Anger is an inevitable and normal human emotion and typically shows up when we are feeling scared, anxious, or sad. Sometimes, anger surfaces because we need to feel protected. Other times, anger may help us get something that we need - like interpersonal space or to feel a sense of control. When anger causes us to feel out of control, it can be problematic - especially if it causes us to behave in ways that harm ourselves or others. Uncontrolled anger can potentially damage our relationships to those we love, as well as cause a whole gamut of stress-related issues like insomnia, hypertension, and physical pain.

Feelings of worry and anxiety are normal and inevitable parts of the human experience. Sometimes, the feelings of fear and worry associated with anxiety can get out of hand and disrupt our ability to show up in our lives the way we want to. When that happens, reaching out for professional support can help you get back on track.

Depression is one of the most common issues that brings one to search for a therapist. Depression affects millions of people each year bringing with it difficulties that can make it challenging to function at home, work, school, and in our relationships. When you're feeling depressed, sometimes just getting out of bed can seem like an insurmountable challenge.

There are times when we all feel stuck in our lives. We may know our options, but nothing feels right. Maybe some options don’t even feel like they’re possible. Maybe we know the way forward, but just aren’t able to get there. Or maybe we’re just not completely sure what our options are. Feeling stuck can feel like being an observer of your life instead of an active participant. It can feel like repeating the same patterns over and over again and getting the same result. It can feel frustrating, demoralizing, and can cause you to lose confidence in yourself. Those feelings can bleed over into other areas of your life, too. Maybe you feel stuck in your career or in a relationship or just in the same hum-drum routines that you’ve had for a while.

Almost everyone experiences grief at some point in life. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, a broken heart – grief can sometimes come out of nowhere or can be felt very intensely even when we know to expect the event. Grief, and the way we process and explore it, looks different for different people. Grief may be short-lived or it may stay with us in some form our whole lives. When you grieve, you may experience more than sadness. You may also feel regret, guilt, relief, anger, or a whole host of other emotions. Grieving may heighten your emotions or you may feel emotionally numb after a loss. You may not be sleeping, may not be eating well, and may not be focused on your own well-being while grieving. Your emotions may change from day to day or even from hour to hour. You may feel that life will never be the same again and that you’re left without a way to move forward.

Discovering a sense of meaning and purpose in life is a necessary component of experiencing a sense of fulfillment and wholeness. When we don't have a clear purpose or meaning for our existence, we often feel a sense of emptiness and hopelessness. Feeling connected to a sense of purpose in life can make navigating the challenges of life more manageable.

But how does one go about discovering a sense of meaning and purpose in life? How does one find a feeling of fulfillment and wholeness? The answer to those questions may be different for everybody. Working with a therapist to explore your values, your hopes and dreams, and the visions you have for yourself and the kind of life you want to live can help you become clearer on what it is that contributes to a sense of purpose and meaning in life. With this clarity you are better able to build your life around the things that are most important to you.

Change is an inevitable part of life. We learn, we grow, we achieve milestones and set new goals. Life transitions can come in many different forms: a change in where we live, the addition of or loss of a romantic partner or friend, a change in career or job, coming out to our family, friends, or co-workers about our sexuality and/or gender identity, the death of a loved one, the addition of a new family member, a physical or mental illness of our own or of a loved one – the list goes on and on. Even if change is positive, it can still bring stress as we adjust to our new way of life.

While issues related to your sexuality and/or gender identity may or may not be what brings you to therapy, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual folks experience unique challenges in this world. Individuals in the LGBTQ+ community may experience higher levels of stress on a regular basis as a result of marginalization and social stigma.

While social acceptance of LGBTQ+ folks has grown over the last few decades, homophobia and oppression are still forces that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual folks face on a daily basis. The pressure of trying to figure out who you are in a world that is not always accepting of you can be overwhelming sometimes. The process of deciding to come out to friends and family about your sexuality and/or gender identity can be terrifying. And for these reasons, LGBTQ+ folks may be more prone to experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other mental health concerns.

Personal growth work has become an increasingly popular goal for individuals seeking mental health counseling. For some, this may be the primary reason that brings one to therapy. For others, it may become the focus after working through other specific challenges such as overwhelming depression, anxiety, or the death of a loved one. Whatever the circumstances, the dedication of oneself to the task of self-development and personal growth is a worthy one at any point and time in one’s life.

Being in a relationship with someone can be hard. Being a relationship with more than one person can be even harder! People in polyamorous and consensually non-monogamous relationships face unique relationship challenges. There is no "right" way to be in relationships with other people, and many folks find that they enjoy the freedom of building relationships with multiple people simultaneously.

Many folks in polyamorous and consensually non-monogamous relationships, as well as folks in monogamous relationships who are considering opening their relationship in some form, may find it helpful to explore and work on issues like time management, boundary setting and navigation, jealousy, communication, and safe-sex. Whether you are in the early stages of exploring whether or not polyamory might be right for you and your relationship, or you are experienced in navigating polyamorous and consensually non-monogamous relationships, therapy can be a helpful place to find your ways through the unique challenges that can come up in relationships like this.

Being in relationship is hard! Intimate, romantic, and/or sexual relationships require constant work and attention to grow and flourish. When issues arise in relationships it's important to address them to avoid resentment, which can be a toxic intruder that can hold you back from connecting with your partner(s) the way you want to. Relationship issues can be incredibly painful challenges to work through. Challenges in your relationship(s) can lead to experiences of depression, anxiety, physical illness, sexual intimacy challenges, and self-esteem issues. When this is the case, it can be helpful to seek the help of a therapist to work through your challenges.

Working on relationship issues can take two forms: individual therapy or couples/relationship therapy. Sometimes it feels important to have a safe space to yourself to explore and understand what is coming up for you personally in your relationship with your partner(s). Other times, it's helpful to engage in therapy with your partner(s) to better understand how each of you contribute to the challenges in your relationship and work through them collaboratively. Whichever path seems right to you, having the support of a therapist can be incredibly helpful.

We hear so much about stress these days. It’s a serious problem that manifests not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. We know that stress activates our fight or flight (or freeze) systems and causes our bodies to release adrenaline and cortisol in response. We know that high levels of stress that continue for long periods of time can lead to illnesses and to medical conditions like hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. We know that the source of our stress can be negative events or even positive events. And we know that stress is a part of our daily lives. It seems that there’s no way to escape it, only to manage it.

When you experience a traumatic event, it can change your life. Our brains are altered as a result of trauma, becoming overactive and hyper-alert in an effort to keep us safe. Trauma also lives in our bodies, affecting the way our nervous system functions. After a traumatic event you may feel more fearful and anxious, and you may worry that you’ll never feel truly calm again. You may feel that life will never return to normal. Often, people who have experienced trauma feel afraid to take any risks or try something new. Some feel afraid of life itself. A common reaction is to shut down and try to pretend the event never happened or that it didn’t affect us. We may feel that we deserved it or that it’s our problem alone and shun others’ help.

Work/life balance is something we all strive for. Many of us feel a constant pressure to do more with less. To get ahead in a workplace that is often fast-paced, we need to put in more hours and work both smarter and harder to differentiate ourselves from our co-workers. All too often, we compete with others for challenging work, recognition for a job well done, and resources that are scarce. Taking time off or leaving the office early to attend a doctor’s appointment, a school play, or a yoga class that we desperately need is at the very least frowned upon and at the most extreme can cost us a promotion or maybe even our job. We’re told that we need to simultaneously take care of our minds, bodies, and spirits AND give 110% in our jobs. We often feel guilty when we inevitably let something slide while we focus our attention in other places.