Life can become overwhelming, stressful and sometimes just painful. There are many reasons individuals seeks counseling but the overall hope is to find peace and healing. Here at Open Doors we desire to come beside you and help you explore your heart, your mind, your soul and your desires. As you discover your needs, hurts, desires, longings, and your story you will begin to heal and move toward a more peaceful and full place. Growing mentally, spiritually, and emotionally can be challenging, but the end result is a greater peace and acceptance of life.
Some of the reasons people seek individual counseling are:
- Stress Management
- Growth and Fulfillment
- Life Transitions
- Spiritual Growth
- Relationships
- Addiction
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Personality Disorders
- Grief Counseling
- Other mental health issues
Stress Management
Stress can be both negative and positive. Negative stress occurs when negative events occur in our lives and overwhelm our ability to cope. Stress can create problems with health, relationships, and other areas of life. Positive stress occurs when we engage in positive events such as getting married or buying a house. No matter what type of stress you are experiencing, it can interfere with life by overwhelming your emotions. Meeting with a therapist can help you deal with your stress in a healthy way.
Life Transitions
Graduating high school or college, getting married or divorced, having children, or changing careers are just a few examples of the transitions that many of us experience in life. Events such as these cause a shift in our ”status quo” and sometimes result in feelings of grief, sadness, discontent, and even anger. Meeting with a therapist can help you negotiate these changes and regain a balance in life.
Relationships
At Open Doors we believe that we were created to do life with others and not alone. Although the original plan was for connection that was pure and without conflict we all can attest to opposite. Relationships with our family, friends, and co-workers can bring great joy and great pain. When we experience difficulties in our relationships sometimes we can work through these with little trouble and other times they can wreck us and leave us feeling broken and lost. Sometimes we need help as we grieve, make decisions on what to do, and even explore our own patterns in relationships.
Codependency
Codependency is a way of being in relationship that is characterized by unhealthy boundaries, indirect or ineffective communication patterns, and a focus on other people at the expense of our own happiness or well-being. While these patterns are common in families where one or more family members suffer from an addiction, they can exist in families without addiction as well. These patterns can persist through generations without intervention. However, they are learned, and therefore can be unlearned and changed with therapy.
Couples/Relationships
Relationships are our connection to the world around us. Our closest relationships are usually those involving family; our family of origin and the family we create through joining with others and bringing new life into the world. These relationships can be our most rewarding of all. However, when there is a breakdown in these relationships they can be the most painful of all. Counseling can help repair and rebuild these important relationships.
Grief Counseling/End of Relationships
Whether a relationship ends by mutual agreement to sever ties, by divorce, or with the death of a loved one, it is never easy to say goodbye. Very often relationships end with heartbreak, confusion, and anger and can leave us doubting ourselves. Sometimes when we lose a loved one (whether through death, betrayal or the end of a relationship), grieving can become intrusive and can affect other areas of our lives. Counseling can help you work through feelings of grief, not by diminishing the loss, but by helping you to move through the various stages of grieving.
Depression
Depression is more that just sadness. Sadness is short in duration and diminishes fairly quickly. Depression is often debilitating, intense, and can take over your life. Common symptoms of depression may include loss of appetite; problems with sleep or concentration; feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or emptiness; or in some cases, suicidal thoughts or attempts. If you are experiencing these symptoms, contact us. Do not walk through this alone.
Anxiety
Anxiety can greatly impact our lives. Symptoms may include obsessive thoughts or behaviors, avoidance of situations or objects, difficulty with decision making, and an undefined worry. Anxiety can take many forms, but always stems from an intense fear that is overwhelming and persistent. This feeling can be immobilizing and create significant problems in daily living. Counseling can help you find more peace in your life.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is characterized by an unusual and sometimes extreme shift in moods. It is caused by an imbalance in brain chemistry and includes manic moods, which may lead to engaging in activities that could be reckless and risky as well as depressive moods, which may lead to withdrawal or isolation from loved ones. Bipolar Disorder can be devastating and can compromise our relationships, health, and finances. Counseling can help you understand the mood shifts and achieve a greater balance in life.
Personality Disorders
Like most mental health diagnoses, a personality disorder is enduring and affects daily functioning. There are several categories pertaining to personality disorders, but they have one thing in common: each one creates problems with intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. Depression and anxiety are also often associated with personality disorders. If you are struggling with these issues, counseling can help.
Other Mental Health Issues
Almost all of us will experience some kind of emotional distress in our lifetime. It can result from an argument with a friend, a significant loss, or a chemical imbalance in the brain. Emotional distress can cause serious and long-term consequences if it is not addressed.