Common Issues
Anxiety
Is the apprehensive anticipation of future danger or misfortune accompanied by a feeling of worry, distress, and / or somatic symptoms of tension. The focus of anticipated danger may be internal or external. It is often accompanied by restlessness, fatigue, problems in concentration and muscle tension. When anxiety interferes significantly with a persons life or well being, it is often referred to as an Anxiety Disorder.
Relationship / Family Issues
Family and relationship problems can occur between partners, spouses, parents, children, siblings, friends and other important people in someones life. All relationships and families go through difficult times and experiencing occasional problems and conflict in personal relationships is normal. However sometimes these problems can become overwhelming. Signs of family and relationship problems can include frequent arguing, disagreements, breakdown in communication, angry outbursts, avoidance and physical conflict. These problems can be triggered by differences in opinion, personalities, values or goals for the future. Problems can also be caused by personal circumstances or events.
Trauma
Is a psychological injury due to a stressful or life threatening situation. Events such as near death, serious injury or violence to an individual or loved one can cause mental trauma. When that trauma leads to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), damage may involve physical changes inside the brain and to the brain chemistry, this can change a persons response to future stress. A traumatic experience can involve a single experience, or an enduring or repetitive event or events that completely overwhelm the individuals ability to cope with day to day life.
Self Esteem
Reflects a persons overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. It is a judgement of ones self as well as an attitude toward their self. Self-Esteem encompasses emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame. It is positive and negative evaluations of oneself. Everyone lacks confidence sometimes but people with low self-esteem are unhappy or unsatisfied with themselves most of the time. Low self-esteem can cause problems including depression and anxiety.
Workplace Issues
Everyone has the right to a safe and healthy workplace, free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Insomnia
Is a sleep disorder in which there is difficulty falling or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Extended periods of insomnia can lead to memory problems, depression, irritability and an increased risk of heart disease and motor vehicle related accidents.
Depression
Is a state of low mood. When someone has feelings of being intensely sad, miserable and / or hopeless. People who suffer with depression may often also feel anxious, empty, worried, guilty, irritable and restless. The individual may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable. They may have a loss of appetite or begin to overeat. They may have trouble concentrating, remembering details or making decisions. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue and loss of energy may also be present. In extreme cases an individual may contemplate or attempt suicide. Depression is not necessarily a psychiatric disorder, it may just be a normal reaction to certain life events.
Stress
Stress is a persons response to a stressor in their life. Stress is the body's way to react to a challenge. Depending on the stressful event, the body's way to respond to stress is by the sympathetic nervous system activation which results in the fight or flight response.
Grief
Is a response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a close relationship was had. Grief can be a physical, cognitive, behavioural, social as well as an emotional response to loss. Grief is a natural reaction to loss. It is the emotional suffering one feels when something or someone the individual loves is then taken away. Grief is also a reaction to any loss such as unemployment, ill health or the end of a relationship.
Gambling Issues
Is an urge for an individual to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Gambling excessively causes havoc to a persons life socially, emotionally and financially. It may lead to the loss of relationships, home, health and career and may cause depression and stress in a persons life.
Alcohol & Drug Issues
Repeated intake of high doses of alcohol or drugs affect nearly every organ system of the body. Negative effects are not limited to the physical and psychological problems are commonplace for problem users of alcohol and drugs. Psychological treatment is considered a necessary component of an individuals effort to reconcile alcohol and drug issues.
Panic Attacks
Discrete periods of sudden onset of intense fear or terror, often associated with feelings of impending doom. During these attacks there are symptoms such as shortness of breath or smothering sensations; palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; chest pain or discomfort; choking; and fear of going crazy or losing control. Panic attacks may be unexpected, in which the onset of the attack is not associated with an obvious trigger and instead occurs 'out of the blue'; or expected, in which the panic attack is associated with an obvious trigger, either internal or external.
Anger Management
Psychologists help clients who have difficulty regulating their emotions. Persistent problems with anger have an overarching impact on an individuals life and that of their family. Sometimes anger problems are a manifestation of an underlying depression. It could also be an over-reaction to a stressor.