The “American Dream” is not a thing of the past. Many have come to this country seeking the benefits only this great country of ours can give them, in the process they have adapted to the American way of life and are educated and work so in return they are giving back to society for accepting them. Unfortunately, there are countries where some of these “immigrants” come from that make it difficult for them to become U.S. citizens after fleeing their home country for better opportunities. The stress of getting through the immigration process produces many hardships not just for the petitioners and applicants but especially their children that in most cases are U.S. citizens that only speak English. I work with agencies and attorneys that help these prospective citizens so that they could go through the immigration process with support and encouragement. I meet with each petitioner on an individual basis and assess their situations so that in addition to their applications, a hardship assessment can be considered.

Raising a child can be difficult for many reasons. Caring for a child, especially an infant or toddler, can take up a significant amount of time, and it may be challenging to maintain strong relationships with a spouse or romantic partner, or with friends. Many parents face financial challenges or find it difficult to coordinate schedules and arrange child care. A parent who stays home with a child or children may feel overworked in the home and resent the other parent for working outside the home, which can put strain on a partnership. Parenting is also often physically demanding: some parents with young children spend a significant part of their day cleaning, doing laundry, and performing other household tasks, and many report insufficient sleep.

Parenting may become even more difficult when a child exhibits signs of a behavioral challenge, physical or intellectual disability, or mental or physical illness. It may be especially difficult to cope when a child who requires extensive medical treatment or other extra care is not the only child in the home, and parents may find it difficult to give all children equal amounts of attention. This may lead some parents to experience guilt along with greater levels of stress.   Research has shown that, as a result of parenting classes, parents/guardians learn more effective parenting techniques, the behavior problems of children decrease, and the quality of the parent-child relationship improves.

I offer co-parental therapy for parents that are separated, divorced or sharing custody of their children. Having gone through the experience of co-parenting my own children, I’m empathetic and completely understand the struggles and stressors co-parenting can cause. Being a therapist, I’m aware of the importance of children growing up with the full emotional support from both parents and how that stability makes for a better, healthier life for all parties involved. Having parents both on the same page in the raising of their children has been proven to be highly important for their well-being and their future stability. You will learn skills that will guide you through the difficulties of co-parenting, so that together you can be proud parents of children that could one day say, “We had the best parents, even if they raised us separately”.

Having conducted couples therapy with many women and men over the years, I see how beneficial it is for couples to deal with problems early – before they morph into gigantic barricades that destroy any hope for resolution. Some couples come to therapy when a slight problematic pattern emerges, and these couples tend to improve quickly and effectively. Why? Because the resentments aren’t yet set in concrete. Other couples, however, put off dealing with their problems until things get so bad that they’ve stopped communicating, having sex, or spending quality time together. As a therapist, I can say that the earlier a couple starts therapy, the better the prognosis is for the longevity of the relationship.

Couples Counselling can be of huge benefit to any relationship, regardless of the nature or severity of your problems. Some of the major ways in which couples counselling can benefit your relationship is in the areas of:

• Improved communication,
• Revitalizing your emotional connection and
• Re-negotiating your commitments.

Couples generally come to couples counselling when they realize that their relationship is in some kind of trouble. Sometimes the problem is so significant, or has been left unattended for so long, that the relationship is already in severe crisis. At other times, the couple becomes aware at an earlier stage that they are not able to resolve their problems on their own, and that they need the help of a relationship counsellor before their relationship hits crisis point and heads to dissolution.

No relationship is ever entirely smooth sailing. Sometimes the problems are overtly present form the beginning of the relationship, sometimes they surface after a long time of being together, or as a result of unexpected stresses. Whatever trouble your relationship is in, and no matter how severely your relationship is being affected, almost all couples can benefit from couples or relationship counseling at some time in their relationship.

EFT is a therapy that centers around a person’s emotions and the response to said emotions. It was first developed in 1985. In the 1980s, divorce rates were at an all-time high, and psychologists Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg were trying to find a better way to help couples solve their differences. This led to them discovering that most of the problems couples face come from a cycle of reinforcing emotions that go back and forth between them. Emotion is not just one individual, but a web that that can weave between partners.

EFT has been evolving since the first manual was published 30 years ago, with many new steps added since then. EFT also can be used for family members and even for individuals. Many couples find it helpful. Why? Because they learn to understand each other’s emotions, as well as be self-aware of their emotional responses.

When it comes to therapy, the biggest question you may have is, “Does this work?” You don’t want to invest time and money into a temporary bandage, after all.

No therapy is 100 percent effective, and some couples just can’t settle their differences without separating, but EFT is found to be effective for most people. It’s true that couples tend to have attachment issues, and by figuring out the root emotions and learning how to handle that, the couple can move on to have a happy, healthy relationship.

EFT tends not to be a temporary bandage. There will be follow-up appointments, and most couples keep using the techniques and end up having a happy, healthy life with each other.

No matter how close you are with your partner, you’re going to have hiccups, and sometimes it feels like it can be the end. When in all actuality, you just need some therapy with them to get the relationship moving on the right track.

How do you know if you will benefit from depression counseling? It is important to first note that many people feel sad, lonely, or depressed from time-to-time. After all, these are common emotions and typical reactions to difficult times in life. Those who benefit most from counseling suffer from the symptoms of depression for weeks at a time. In addition to seeking therapy, it might be time to speak with your doctor if you feel depression is impacting your ability to effectively cope with day-to-day tasks and activities.

Those who suffer from depression, sometimes referred to by doctors as “clinical depression”, typically need treatment under the care of a professional to alleviate his or her symptoms and feel better. Being diagnosed with depression or needing depression counseling does not indicate weakness and is not a character flaw. There are many different factors that contribute to depression, including brain biology or brain chemistry and stressful or traumatic life events.

If you experience one or more of the following symptoms, or if your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, then it might be the right time look into treatment options.

• You experience feelings of sadness, loneliness, or emptiness on a regular basis.
• You are less excited about events, situations, and even people that you used to enjoy.
• You often feel hopeless, worthless, or helpless.
• Your have less energy than normal and typically feel tired throughout the day.
• It is hard for you to focus on tasks during the day and make normal decisions.
• You struggle to fall asleep at night, struggle to stay asleep throughout the night, or struggle to wake up in the morning.
• Without being on a diet, you have seen big changes in either your appetite or your weight.
• You have thoughts of death and/or suicide.
• You feel jumpy and irritable throughout the day.

If you nodded along to suffering from any of the symptoms above or if any of the symptoms above are impacting your daily life, then it may be time to contact me and find out if depression counseling is right for you.

Generalized anxiety is also known as free-floating anxiety. It is identified by chronic feelings of doom and worry that have no direct cause. Many people feel anxious about certain things, like money, job interviews, or dating. But people with free-floating anxiety can feel anxious for no clear reason. Generalized anxiety can also mean feeling too much worry about a particular event.

A person diagnosed with GAD must also show at least three of the following symptoms:

• Frequent fatigue
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Difficulty focusing
• Sleep problems
• Muscle tension

Many factors can contribute to free-floating anxiety. Living in stressful or abusive environments may be a cause. Sometimes, anxiety becomes a habit. A person used to feeling anxious about an event might keep feeling anxious once it is over. Some psychologists contend that modern life causes free-floating anxiety. According to them, deadlines, fast-paced lifestyles, and keeping up with social media could cause chronic anxiety.

When a person cannot find where their anxiety comes from, therapy can help. Therapy often helps people learn coping skills for dealing with symptoms of anxiety. Skills that help people with chronic anxiety include deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and assertive communication.

Anger Management affords you an opportunity to learn more about your anger, its root cause and the triggers that set this emotion off. The way you feel and express yourself in your day to day life can most often be connected to feelings and emotions that you have experienced in a negative way in your past that may somehow not yet be resolved. When this connection is explored during therapy, you will begin to gain new insight which will help you be more aware of your feelings and learn to better understand the nature of your anger and its origin and how to control this emotion.

I provide therapy services (group or individual) for a number of organizations with EAP programs. I can also customize a program to meet your specific needs.