Areas of focus for individual counseling in Richardson, TX:
General Anxiety Disorder Therapy
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition that can cause persistent and excessive worry or fear about various aspects of life, such as work, relationships, health, and everyday responsibilities. Anxiety counseling helps individuals understand their anxiety and what it looks like for them. Our counselors work to understand what is interfering with daily activities and relationships in our client’s lives. During anxiety therapy, the counselor helps the individual understand how anxiety can be a physical feeling that could paralyze and overwhelm the individual. The feeling of anxiety can also appear as a barrier or an obsessive thought or action that is being used to alleviate the negative feeling.
It's important to understand that anxiety is not a choice, but a genuine and often overwhelming response to stress and uncertainty. This means that individuals who experience anxiety may feel powerless and overwhelmed by their own thoughts and emotions. Individuals may feel stuck and overwhelmed by life.
Generalized anxiety is a part of the individual's experience, but it doesn't define them as a person. In counseling, we emphasize strengths and positive qualities individuals have in order to enable them to start changing their self perspective. By creating a safe and supportive space, we help the individual feel seen, heard, and validated. We offer coping skills that can help clients with general anxiety and anxiety attacks. With in-person or virtual anxiety counseling we provide a welcoming and supportive environment where clients don’t feel judged for their fears.
Eating Disorder Therapy
An eating disorder is a mental health condition that involves persistent disturbances in eating behaviors, such as restriction of food intake, binge eating, and purging behaviors. Some of the common ones are bulimia and anorexia. Eating disorders affect individuals of any age, gender, or background, and often co-occur with other mental health conditions. Just in Texas, 28.8 million people will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their life (2023).
Individuals who experience eating disorders feel trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors around food, body image, and self-worth. Eating disorders are commonly connected to self esteem issues and feelings of confidence. Another form of eating disorders is overeating. A symptom of depression and anxiety can come out as over eating. In counseling for eating disorders, we work towards understanding the triggers that cause overeating and help find better coping skills.
The goal of eating disorder treatment is to help the individual develop a healthier relationship with food and their body, address underlying psychological and emotional issues, and improve their overall well-being. We work towards challenging the dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and thoughts maintaining a client's eating disorder. In counseling, we emphasize what is going on in an individual’s current life and what has led to the development of their eating disorder. In my treatment for eating disorders, we help clients recognize, understand and change negative thinking and behavioral patterns.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/
ADHD Counseling
ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can impact an individual's ability to focus, organize, and regulate their behavior. While it can sometimes be seen as a challenge, it is important to approach individuals with ADHD through a perspective of their neurodivergent behavior.
Individuals with ADHD are often creative, energetic, and have a unique perspective on the world. However, they may struggle with certain tasks, such as paying attention in class or following through on a project, due to their difficulty with executive functioning. Other symptoms of ADHD that are not often talked about are irritability, emotional sensitivity, and forgetfulness. Their mind processes ideas and situations differently than someone who is neuronormative.
It can be frustrating for individuals with ADHD to feel like they are constantly falling behind or not meeting expectations. In counseling for ADHD, it is important to provide support and understanding to help them manage their symptoms and recognize their strengths. With the right support and accommodations, individuals with ADHD can thrive and succeed in their personal and professional lives.
Depression Therapy
Depression is a mental health condition that can impact an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Individuals with depression may experience a range of symptoms, including feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or worthlessness, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of self-harm or suicide. These symptoms can be incredibly challenging to manage. In counseling for depression we provide individuals with depression empathy, compassion, and understanding as they walk through this point in their life.
Depression is a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and environmental factors that can contribute to the development and persistence of the illness. Depression has different forms depending on the phase of life. It can appear after having a baby or a change in job. It can happen with certain changes that may feel uncomfortable and sometimes hopeless.
Treatment of depression may involve medication. We work with prescribers to help you find the correct medication and help you feel comfortable through the process. In counseling, we will work through the depression and provide coping skills that will help alleviate the symptoms of depression.
