We Can Help
Life presents us with many challenges; often we feel the need for a little help in coping with them. Below are some of the more common life issues. Clearly, there are many more issues that are specific to the individual, and Mr. Shapiro will help with your specific and very personal needs.
Depression
At one time or another, almost everyone has felt sad or depressed. It’s a normal reaction to the struggles of life, an important loss, or injured self-esteem. But sometimes the sad feelings become very strong, perhaps overwhelming, and last for long periods of time. This can prevent a person from leading a normal life. Therapy can help you deal with depression and get your life back on track.
Marriage/Couples Therapy
Relationships between couples can sometimes become complex, confusing, and frustrating. Therapy can help couples that may need only minor adjustments to get back on their feet; it can also aide couples that may need a major overhaul to save their relationship and/or family. Mr. Shapiro can help those already in a committed relationship as well as those contemplating a life commitment or marriage.
Teenage/Adolescence
Adolescence and the teenage years are often the most perplexing of one’s life. Everything seems to be changing, the teenager is developing a sense of self and identity within a new environment, emotions and feelings are heightened. Often relationships with parents, siblings, and friends are strained and the adolescent can feel lost, angry, or depressed. One-on-one sessions with a trained therapist can help the patient through these difficult times.
Anxiety/Excessive Worry
Anxiety manifests itself in various forms. Some people have panic attacks after a trauma or after feeling anxiety for a long period of time; they feel intense fear that they may be losing control or even dying. Some fear being judged by others or of looking foolish; as a result, they retreat from nearly all social situations. In some people, anxiety causes an excessive need to control one’s environment; thoughts and actions can become obsessive and/or compulsive. Anxiety usually derives from a combination of genetics, early childhood experiences, and trauma or excessive stress. If you feel like too much of your thinking focuses on fears about the future and negative feelings about yourself and others, then anxiety might be interfering with your life.
Family Dynamics
Families can be affected by a variety of stressful events including economic problems, illness, relocation and many others. These events can trigger different reactions for each family member and often cause complex and inter-related problems between members of the family. For example, sometimes when one child is exhibiting problem behavior or signs of distress it can be a signal that there is a broader issue in the family dynamic that is best addressed with all members of the family involved in sessions.
Low Self-Esteem/Feelings of Insecurity
Feelings of low self-esteem and insecurity are intimately related to our own self-image. How we feel about ourselves affects every part of our life including relationships, work, recreation, and parenting. Therapy can help one gain an understanding of where these negative feelings come from, allowing us to distinguish between “real” issues that can be practically addressed outside of therapy and childhood issues that still affect us even though they have little to do with who we are today and are best addressed through counseling.
Grief/Loss
The loss of a loved one can lead to a broad spectrum of feelings including depression, anger, anxiety, confusion, and many others. The complex combination of these emotions can affect all aspects of one’s life, and can often leave you feeling disconnected and overwhelmed. Discussing these feelings with a trained counselor can help to normalize the experience of grief and aid in the recovery process. It also lets the counselor assess whether there might be complications in the process potentially leading to clinical depression; early assessment thereby enables early treatment.