People who have developed an addiction may be unaware that it is out of control, which is why counseling is an essential part of working through and managing this condition. An addiction of any sort can be exhausting and one should never go through the recovery process alone.

Many treatment plans focus on talk therapy and behavior therapy and can be performed in a group or through one-on-one sessions. During these sessions, patients analyze the reasons behind their addiction(s), what triggers are, and what helped them control impulses in the past. Patients also learn coping skills so they can manage their compulsions without relapsing.

Common addictions include but are not limited to:

• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Gambling
• Internet
• Shopping
• Food

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Couples often seek couples or marriage counseling when the relationship is at a standstill or unsure whether or not the relationship is worth salvaging. This type of therapy can benefit families with children who have been affected by relationship issues such as divorce, and confront the source of the conflict.

Treatment techniques may include the following depending on the therapist:

• Gottman Method
• Narrative Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Positive Psychology
• Imago Relationship Therapy
• Analyzing Your Communication
• Getting to the root of the problem
• Enhancing Intimacy
• Individual Counseling
• Couple Retreat

When a relationship is showing signs of addiction, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or severe depression, seek guidance from a counselor immediately, for your safety and your partner.

Intimacy problems widely occur behind a variety of closed doors. Conflicts may include a loss of harmony between the sheets, a lack of sexual desire between either partners, or failure in communication. There are often psychological factors that may contribute to a sexual disorder such as erectile dysfunction, or a lowered desire after a new mother has given birth. Intimacy issues are common, but if one or more become severe and there is no resolution in sight, it may be time to seek therapy for guidance.

Steps to take for treating intimacy issues begin with:

•    Psychosexual Therapy: this technique allows couples to express themselves in a safe environment with a trusted and supportive professional.

•    Relationship Counseling: healthy relationships require strong connections and time to build trust. Whatever the issue may be, a counselor can work with individuals together or separately to overcome the problem.

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Depression commonly manifests physically, through stomach pains, headaches, disrupted or excessive sleep, and motor control difficulty. While the causes of depression are unknown, a predisposition for it runs in families and it can be triggered by trauma and adverse life circumstances. Depression is diagnosed more frequently in women and tends to display differently in women than in men.

People tend to suffer higher rates of depression after giving birth and in late fall. Depression and anxiety often exacerbate each other and people with depression commonly have difficulty concentrating on tasks and conversations. Some people abuse alcohol and drugs or overeat as a way of coping, causing them to develop other medical problems. Depressed people are also at increased risk for self-harm.

Depression is a mental illness that is characterized by prolonged emotional symptoms including:

• Apathy
• Sadness
• Guilt
• Exhaustion
• Irritability

Diagnosing depression involves a psychiatric evaluation and physical tests to determine whether a person’s symptoms are being caused by a different disorder.

A person must have been experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression. Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are several effective complementary ways of treating depression, including:

• Talk therapy
• Medication
• Adopting a healthier lifestyle

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Types of Eating Disorders

There are copious numbers of eating disorders and, unfortunately, the statistics mentioned above don’t begin to scratch the surface. Here are a few examples of eating disorders:  

• Anorexia Nervosa: People reduce the amount of energy intake required for their weight, age, gender, development, and physical health.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Individuals consume large amounts of food, and then induce themselves to vomit to stop weight gain.
• Binge Eating Disorder (BED): Eating large amounts of food in small periods.
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) 14: Children are not just finicky when it comes to this disorder, but they become malnourished because they restrict themselves from eating certain foods.
• Diabulimia: People with Type 1 diabetes purposely underuse insulin to control their weight.

Treatment Methods

Like other mental disorders and illnesses, care should involve a diverse team of experts. It’s recommended that professional caretakers include the following:

• Psychiatrist
• Licensed Clinician 
• Nutritionist
• Primary care physician

Due to the severe toll that eating disorders may have on an individual’s physical health, psychological therapy is not enough. It’s also important, if possible, to incorporate family therapy and support groups. Family-based treatment, according to NEDA, is a method used for patients who are minors.

In severe cases, inpatient care may be necessary; the person suffering from the eating disorder will be hospitalized or placed in residential care.

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When a person loses something or someone valuable to them, feelings of grief can be overbearing.

Grief can leave a person feeling sad, hopeless, isolated, irritable, and numb by affecting them mentally, emotionally, and physically. It’s important to understand that healing from grief is a process and everyone copes with this emotion differently.

An alternative treatment method includes psychotherapy. Through psychotherapy, a patient may:

• Improve coping skills
• Reduce feelings of blame and guilt
• Explore and process emotions

Consider seeking professional support if feelings of grief do not ease over time.

Grief is the emotional response to any type of loss. Perhaps of a loved one due to death or divorce, but also the loss of a job, a pet, financial stability, or safety after trauma. Feelings of grief can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to know how to manage and overcome these emotions.

It is important to have patience with yourself and others during this process as it is a healthy part of healing. If you are having trouble coping on your own, or know of someone who could use extra support, a therapist can assist.

Common symptoms of grief include:

• Shock and disbelief: feeling numb about the event, having trouble believing it happened, denying it, or expecting to suddenly see the person you lost.
• Sadness: crying, or having feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning, or loneliness.
• Guilt: regret over things unsaid or undone, feeling responsible for the death or the event, or shame from feeling relieved by a person’s passing.
• Anger: blaming someone for injustice.
  Fear: feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and insecurity, or having panic attacks.
• Physical symptoms: fatigue, nausea, weight loss or gain, aches and pains, and insomnia.

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You don’t have to face parenting and family challenges alone. Seek help from a qualified therapist or a professional support group to gain some much-needed perspective that will allow you to effectively work through the problems at hand.

Parenting and family issues may include:

• Being a single parent
• Divorce
• Infidelity
• Problems caused by divorced parents entering new relationships
• Fewer opportunities for parents and children to spend time together
• Deployment
•  In-laws
•  Trauma, such as domestic violence, or alcohol and drug abuse

Family therapy or counseling can be used in addition to individual treatment. The goal is to improve relationships and improve methods of communication and conflict resolution. Families are a unique ecosystem, and issues affecting one member of a family can reverberate and affect the whole unit. Additional benefits of this type of counseling are that in some instances, the sessions can heal emotional wounds in a short time.

Some situations that may benefit from family counseling include:

• If a family is going through a loss.
• If a family member is suffering from substance abuse
• Issues between parents (parenting issues or going through a divorce)
• If a teenager is experiencing behavior issues such as anger outbursts
• Sibling conflict

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Insurance

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• UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH

Phobias, according to the American Psychological Association, are intense fears that result in distress and can be intrusive. Individuals with this anxiety disorder have an irrational fear of things that don’t pose any real threat. Treatment options

Unlike anxiety disorders, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, there isn’t extensive research that has been completed on phobias, but that hasn’t stopped mental health professionals from finding ways to help patients.

• Therapists help treat phobias by using psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. The patients receive CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), where they can learn how to think, react, and behave to whatever it is that they fear. It is meant to reduce the feeling of overwhelming anxiety.
• Medications, on the other hand, aren’t a cure but they help patients deal with symptoms.
• Individuals can also learn stress-management techniques, such as meditation, yoga, or other holistic approaches.

The first step in stress management is identifying your stressors. While this sounds fairly easy—it’s not hard to point to major changes or a lot of work piling up—chronic stress can be complicated, and most people don’t realize how their habits contribute to their stress. Maybe work piling up isn’t from the actual demands of your job, but more so from your procrastination. You have to claim responsibility for the role you play in creating your stress or you won’t be able to control it.

Some example strategies for Stress Management:

• Take a walk
• Read a book
• Healthy diet
• Exercising regularly
• Quality sleep

If stress becomes chronic, don’t hesitate to seek the help of a therapist.

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Most of us spend more time at work than at home, therefore the workplace should be an environment where we feel safe and comfortable. However, because work is where a bunch of different personalities, communication styles, and worldviews gather around, things don’t always go smoothly.

Workplace bullying is on the rise and though statistics vary, some studies reveal that nearly half of all American workers have been affected by this problem, either as a target or as a witness to abusive behavior against a co-worker.

Examples of common workplace issues include:

• Poor job fit
• Mental anguish
• Sexual or verbal harassment
• Discrimination
• Low motivation and job dissatisfaction
• How a Therapist Can Help

How a Therapist Can Help

Therapy for work and career issues can help a person develop a better understanding of their wants and needs as well as approach alternative ways to handle tension while on the clock.  Therapy is a neutral setting where patients can discuss their fears, worries, or stressors, and regain control of their happiness.

Psychotherapy tends to work well when addressing workplace issues because talk therapy such as this can effectively treat depression and anxiety that can stem from these conflicts. A mental health professional can also teach coping skills that will help a person manage work-related stress.

Fees

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Insurance

• Aetna
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• UMR
• UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH