Anxiety is often described as the uneasy feelings experienced when thinking about an event with an unknown or uncertain outcome. Anxiety becomes an issue for most when it begins to interfere with day-to-day functioning.

Some of the symptoms of anxiety are:

• Nervousness, restlessness or being tense

• Feelings of danger, panic or dread

• Rapid breathing or hyperventilation

• Increased or heavy sweating

• Trembling or muscle twitching

• Weakness or lethargy

• Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about

• Insomnia

Spirituality and religion are very important topics that some clients may want to incorporate into their sessions. Through Christian counseling, it is possible to integrate talk therapy with Christian belief and practices in order to address spiritual concerns and/or life struggles encountered by Christians.

Research reflects that religiously accommodated therapy greatly improves mental, physical and overall emotional well-being.

One of the most common mental health disorders, depression is more than just having “bad days”. Depression is explored by the consistent presence of symptoms over a period of two weeks or more.

Symptoms of depression include but are not limited to:

• Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or irritability

• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities

• Decreased energy or constant feelings of fatigue.

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.

• Inconsistent sleep patterns or oversleeping.

• Appetite changes.

Lasting effects of trauma may be experienced by one or more of the 4 types of symptoms:

Avoidance Symptoms

Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the traumatic event

Re-experiencing Symptoms

Intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks of the event

Hyperarousal Symptoms

Anger, irritability, reckless behavior, and hypervigilance

Cognition Symptoms

Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event

Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma.