TRAUMA

Trauma can leave a person feeling numb, angry, sad,  scared and confused.  You may have flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty sleeping; you may have difficulty trusting others or your own judgment.  You may try hard to push the trauma memories down deep inside you yet you still find that the traumatic incident affects your overall quality of life, 

NARCISSISTIC ABUSE

Narcissistic abuse refers to the emotional, physical, sexual or financial forms of abuse inflicted on a victim. This abuse can range from mild putdowns to life threatening violence.   Gaslighting is a form of abuse that denies your reality.  Often victims feel as though they are “going crazy” as they have been lied to, manipulated, blamed alternating with love bombing-when a person feels idealized one moment and devalued/rejected the next. 

ANXIETY

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; constantly wondering “what if” about situations; difficulty making decisions and looking for others to validate your thoughts; you may be told often that you are “too sensitive” and feel shame about your anxious thoughts. 

DEPRESSION

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.