Here is a quick activity for you to try today!  Think about a time in your life when you were struggling.  Think about when you were having difficulties managing all of the aspects of your life or a time when you were hurting and were searching for answers. 

Now talk to yourself during that time.  Write a letter to that version of you, who is without a doubt both similar and different to who you are now.  Think of some of these questions:  Do I need to forgive myself for something?  Do I need to forgive someone else?  Do I need to let something go?  Do I need to address ongoing issues surrounding that time?  Was it my fault?  What did I learn?  What could I have done differently? 

These are just starting blocks for this letter.  Let the writing flow, free of judgment.  Be very accepting of the content of the letter and when you are finished, read it aloud to yourself.  This is simply a form of journaling and self talk in order to heal from past hurts.   

I often get asked, "What conditions do you treat?" or "Do you have a specialty?"  While I have answers to these questions, ranging from explaining my certifications or my experience to age groups I enjoy working with, I think it is important to know as my existing and prospective client, that I will treat you, the client.  There is no theory that I learned in school that works for every single client that comes to my office.  There is no magic wand that sits next to my chair that I take out when I feel the time is right.  Instead, I work with my clients in order to figure out what works best for them and the conditions, situations, and concerns they are dealing with.  It means something different for every client, and while I may be treating several clients with anxiety or depression, I am not treating them in the same way. 

So, yes, I treat multiple conditions and use multiple treatment modalities.  But when a client comes into my office, I treat them as a person struggling with these conditions, trying to decrease the feeling of letting a mental health diagnosis define them.  After all, people may feel depressed or anxious, but please keep in mind this is not their defining trait.  They are so much more and I praise those that are ready to dive into that by starting treatment or using any other technique that may help them.