Even the healthiest of couples experience some degree of conflict in their lives. The secret is addressing those issues head-on and not letting your less-loving interactions define you or your relationship. 

Conflict in a relationship is completely natural. Even the healthiest of couples experience some degree of conflict in their lives. The secret is addressing those issues head-on and not letting your less-loving interactions define you or your relationship.By seeking out couples counseling, you can gain insight into your relationship dynamics, stop conflicts before they start and repair any lingering emotional wounds or traumas.

Relationships are at the core of what we value in life. Everyone deserves to be in a partnership where both people feel loved and valued.Each person needs to feel deeply heard and understood by their loved one. Whether a relationship is just beginning or more mature,sometimes it needs a little attention. Relationship distress comes in many forms. Maybe the two of you fight too much or talk too little.Perhaps one or both of you experiences loneliness, frustration or you simply want to be closer than you are. Maybe you are even contemplating divorce.Sometimes one partner is more motivated to go to therapy than the other partner. All of this is pretty normal stuff.Regardless of what is keeping you from connecting with your partner, couples therapy can help.

1. It can help you clarify your feelings about your relationship

2. It can help resolve relationship roadblocks before they become impasses

3. It can deepen intimacy and connection

4. It can help promote self-awareness and personal growth

HELP FOR ANXIETY and DEPRESSION

Anxiety and Depression are extremely prevalent today and many people don’t realize they struggle with them.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment. People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.

The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3.MDD affects more than 16.1 million American adults, or about 6.7%of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.

While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5 years old.

More prevalent in women than in men.

Many people have learned how to “just deal with it” like it’s a normal part of life. Therapy can help you uncover the underlying causes of your worries, fears, and pains. Therapy can help you learn how to relax and develop better coping and problem-solving skills. Therapy gives you the tools to overcome anxiety and depression teaches you how to use them so you can function better and live the life you want to live.

During a trauma, your body responds to a threat by going into “flight or fight” mode. It releases stress hormones, like adrenaline, to give you a burst of energy. Your heart beats faster. Your brain also puts some of its normal tasks, such as filing short-term memories, on pause.

PTSD causes your brain to get stuck in danger mode. Even after you’re no longer in danger, it stays on high alert. Your body continues to send out stress signals, which lead to PTSD symptoms. Studies show that the part of the brain that handles fear and emotion (the amygdala) is more active in people with PTSD.

Over time, PTSD changes your brain. The area that controls your memory (the hippocampus) becomes smaller. That’s one reason experts recommend that you seek treatment early.

What Are the Effects of PTSD?

There are many. They may include disturbing flashbacks, trouble sleeping, emotional numbness, angry outbursts, and feelings of guilt. You might also avoid things that remind you of the event, and lose interest in things that you enjoy.

Symptoms usually start within 3 months of a trauma. But they might not show up until years afterward. They last for at least a month. Without treatment, you can have PTSD for years or even the rest of your life. You can feel better or worse over time. For example, a news report about an assault on television may trigger overwhelming memories of your own assault.

PTSD interferes with your life. It makes it harder for you to trust, communicate, and solve problems. This can lead to problems in your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers. It also affects your physical health. In fact, studies show that it raises your risk of heart disease and digestive disorders.

PTSD can happen to anyone at any age, including children. In fact, about 8% of Americans will develop the condition at some point in their lives.

Women have double the risk of PTSD. That’s because they’re more likely to experience a sexual assault. They also blame themselves for a traumatic event more than men do.

About 50% of women and 60% of men will experience emotional trauma sometime in the lives. But not everyone develops PTSD. The following factors increase your risk:

• Previous experience with trauma, like childhood abuse
• Having another mental health issue, like depression and anxiety problems
• Having a close family member, such as a parent, with a mental health problem, like PTSD or depression
• Working a job that may expose you to traumatic events (the military or emergency medicine)
• Lacking social support from friends and family