Lane Counseling Services, LLC
01.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.”
~Desmond Tutu
Living with depression and anxiety can make the days seem unbearably long, uncertain, and overwhelming. Sometimes, these struggles are sparked by a major life change, and sometimes, they have been a part of our story for as long as we can remember. They not only affect our emotional state, but can affect our motivation, relationships, concentration, and overall daily functioning. It can be exhausting to simply get through the day feeling plagued by dread, worry, or heaviness of spirit. Or, it can be a numbing experience, feeling like a passenger in your own life. But, there is hope. Through therapy, we change thought and behavior patterns that contribute to depressive and anxious feelings, and learn new ways to cope with life’s challenges. Therapy is a very effective treatment for both of these struggles. You do not need to continue to suffer.
02.
“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” ~ Vicki Harrison
Everyone who loves deeply grieves deeply. Times of loss can make even familiar routines feel uncertain and frightening. They shake our sense of stability and security. Further, until they experience deep grief, many people do not realize how pervasive its effect is — it impacts not only our emotional state, but our physical body (eating, sleeping), our ability to concentrate, make decisions, and focus, and our ability to relate to others. This experience can feel maddening to people who are new to it. Further, grieving people often feel isolated, as the rest of the world seems to be moving on. Rest assured that you are not alone. There is hope for healing. I have worked with many grieving people, both children and adults, to help them learn to live again while continuing to honor the memory of the person they lost.
03.
“You do not have to suffer in silence or feel ashamed, Our babies need us to be healthy during a time when we are overwhelmed the most.” ~Brittany Willow Mayer
Perinatal mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) before or after birth, roughly affect one in every seven women who have a child. When expectant or new mothers find themselves feeling intense sadness, a loss of self, or overwhelming worry or fear, it may be dismissed by others who simply expect them to enjoy motherhood, leaving them feeling isolated. It can happen to first-time mothers or mothers with older children. While many call these intense experiences “the baby blues,” this term actually only refers to emotional shifts that occur in the first two weeks after birth. Intense sadness and anxiety, withdrawal from others, difficulty with eating or sleeping, or feelings of inadequacy or guilt are signs that you may be experiencing a perinatal mood disorder. I would love to walk beside you on this journey, helping you find hope, a new sense of self, peace, and confidence in this changing season. The best way to help your baby is to first help yourself. Please do not be afraid to reach out for support.
