What is Anxiety?  All of us feel anxious sometimes, and anxiety is a normal part of life. Anxiety runs on a continuum from everyday stress to the heightened "fight or flight" response that is activated in trauma. Our brain is a problem-finding, problem-fixing machine. Our brain's job is not to make us happy, but to keep us safe.  So our b...

Understanding Depression When a person's mood is down, it can be difficult to realize that hope is available. This is where we come into the picture. We want you to know that simply meeting with one of our experienced depression counselors can help you find the hope which has been so elusive. Some counseling centers have you jump through hoops to g...

      What is Play Therapy for Children? Play Therapy is a researched-informed model of therapy that provides a developmental approach for the child to express what might be troubling them.   " Research suggests Play Therapy is an effective mental health approach, regardless of age, gender, or the nature of the problem, and work...

Modern technology has brought about the convenience of mental health at your fingertips.  Imagine online therapy from the convenience of your home, during your work break or on the weekend.   Does that sound appealing?  Online therapy has made a significant impact on the world we live in and at Overcomers Counseling, our highly ...

Sometimes, we all feel a little stuck in life. On the surface, things might seem to be going well. We may have a good job, happy relationships, and freedom from any serious health conditions, and yet despite this, something just isn't right. Something might be missing from your life, or perhaps a general feeling of dissatisfaction is nagging at the...

Stress is an inevitable part of the human experience. All of us, at one point or another, will experience stress related to our careers or personal life.  When the stress we face outstrips our ability to cope, however, is when stress begins to take its toll on our health and well-being.  Chronic exposure to unmanageable levels of stress, ...

Self-injury is the act of intentionally harming oneself as a way of coping with pain.  Methods such as cutting and burning are the most common ways of committing self-injury, although excessive scratching and hitting oneself occur as well.  Self-injury is typically performed without the intention of committing suicide, although in some ca...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition characterized by an onset of anxiety-related symptoms in response to a traumatic event. PTSD can develop in response to an event in which a patient is exposed to a dangerous or life-threatening event, whether real or perceived, and persists to the point of disruption in the patie...

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, an extreme need for admiration, and a lack of empathy towards other people. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder often have a history of difficult interpersonal relationships, and often attempt to use or manipulate th...

Addiction is typically thought to involve the abuse of substances , both legal and illegal. When one thinks of the word "addict", images of crack pipes, dirty syringes, and empty liquor bottles may come to mind. While these substances are all certainly addictive, there are other forms of addiction which don't fit this mold. Gambling addiction, in p...

Drug abuse is one of the costliest and most prevalent health issues faced by society. Drugs, both legal and illegal, are unfortunately a common part of life, and most people will come face to face with the results of drugs, whether through their own use or that of someone they know.  Drug use creates changes in the brain which create pleasurab...

Dissociative disorders are a series of mental health conditions characterized by feelings of disconnection from reality in the patient. Dissociative disorders, while often extremely frightening to the patient, are actually often safety measures employed by the brain as a way to protect an individual from the effects of trauma. People struggling wit...

Developmental disorders are a diverse group of psychiatric conditions which originate in childhood and impair an individual's ability to function in life as an adult. Developmental disorders have many causes, both genetic and environmental, and include conditions such as autism-spectrum disorder, developmental language disorder, motor disorders, an...

Psychological trauma is defined as any kind of damage to the mind that occurs as the result of a distressing experience. While physical trauma leaves scars that are visible to the naked eye, the damage inflicted by psychological trauma is often invisible. And yet, despite this, it is no less damaging. If left unresolved, psychological trauma result...

Psychology Today says...  View article on Psycholoy Today When California psychologist Francine Shapiro invented eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) in the late 1980s, psychiatrists and patients alike were lured by the promise of a single-session cure for post-traumatic stress disorder , addictions and phobias. While E...

Since you are searching for help, it most likely means that you or someone you know is dealing with the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, relationship, health or even the loss of a dream you once had.  It is difficult to process a loss, especially when it's someone you love. We would like to offer condolences for your loss. Grief is one of t...

There are few things in life more rewarding than the sense of satisfaction we get from doing work that makes a difference. Adults spend, on average, almost 25% of their waking lives working, so doing work you feel is important and that you enjoy is a vital part of your emotional well-being. Finding this dream career is no easy task, though-- it see...

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition characterized by cycles of elevated mood, known as "mania", combined with episodes of severe depression. Because of this, bipolar disorder is often referred to as "manic depression". These episodes of mania are what separates bipolar disorder from more common conditions such as major depressive ...

Behavioral issues are an inevitable part of raising children. Every child acts out now and then. Sometimes, however, misbehavior can be indicative of something more troubling. As any parent of a child with a behavioral disorder can attest, these conditions can turn raising a child into an overwhelming nightmare. Behavioral disorders include a numbe...

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States today. We know that there is not one autism but man...