Individual Therapy

There are many life issues that lead people to seek
therapy on their own. 

Depression

  • Do you go through life appearing happy and content to others, yet feel the complete opposite in your private life?

  • Do you feel physically fatigued and unmotivated? Do you have a hard time enjoying things that usually bring you pleasure or fulfilment?

  • Do you believe that the way you feel today will last forever and that circumstances will never change?

  • Do you blow off your friends and/or family because you “just aren’t feeling up” to being around them?

  • Do you find excuses to be alone by picking fights with loved ones, calling-in to work sick, or reducing your availability to others?

Depression is perhaps one of the most misunderstood conditions in our culture. It can feel isolating and debilitating which frequently leads to feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. It can affect how you go about your daily life and can cause a negative shift in your overall functioning (in your relationships, on your job, and on your physical health). There is usually a sense of seeing oneself as being at fault, useless, and an overall waste of space in the world. We often refer to this as “stinking thinking” which reinforces depressed mood. In therapy, we will work with you to increase your awareness of how your thinking interacts with how you feel and behave. We will also discuss ways to increase positive mood and improving overall life functioning in ways that can help you to not only recover, but to thrive in your life.

“Once you choose hope, anything is possible”

Christopher Reeve
Male therapy at West Lake Houston Counseling
Adult counseling services at West Lake Houston Counseling

Anxiety

We all feel worry from time to time. Some people, however, experience chronic worry, hyper vigilance, and restlessness in their daily lives.

  • Do you find it difficult to rest at the end of the day because your mind won’t stop racing, worrying from one thought to the next?

  • Do you sometimes feel keyed up or constantly concerned that something will go wrong?

  • Do you believe that your anxiety is linked to a specific traumatic experience (such as a loss of a significant relationship, natural disaster, an assault, etc.)?

  • Do you experience body symptoms, such as muscle tension, fatigue, or sleep disturbance?

In our work together, we will support you by creating the safety needed to talk about the various aspects of your worry. We will discuss the context of your anxiety and the ways it impacts you on a daily basis. We will engage in therapeutic exercises that will develop your anxiety management skills. We will also talk about making new meaning of life experiences and healthy ways of coping with anxiety when it arises in the future.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Wayne Dyer

Life Transitions

It has been said that the only constant in life is change. There are small life changes that we have to adapt to on an ongoing basis, and there are massive changes that sometimes require us to change the course of our life path. These transitions can lead to significant distress and cause a person to feel out of touch with themselves.

  • Divorce or loss of a romantic relationship

  • Loss of a job or career transition

  • New children entering the family; adult children leaving home

  • Parenting an infant, child, or adolescent

  • Recovery from relationship/marital infidelity

  • Entering marriage

  • Relocation

  • Illness; issues of aging

  • Questioning faith or spirituality

  • Questioning life’s purpose or meaning

With every life transition, there can be a sense of grief at the loss you are experiencing. Even when you have been expecting, or even welcoming a life transition, it’s still perfectly normal to feel sadness for what you are leaving behind. It’s important to deal with that sense of loss and fear of the unknown before you’re ready to embrace your new reality. We will support you in moving forward past your self-doubt and fear.

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”

Jim Rohn
Individual Therapy services at West Lake Houston Counseling
Extreme sadness and depression therapy at West Lake Houston Counseling

Women’s Issues

As our world continues to change, there are ongoing personal, interpersonal, and global issues affecting the lives of women.

Balancing life demands such as being a partner, parent, adult child, employee, and a friend can be overwhelming. Our culture encourages and even demands the notion of women’s role as nurturer, provider, and giver to others regardless of the personal cost. Many women sometimes feel selfish for indulging in activities that don’t appear to directly benefit those around them. These demands frequently accumulate into severe burnout. When this happens, women most frequently begin to question their effectiveness, which can result in feelings of resentment and apathy.

In our time together, we will work to uncover the significance of your unique experience as we support you in achieving a more sustainable life balance.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

Dr. Maya Angelou

Racial Identity

There are many struggles in the human experience that are unique to racial and ethnic identity. Concerns regarding one’s personal safety, fear of discrimination, and hyper-vigilant anticipation of prejudice govern the lives of many racial minority people. Many members of racial minority groups often report feeling isolated and stigmatized in the workplace; others have reported feeling pressured to suppress and alter their overall presentation in order to meet the demands of dominant culture and assimilate to a social ideal. Over time, this kind of “shifting” manifests in chronic stress, which takes a negative toll on physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.

Therapy is a safe place in which to process this distinct life experience and to find comfort and alliance around an issue that evades the understanding of larger society.

“The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.”

Unknown
West Lake Houston Counseling deals with issues of racial identity in therapy

A Place to Start

Free 15-Minute Consultation Available: If you have questions about beginning therapy, what to expect, or wish to discuss other concerns, we’d be happy to offer you a free 15-minute phone consultation wherein you may ask questions as needed. We look forward to your call!

BOOK NOW