"Karen is a skilled and compassionate therapist. She helped me navigate anxiety as well as complicated family and relationship dynamics and gave me the skills and tools to better cope with the stressful situations in my life. She is incredibly easy to talk to, extremely professional, and has always given me thoughtful and valuable advice that I continue to apply. I highly recommend her as a therapist." –Client
DEPRESSION
The following are symptoms of depression that may be impacting your life in a negative way. There are sometimes life events/circumstances that trigger depression (i.e. post partum, grief and loss, seasonal changes aka Seasonal Affective Disorder). Using CBT, solution focused and mindfulness techniques, I will work with clients to reduce the symptoms of depression and identify triggers. By ultimately learning techniques to reframe negative thoughts and distorted thinking patterns, clients can feel more equipped to cope with the mood changes by having tools available to them.
The following are criteria for DEPRESSION based on the DSM 5:
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Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.
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Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
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Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
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A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
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Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
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Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
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Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
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Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
ANXIETY
The following is the criteria for anxiety* according to the DSM 5:
The presence of excessive anxiety and worry about a variety of topics, events, or activities. Worry occurs more often than not for at least six months and is clearly excessive.
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The worry is experienced as very challenging to control. The worry in both adults and children may easily shift from one topic to another.
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The anxiety and worry are accompanied by at least three of the following physical or cognitive symptoms (In children, only one of these symptoms is necessary for a diagnosis of GAD):
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Edginess or restlessness
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Tiring easily; more fatigued than usual
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Impaired concentration or feeling as though the mind goes blank
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Irritability (which may or may not be observable to others)
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Increased muscle aches or soreness
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Difficulty sleeping (due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, restlessness at night, or unsatisfying sleep)
*Anxiety occurs in children and may manifest as Generalized Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, OCD, phobias, Social Anxiety and Selective Mutism (manifests as extreme social anxiety such that children have difficulty verbalizing in group situations and/or where there are high expectations to speak (including but not limited to school, ordering in restaurants, with extended family and others who the child doesn’t have a comfort level). With children it is critical to address the anxiety when it becomes apparent that it isn’t a fleeting “worry” or something situational such as being scared of a monster in their room, etc. Early intervention yields the best outcome – children can learn strategies at a young age to sooth themselves, understand that their “flight or flight response” is reacting to something that isn’t actually dangerous and CBT techniques help them identify negative/”scary” thoughts that are not reality based.