skills to manage their anxiety. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of many anxiety disorders. Additionally, some individuals may benefit from medication therapy in combination with psychotherapy.

Anxiety Disorders often include symptoms such as the following:

Restlessness

Easily fatigued

Trouble concentrating

Irritability

muscle tension, aches, or soreness

Sleep disruption

Excessive worry

Heart racing

Trembling

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), while technically an Anxiety Disorder, appears on the surface to be very different and therefore we will explain it a little more. It affects both men and women equally. One-third of afflicted adults had their first symptoms in childhood. Symptoms of OCD include either recurrent and unwanted obsessions (thoughts, impulses, images) or compulsions (repetitive behaviors in an effort to prevent or reduce distress or an event). The person recognizes that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive and unreasonable and have caused significant distress, are time consuming, or significantly interfere with the person’s normal routine.

Common obsessions and compulsions include:

Hand washing

Counting

Door checking

Praying

Thoughts of contamination

Need for order or symmetry

Mood Disorders

Depression currently affects more than 14 million people To treat this disorder the first step is acquire proper diagnosis of this debilitating mood disorder.

Aside from depression, other mood disorders treated include bipolar disorder (manic-depression), dysthymia, and adjustment disorders. We are skilled in a variety of treatment approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and family therapy. We are mindful of how incapacitating depression can be to all aspects of your life, particularly your relationships. As a result, we team with our patients to improve mood, energy levels, zest for life, motivation, and daily functioning. We will help reduce irritability, appetite and sleep disturbances, and difficulty with concentration and memory. And, of course, we will help restore hope. The success rate for treating depression is high – approximately 80% of people get better with proper and skillful treatment.

Individual Therapy will be used to treat many areas of concern including but not limited to:

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Childhood Issues

Anxiety Disorders

Depression

Relationships

ADD & AD/HD

Fears & Phobias

Grief and Loss

Gay /Lesbian Concerns

Stress

Sleep Disorders

Behavior Modification

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Treatment for Psychological Disorders

Our therapists and clinical staff will work with the patient or their family to identify the causes and triggers for their difficulties. Support and guidance will be provided to ensure appropriate forms of treatment are made available.

Therapy is designed to be a collaborative experience. When the patient (and their family as appropriate) work as a team progress can be made and the difficulties of the disorder become manageable and show steady improvement.

Couples Counseling

A family’s patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of treatment. In marriage and family therapy, the treatment is not focused on one individual. It is inclusive of the couple or when selected as a modality the family.

Couples and family therapy is:

Collaborative
solution-focused
specific, with attainable therapeutic goals
designed to explore underlying concerns

Couples and / or family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.

Research indicates that marriage and family therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many mental health problems such as: adult schizophrenia, affective (mood) disorders, adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children’s conduct disorders, adolescent drug abuse, anorexia in young adult women, childhood autism, chronic physical illness in adults and children, and marital distress and conflict.