Our team is committed to providing comprehensive mental health services, tailoring each approach to meet the unique needs of our clients. Our psychiatrist diagnoses and treats depression, anxiety, ADHD, ADD, OCD and other disorders primarily using medication. Initial sessions are usually one hour and follow up sessions can range from 15-20 minutes to a full hour. Our doctors require a referral from a primary care physician, psychologist or licensed therapist before a client can be seen. Click on one of the options below to learn more.
Interactions in which one person behaves in a cruel, violent, demeaning, or invasive manner toward another person or an animal. The term most commonly implies physical mistreatment but also encompasses sexual and psychological (emotional) mistreatment.
Addiction is a complex and insidious phenomenon that extends its grip into various aspects of an individual’s life. It is characterized by an overwhelming dependence on a substance, behavior, or activity, often to the detriment of one’s physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. Behavioral addictions, encompassing activities like gambling or excessive gaming, share a similar pattern of uncontrollable urges and negative consequences. The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual, affecting relationships, work, and societal dynamics. Overcoming addiction requires a multifaceted approach, involving medical, psychological, and social interventions. Compassion, understanding, and support are crucial components in the journey towards recovery, as breaking free from the clutches of addiction often necessitates resilience, self-discovery, and a commitment to positive change.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought). ADHD also affects adults.
An estimated 8.4% of children and 2.5% of adults have ADHD (Danielson, 2018; Simon, et al., 2009). ADHD is often first identified in school-aged children when it leads to disruption in the classroom or problems with schoolwork. It is more commonly diagnosed among boys than girls.
An emotion characterized by tension and hostility arising from frustration, real or imagined injury by another, or perceived injustice. It can manifest itself in behaviors designed to remove the object of the anger (e.g., determined action) or behaviors designed merely to express the emotion (e.g., swearing). Anger is distinct from, but a significant activator of, aggression, which is behavior intended to harm someone or something. Despite their mutually influential relationship, anger is neither necessary nor sufficient for aggression to occur.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Mild levels can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention.
Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorders can cause people into try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance, schoolwork and personal relationships can be affected. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with a number of psychotherapeutic treatments. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
There are several types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, specific phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism.
A pattern of disruptive behavior that generally falls within social norms and does not seriously impair a person’s functioning.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorders that causes changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. People with bipolar disorder experience intense emotional states that typically occur during distinct periods of days to weeks, called mood episodes. These mood episodes are categorized as manic/hypomanic (abnormally happy or irritable mood) or depressive (sad mood). People with bipolar disorder generally have periods of neutral mood as well. When treated, people with bipolar disorder can lead full and productive lives.
People without bipolar disorder experience mood fluctuations as well. However, these mood changes typically last hours rather than days. Also, these changes are not usually accompanied by the extreme degree of behavior change or difficulty with daily routines and social interactions that people with bipolar disorder demonstrate during mood episodes. Bipolar disorder can disrupt a person’s relationships with loved ones and cause difficulty in working or going to school.
Bipolar disorder is a category that includes three different diagnoses: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder.
The stress and other psychological symptoms experienced by family members and other nonprofessional caregivers in response to looking after individuals with mental or physical disabilities, disorders, or diseases.
Pain that continues to occur despite all medical and pharmacological efforts at treatment. In many cases, the pain is initially caused by tissue damage or disease. The continuation of the pain is often the result of pathological changes in the central nervous system.
Communication is studied by cognitive and experimental psychologists, and communication disorders are treated by mental and behavioral health therapists and by speech and language therapists. Communications is the discipline that studies the processes and systems involved in communication at both the interpersonal and broadly social levels, in the latter case paying particular attention to the publishing media and telecommunication systems (telephones, radio, television, Internet, etc.).
Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
The family is the fundamental social unit of most human societies, but its form and structure can vary widely, including the biological family, extended family, stepfamily, and even groups of friends known informally as “framilies.”
Family members influence each other’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Family dynamics refers to the impact of these influences on the members of the family.
The anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person. Grief is often distinguished from bereavement and mourning. Not all bereavements result in a strong grief response, and not all grief is given public expression. Grief often includes physiological distress, separation anxiety, confusion, yearning, obsessive dwelling on the past, and apprehension about the future. Intense grief can become life-threatening through disruption of the immune system, self-neglect, and suicidal thoughts. Grief may also take the form of regret for something lost, remorse for something done, or sorrow for a mishap to oneself.
Therapy in which both partners in a committed relationship are treated at the same time by the same therapist or therapists. Couples therapy is concerned with problems within and between the individuals that affect the relationship. For example, one partner may have undiagnosed depression that is affecting the relationship, or both partners may have trouble communicating effectively with one another. Individual sessions may be provided separately to each partner, particularly at the beginning of therapy; most of the course of therapy, however, is provided to both partners together. Couples therapy for married couples is known as marital therapy.
Man-centered psychology is an approach to psychology that emphasizes the physical, psychological, and social experiences that are particularly characteristic of men.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions). To get rid of the thoughts, they feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing/cleaning, checking on things, mental acts (like counting), or other activities, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.
Many people without OCD have distressing thoughts or repetitive behaviors. However, these do not typically disrupt daily life. For people with OCD, thoughts are persistent and intrusive, and behaviors are rigid. Not performing the behaviors commonly causes great distress, often attached to a specific fear of dire consequences (to self or loved ones) if the behaviors are not completed. Many people with OCD know or suspect their obsessional thoughts are not realistic; others may think they could be true. Even if they know their obsessional thoughts are not realistic, people with OCD have difficulty disengaging from the obsessive thoughts or stopping the compulsive actions.
A diagnosis of OCD requires the presence of obsessional thoughts and/or compulsions that are time-consuming (more than one hour a day), cause significant distress, and impair work or social functioning. OCD affects 2-3% of people in the United States, and among adults, slightly more women than men are affected. OCD often begins in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Some people may have some symptoms of OCD but not meet full criteria for this disorder.
Parenting practices around the world share three major goals: ensuring children’s health and safety, preparing children for life as productive adults, and transmitting cultural values. A high-quality parent-child relationship is critical for healthy development.
Researchers have described different human parenting styles—ways in which parents interact with their children—with most classifications varying on the dimensions of emotional warmth and control.
Perinatal depression refers to depression occurring during pregnancy or after childbirth. The use of the term perinatal recognizes that depression associated with having a baby often begins during pregnancy. (Postpartum depression refers to depression experienced after childbirth.)
Perinatal depression is a serious, but treatable medical illness involving feelings of extreme sadness, indifference and/or anxiety, as well as changes in energy, sleep, and appetite. It carries risks for the mother and child. An estimated one in seven women experiences perinatal depression (Dave, et al 2010).
For most pregnant and postpartum individuals, having a baby is a very exciting, joyous, and often anxious time. But for people with perinatal depression, it can become very distressing and difficult. Pregnancy and the period after delivery can be a particularly vulnerable time. Mothers often experience biological, emotional, financial, and social changes during this time. Some individuals can be at an increased risk for developing mental health problems, particularly depression and anxiety.
Pre-engagement counseling, also known as pre-marital counseling or pre-commitment counseling, is a form of therapeutic support designed to help couples navigate the complexities of their relationship before making the formal commitment to engage or marry. This counseling is a proactive and preventative approach, aimed at equipping couples with the tools and insights needed for a healthy and successful marriage.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, series of events or set of circumstances. An individual may experience this as emotionally or physically harmful or life-threatening and may affect mental, physical, social, and/or spiritual well-being. Examples include natural disasters, serious accidents, terrorist acts, war/combat, rape/sexual assault, historical trauma, intimate partner violence and bullying.
PTSD has been known by many names in the past, such as “shell shock” during the years of World War I and “combat fatigue” after World War II, but PTSD does not just happen to combat veterans. PTSD can occur in all people of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and at any age. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in adolescents ages 13-18 is 8 percent. An estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD. Three ethnic minorities — U.S. Latinos, African Americans, and Native Americans/Alaska Natives — are disproportionately affected and have higher rates of PTSD than non-Latino whites.
Disagreement or confrontation between two or more members of a single group, as when people on a work team have different opinions about how best to accomplish a specified goal. Intragroup conflict poses a significant challenge to effective team functioning and has been divided into three primary types. Process conflict pertains to the logistics of task accomplishment, relationship conflict involves interpersonal incompatibilities, and task conflict concerns disagreement about the content of the task itself.
The degree to which the qualities and characteristics contained in one’s self-concept are perceived to be positive. It reflects a person’s physical self-image, view of their accomplishments and capabilities, and values and perceived success in living up to them, as well as the ways in which others view and respond to that person. The more positive the cumulative perception of these qualities and characteristics, the higher one’s self-esteem. A reasonably high degree of self-esteem is considered an important ingredient of mental health, whereas low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness are common depressive symptoms.
Self-injury is more common than most people realize, although the incidence has begun to stabilize over the last five years. The condition — clinically known as non-suicidal self-injury or NSSI — is characterized by deliberate self-inflicted harm that isn’t intended to be suicidal. People who self-harm may carve or cut their skin, burn themselves, bang or punch objects or themselves, embed objects under their skin, or engage in myriad other behaviors that are intended to cause themselves pain but not end their lives.
All aspects of sexual behavior, including gender identity, orientation, attitudes, and activity.
The most commonly identified social skills in Western cultures include assertiveness, coping, communication and friendship-making skills, interpersonal problem solving, and the ability to regulate one’s cognitions, feelings, and behavior.
Studies show that religious or spiritual involvement improves mental health and can be useful for coping with trauma. By centering the patient and their existing beliefs, psychologists can help people leverage their religious and spiritual resources as a source of strength during challenging times.
Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures, but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave.
By causing mind–body changes, stress contributes directly to psychological and physiological disorder and disease and affects mental and physical health, reducing quality of life.
Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is defined as the act of killing oneself.
Frequently suicide occurs in the context of a major depressive episode, but it may also occur as a result of a substance use or other disorder. It sometimes occurs in the absence of any psychiatric disorder, especially in untenable situations, such as extreme or prolonged bereavement or declining health.
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.
While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives. Psychologists can help them find constructive ways of managing their emotions.
Woman-centered psychology is an approach to psychology that emphasizes the physical, psychological, and social experiences that are particularly characteristic of women.
Traditional gender roles have often defined and limited women’s activities and opportunities; many religious doctrines stipulate certain rules for women. With restrictions loosening during the 20th century in many societies, women have gained access to careers beyond the traditional homemaker, and the ability to pursue higher education.
