Counseling Services in Westerville, Ohio
(614) 270-7958

Counseling Services

Depressed woman needing counseling

Depression Counseling

Do you feel an overwhelming sense of sadness?
Are you always tired? Is it hard to get moving?
Are you having difficulty completing daily tasks?

If so, you may be having signs of depression, and you are not alone. Depression affects more than 16 million people each year. At any given time, at least 10% of the population is suffering from depression.

Depression is a serious mental illness that often interferes with many areas in your life. Depression can interfere with your ability to focus and concentrate which can affect work or school.

Depression can interfere with your appetite. You may be eating too much or not wanting to eat at all.

It can change your quality of sleep. You may want to sleep all-day or find you can't sleep at all.

Isolation or withdrawing from others is another sign of depression. Many people find it hard to be around other people, so you separate yourself from family and friends.
Source: National Institute of Mental Health


It's important to know the signs of Depression and to reach out for help.
Common signs of Depression are:

  • An overwhelming sadness or depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure
  • Low energy or fatigue
  • Poor concentration or indecisiveness
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Eating too much or too little
  • Withdrawing from others or from activities you once enjoyed
  • Increased irritability or anger
  • Increased feelings of guilt, shame, or hopelessness
  • Low self-esteem
  • Increase in negative thoughts, pessimism
  • Increase in self-criticism
  • Psychomotor agitation (i.e., emotional distress and restlessness, pacing, wringing the hands, biting nails, etc.)

There is Hope...
You Can Begin to Live Again!

Although depression may be overwhelming, depression responds well to treatment. Up to eighty percent (80%) of people who start treatment report having a reduction in symptoms within the first 4 to 6 weeks (NIMH, 1998).

You may feel better just by talking to someone who understands the challenges of living with depression. Knowing you are not alone and there is help for people suffering with depression can be encouraging.

Treatment for Depression:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Improving Self-care and Exercise
  • Light Therapy
  • Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Schema Therapy

We work with adults, adolescents and children (age 11 and older) who suffer with mild to severe depression. Individuals with severe depression may also work with a physician or psychiatrist who manages their medication if necessary.


Taking the first step can be hard, but you don't have to continue to suffer.
If you think you may be depressed,

It's Time for You to Start Living Again.


Some people who suffer with depression also experience symptoms of anxiety.
If you would like more information about anxiety, please refer to our section on anxiety.

Anxiety Counseling
Anxious man needing counseling

Anxiety Counseling

Are you in a constant state of worry?
Do you ask "what if..." questions about your future?
Is it hard for you to "shut off" your brain?

If you experience these feelings of distress, you may be struggling with anxiety. Sadly, anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million adults each year making it the most common mental illness in the United States.

Although everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, people who have problems with anxiety often have feelings of excessive worrying. They feel overwhelmed by their thoughts and often have difficulty relaxing.

They may also struggle with irrational fear in certain situations. These feelings quite often interfere with their ability to get things done.
Source: National Institute of Mental Health


It's important to know the signs of anxiety and to reach out for help.
Common Signs of Anxiety are:

  • Anxious mood
  • Excessive or exaggerated worry
  • Irrational fear
  • Restlessness
  • Being on-edge or keyed-up
  • Easily fatigued
  • Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension
  • Pounding or racing heart
  • Problems with sleep
  • Problems at work or in social settings
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headaches
  • Upset stomach
  • Frequent urination or diarrhea
  • Panic attacks

There is Hope...
You Can Begin to Live Again!

Counseling can greatly improve your anxiety symptoms; however, treatment for anxiety varies depending on the individual symptoms and specific diagnosis.

Most anxiety symptoms improve with a combination of learning how your thoughts affect your mood and behavior, learning how to decrease stress, and understanding the underlying causes of why you get anxious. You may believe things about yourself, about others and the world that influence how you think and behave. Counseling can help you identify your thoughts and give you tools to reframe them, which will help to improve mood.

Treatment for Anxiety:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Exposure Therapy
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Improving Self-care and Exercise
  • Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Relaxation Training
  • Schema Therapy

We work with adults, adolescents and children (age 11 and older) who suffer with anxiety. Individuals may also work with a physician or psychiatrist who manages their medication if necessary.


Taking the first step may be hard, but you don't have to continue to suffer.
If you think, you may be suffering with Anxiety,



It's Time for You to Start Living Again.


Some people who suffer with anxiety also have symptoms of depression. If you would like more information about depression, please refer to our section on depression.

Depression Counseling
Woman needing stress-related trauma counseling

Stress-Related Trauma Counseling

Do you feel emotionally numb or detached from others?
Do you struggle with irritability or outbursts of anger?
Do you have upsetting memories, nightmares or flashbacks?

If so, you may be experiencing symptoms of stress related to a traumatic event such as Acute Stress Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). At least 50% of the population will experience one traumatic event during their lifetime and approximately 8% will develop symptoms of stress related to trauma. Symptoms often show up immediately after the traumatic event; however, for some people, symptoms do not show up for weeks, months, or even years later.

Stress-related disorders are serious mental illnesses that interfere with many areas of functioning. Stress-related disorders can cause significant personal distress, negatively influence interpersonal relationships, and reduce your overall quality of life. Common traumatizing events include serious accidents or injuries, sexual violence, death-threatening violence, military combat, natural disasters, and sudden and violent loss of a loved one.
Sources: National Institute of Mental Health and Department of Veterans Affairs

Common signs of Stress-Related Trauma are:

  • Recurrent, intrusive memories, nightmares and flashbacks of the traumatic event
  • Chills, heart palpitations or panic with reminders of the traumatic event
  • Avoiding places, people, activities, conversations or thoughts associated with the traumatic event
  • Emotional detachment or feeling numb
  • Withdrawing from family and friends
  • Diminished interest in significant activities
  • Inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic event
  • Exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations
  • Inability to experience happiness, satisfaction, or loving feelings
  • Feelings of fear, horror, anger, guilt or shame
  • Blaming self or others
  • Irritable behavior and angry outbursts
  • Reckless or self-destructive behavior
  • Hypervigilance (heightened arousal, extreme sensitivity to stimuli)
  • Exaggerated startle response
  • Problems with concentration
  • Problems with sleep

There is Hope...
You Can Begin to Live Again!


Although stress-related trauma can be disruptive to your overall quality of life, treatment can be effective in reducing symptoms. Different forms of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are very effective in treating stress-related trauma. Trauma can change the way you see yourself, the way you see others, and the way you see the world. Treatment will help you, better identify your thoughts and feelings, help you understand how your thoughts influence your mood, and teach you how to reframe them.

Treatment for Stress-related Trauma:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Restructuring
  • Coping with Life Problems
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Prolonged Exposure Therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Relaxation Training
  • Stress Inoculation Training
  • Systematic Desensitization
  • Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

We work with adults, adolescents and children (age 11 and older) who are suffering from stress-related trauma. Individuals may also work with a physician or psychiatrist who manages their medication if necessary.


Taking the first step may be hard, but you don't have to continue to suffer.
If you think you may be suffering from stress-related trauma,

It's Time for You to Start Living Again.


Some people who suffer from stress-related trauma may also experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. If you would like more information about depression, please refer to our section on depression.

Depression Counseling

If you would like more information about anxiety, please refer to our section on anxiety.

Anxiety Counseling
Couple needing relationship counseling

Relationship Counseling

Couples
Is it hard for you to talk about how you feel?
Do you long for more passion and intimacy?
Are you constantly fighting and feel you're growing apart?

At the root of many difficult relationships is an inability to communicate how you feel, what you need, and where you desire to go (your dreams). Relationship counseling can help you learn to communicate these things without attacking or blaming your partner.

You will learn to share your dreams and positively support one another. This will help to deepen your connection with one another so you can find more joy in doing life together. The key is recognizing problems early and getting help to resolve them.


Common Signs of Relationship Problems:

  • Destructive Habits (Explosive Anger, Excessive Spending, Overuse of Drugs or Alcohol)
  • Emotional Distance, Lack of Intimacy
  • Extreme Lack of Respect or Support
  • Frequent, Destructive Conflicts or Arguments
  • Infidelity, Lack of Trust, Secrets
  • Issues of Power and Control, Manipulation
  • Living Separate Lives
  • Overwhelming Stressors (Household, Parenting, Financial, Extended Family and Work)
  • Poor Communication Skills
  • Poor Problem-Solving Skills

Other Relationships

Relationships are an intrinsic part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, we hear too often, how communication has broken down leading to misunderstandings, conflict, accusations, and in the worst cases, even violence. Leaving the people involved feeling hurt, wounded and unsure how to get their relationship back on track. Relationship counseling can help to improve interactions between family members, parent-child relationships, friends, colleagues or roommates.


There is Hope...
You Can Begin to Live Again!


Working with a counselor can equip you with problem solving and communication skills that will help prevent long-term frustration and resentment. Relationship counseling will help you gain more insight and awareness about your problems and understand how you react to them. You will learn to identify what is most important to one another and gain tools to negotiate and create new rules for your unique relationship.

Relationship Treatment Models

  • Behavioral Marital Model
  • Interpersonal Therapy
  • Solution-Focused
  • Structural Model
  • Strategic Model
  • Transgenerational Model

We will work as a team to identify the problems and create a plan to help resolve them. The ideal couple is motivated to work toward resolution of the relationship, willing to understand their role in contributing to the problems, and open to negotiating new rules that both partners agree on.

Taking the first step may be hard, but you don't have to continue to suffer in an unhappy relationship.

If you are struggling in your relationship,

It's Time for You to Start Living Again.


If you would like information about depression, anxiety, or stress-related trauma please refer to our sections on those areas.

Adolescent needing counseling

Adolescent Counseling

Are you frustrated, angry, and overwhelmed?
Do you often think, "No one understands what I'm going through?"
Do you feel "stuck" and don't see a way out?

If so, you could be having signs of depression or anxiety. You may have thoughts and feelings that are so overwhelming it is hard for you to concentrate and focus. You might be having trouble at school, at home, and problems with your close friends.

Your hormones may be playing a role in how you feel, but often there are other stressful things going on making you feel worse. Many situations are hard for teens to fix on their own.

Challenging Situations for Teens:

  • Abuse: Physical, Verbal, Emotional or Sexual
  • Anxiety, Excessive Worry or Fear
  • Behavior Problems
  • Being Bullied at School or On Social Media
  • Concerns about Body Image
  • Concerns about the Future
  • Depression or Sadness
  • Difficult Peer Relationships
  • Excessive Anger or Irritability
  • Extreme Stress: Overwhelmed with Expectations or Responsibilities
  • Family Conflict or Violence
  • Feelings of Low Self-esteem
  • Gender and Identity Questioning
  • Health Concerns
  • Isolating from Others
  • Lack of meaningful relationships
  • Life Transitions: New School, New Home, New Sibling or Step Family
  • Loss of: Family Member, Close Friend or Pet
  • Obsessions and Compulsions (OCD)
  • Panic Attacks
  • Parents Separation or Divorce
  • Perfectionism
  • Poverty or Homelessness
  • Problems with Parents
  • Self-harm Behaviors: Cutting, Burning or Pulling Hair
  • Struggling in School: Failing Grades
  • Substance Use Issues
  • Suicidal Thoughts or Thoughts of Death
  • Traumatic Event: Serious Accident, Injury, Assault, or Natural Disaster

There is Hope...
You Can Begin to Live Again!


Talking to a counselor can help you find answers and learn ways to make things better. You will begin to understand why you are feeling the way you do. You will learn new skills to help reduce stress and lower your symptoms of depression and anxiety. You will learn what has worked for other teens who were dealing with similar situations. Although every situation is different, many teens' problems can improve by getting help early.

Treatment for Adolescents:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Family Therapy
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy
  • Play Therapy

We work with adolescents (age 13 and older) who are suffering with challenging situations that are negatively affecting their life. Adolescents may also work with a physician or psychiatrist who manages their medication if necessary.


Taking the first step may be hard, but you don't have to continue to suffer.
If you are struggling, please have an adult

It's Time for You to Start Living Again.


If you would like information about depression, anxiety, or stress-related trauma please refer to our sections on those areas.