Those who have been coping with high levels of stress
Stress can impact every facet of your life. Sometimes stress can be triggered by a traumatic event, difficulties in your relationship, problems at work, or a recent diagnosis of a medical condition. Other times, stress can feel like it can come out of nowhere. Despite the cause, these instances can leave us feeling vulnerable, lost, or like we have lost our footing. The long term effects of stress can damage our bodies, but thankfully there is something you can do about it.
Our providers are trained in how to help you learn how to manage your stress. There are various strategies and treatments which have been shown to be effective in helping individuals cope and rise above stressful life events.
Individuals Suffering from Anxiety
Have you been getting in arguments with your loved ones, because you have been “keyed up” or just feeling irritated? Or maybe you have been experiencing problems sleeping because you can’t stop worrying. These could be symptoms of anxiety, which can be caused by a number of factors, such as a traumatic event, a major change in your life, and/or a recent medical diagnosis.
Identifying the causes of your anxiety, adjusting your nutrition intake, increasing regular exercise, and learning about your underlying anxious thoughts have been shown to be helpful in managing these symptoms. Treatments for which there is evidence to help anxiety include: cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing.
Individuals who are Depressed
Depression does not always mean that you feel sad. It can feel like you no longer have any interest in the things you previously enjoyed. You may have a change in your appetite and subsequent weight gain or loss.
Many individuals who are depressed benefit from increasing their participation in pleasant activities, behaving in a way that is aligned with their values, incorporating a healthier nutritional regimen, and increasing regular physical activity. Our providers are trained in a variety of evidence based treatments which have been shown to effectively treat depression.
Those who have Survived Trauma
A number of events can be considered to be traumatic if they are directly experienced, witnessed, or occurred to a friend of family member. Instances of sexual assault, physical abuse, being forced to migrate from your home country, experiencing war, car accident, a diagnosis of cancer or an other terminal illness, are all examples of a traumatic event.
Many individuals respond to traumatic experiences in different ways. Some go through a period of adjustment where they feel anxious or sad until the issue has resolved. Other times, the aftermath of surviving a trauma can be acute or have longer lasting effects such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An individual suffering from PTSD can feel like the event(s) is happening over and over again. Reminders of the event(s) can cause an individual to feel emotional or physically tense.
There are a number evidence based psychotherapies which will decrease, if not completely cure the symptoms of PTSD. Most of our providers are expertly trained to administer three of these treatments: prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and narrative exposure therapy.
Individuals who have recently been diagnosed or who have been coping with a chronic medical condition
Being diagnosed with a medical condition can be overwhelming and create confusion. It is common to begin to experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression due to a recent diagnosis. There may be a multitude of doctors appointments, new medicines to take, insurance bureaucracy, and frustrating interactions with family or friends. Coping with a chronic illness can leave many individuals feeling isolated and alone.
A psychologist with specialized training in the area of health psychology can assist an individual in educating them how to manage the stress associated with coping with a medical condition and advocate for your emotional needs to your medical care team. In addition, a health psychologist will encourage you to make healthier lifestyle changes while managing your medical condition.
Those who are caregivers
When caring for a friend or family member who is coping with a terminal or a chronic medical condition it is truly a labor of love. Providing the best care for loved ones can be emotionally and physically draining. Many caregivers often start to neglect their own needs, to the point where their own health begins to decline. It is not uncommon for caregivers to experience symptoms of anxiety and/or depression during this process. Healthy Life focuses on providing therapeutic services to assist in supporting those who care for others.
How can Healthy Life help?
At Healthy Life we use the best available treatments, which are evidence based, while also encouraging healthier lifestyles. Please click the link below to learn more about what that means.
Schedule your FREE 15 minute phone consultation today to see if Healthy Life services are right for you! Our free consultations can be scheduled by calling us at 312-736-2903 or emailing us at [email protected]