Depression and anxiety are some of the most common and uncomfortable mental health challenges that we can experience in our lives. Common signs of depression include persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, fatigue, feeling worthless, feeling irritable, trouble  concentrating or making decisions, changes in appetite and sleep patterns (too much or too little), and of course suicidal thoughts.  Anxiety symptoms can include feeling restless or fatigued, having racing thoughts, excessive worry, irritability, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping. There is an overlap of symptoms with depression and anxiety, and one can have both. 

Common attempts to cope with anxiety or depression can include drinking too much, doing drugs or acting out in ways  that give short term relief without addressing the underlying causes.  These can become larger problems than the anxiety or depression. 

PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, occurs with many people who have experienced a traumatic event. Intrusive memories, nightmares, feeling hyper-vigilant, jumpy, or like you have to avoid people or places that could remind you of of the traumatic event are all symptoms of PTSD.  

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing is an effective, short-term treatment that I offer either alone or in conjunction with traditional talk-therapy.  EMDR is very effective: Some studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.   EMDR, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process. EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. EMDR is also effective for anxiety, depression, unresolved grief, addictions and other symptoms.