Karen Brubaker

Self- esteem is a key component to mental well being. Self-compassion and self-care are not always taught by society or families to be an important part of self- esteem. However studies have shown that when we practice these, we can become more compassionate towards others and more engaged in the world. We can get to the roots of self-esteem issues in your life,

Did you know the grieving process can help not only grieve the loss of a person but also the loss of unseen things? Things like all the future dreams we had with the person. Or the loss of innocence. Or the loss of an ideal family. Or the loss of an emotional connection in a dry marriage? There are so many things we can and should grieve in order to get past the anger and sadness and get to acceptance for our own peace of mind.

Anxiety is at the core of many other issues, like separation and attachment, phobias, nightmares and intrusive thoughts, hyper vigilance and prior trauma. Let's look at the origins of your anxiety and learn to manage it in appropriate, healthy ways.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a clinically proven method to reach your therapeutic goals in a relatively short amount of time. This approach is best for short-term goals like career counseling, work related stress, or life transitions. When you have one goal, SFBT focuses on the potential solutions to a problem along with some tools to use in the future to overcome similar obstacles.

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) works with your own brain's memories often stored in the emotional part of the brain, the limbic system. Once triggered, these memories can hijack your "reasoning" brain or the pre-frontal cortex. Acting out of emotions from the past, it can wreck your present decisions and future potential. EMDR is a scientifically validated method of treating past traumas causing you distress now.

When people are having relational issues, it can cause serious stress and affect every part of their lives. Couples counseling can uncover deep rooted behavior patterns that you may not even be aware of. By making discoveries and increasing awareness, you can start focusing on relational paradigms that aren't helping the relationship, and learn to relate in new ways that increase intimacy.