Elizabeth McKernan MFT, LPC

Depression is not only when a person is sad, crying and wanting to stay in bed all day. Depression can be a person who feels no sustained joy in daily life, feeling as though they are going through the movements just to get through another day. Often those with mild depression smile and wear a "mask" to the outside world while feelings of hopelessness, changes in sleep patterns, overeating or lack of appetite, mood changes are occurring. In teens, irritability is often seen with depression.

Anxiety can feel like your mind is running circles on a hamster wheel. Endless worrying; feeling overwhelmed after an evening of socializing that you need a day to decompress alone; feeling less patience and quicker to anger; constantly wondering "what if" about situations; difficulty making decisions and looking for others to validate your thoughts; frequently apologizing when unnecessary; you may often be told you are "too sensitive" and feel shame about your anxious thoughts.

CBT is an evidenced based method that believes our problems are based on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking; on learned patterns of unhelpful behaviors and that people can learn better ways of coping by changing their thinking and behavior patterns. CBT focuses more on what is going on in your current life then what has led up to a person's difficulties.

Trauma focused therapy is a specific approach to therapy that recognizes and emphasizes understanding how the traumatic experience in the past can impact ones experiences of the world, others, our mental, behavioral, emotional and spiritual well being in the present. The purpose of this therapy is to offer skills and strategies to assist you in better understanding, coping with, processing emotions and memories tied to the traumatic event with the end goal of developing healthier ways of coping

The basic goals of person-centered therapy is to increase self-acceptance and self-esteem. Personal growth and self-expression. To minimize negative feelings such as defensiveness, regret, guilt, insecurity & to have a better understanding and trust in oneself. Unconditional positive regard (or a therapist who is not judgmental) is given to the client along with empathy. Person-centered therapy is based in the belief that clients are resourceful and can take responsibility for their own self