Times of crisis and of transition and grief offer opportunities for self understanding and growth. Because these are the most difficult, painful and confusing times in our lives, often these opportunities are lost or left unexplored . It is difficult to identify the strengths and resources we have to bring to these situations when we are in the midst of them.
Experiencing or witnessing an accident or a crime or abusive behavior can create emotions and thoughts that can be quite overwhelming and can become unmanageable. Our instinct is to try not to think about these things and get on with our lives, but, despite our best effort, they seem to remain, ready to interfere in our lives when we least expect or wish it.
Dealing with the deteriorating health of an aging loved one is demanding and emotional. Balancing the desire to be with our loved one and take care of them with being present and active in our own lives is challenging. We feel uninformed and unprepared for the decisions involved. We are bewildered, helpless and frustrated by the changes we observe and are not sure how to handle or respond to them.
When we are experiencing the loss, of a loved one, a relationship, a job, our health or the loss of a cherished home, or any aspect of a life we’ve known, it is a challenge to understand what is required of us. We are told we need to accept, let go, move on, but this sometimes feels unattainable. Even positive transitions like marriage, the birth of a child, a child moving out, a promotion or move create stress and require adjustment.
Transition, grief and times of crisis can be especially difficult when combined with depression or anxiety. The crisis or transition itself can create an episode as with postpartum depression or post traumatic stress disorder.
I have more than 30 years counseling experience and have worked with a variety of people addressing diverse and complex issues. My approach to therapy is collaborative; a guide, offering a new perspective or skill from an objective and accepting point of view. Through the therapeutic process, strengths and resources can be identified and utilized. This therapeutic process can be engaged in face to face, over the phone, and through a HIPPA compliant videoconferencing platform.