Issues addressed include, but are not limited to the following:
Abuse (physical, psychological, sexual, finiancial)
Abuse is a misuse of power intended to harm or control another person. The maltreatment can be physical, verbal, or emotional. All types of abuse can cause pain and psychological distress.
Abuse can leave psychological wounds that are harder to heal than bodily injuries. Survivors of abuse may have intense, negative feelings long after the abuse has ended. Anxiety, flashbacks, and trust issues are common in people who have experienced abuse. Abuse can impact a person’s ability to form relationships and find happiness.
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Anger
Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure. It is often a reaction to stress, failure, or injustice. Anger can range from mild irritation to full-blown rage. It is normal to experience anger. At times, anger is the appropriate response to the actions of others. When managed correctly and kept in check, anger can be an important ally to a healthy adult. But anger has risks, perhaps more than any other emotion. It can alienate people from others and lead individuals to do things they later regret. People who have lasting, extreme anger may find it helpful to explore its causes with a therapist.
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Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Sometimes, the cause of anxiety is easy to spot, while other times it may not be. Everyone feels some level of anxiety once in a while. But overwhelming, recurring, or “out of nowhere” dread can deeply impact people. When anxiety interferes like this, talking to a therapist can help.
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Addiction & Compulsion (Substance, gambling, internet, sexual, pornography)
An addiction—a persistent need to consume a substance or commit an act—is distinct from a compulsion, which is an overwhelming and irresistible impulse to act. Usually, a compulsive act is preceded by obsessive, intrusive thoughts that compel the person to act, whereas an addiction is more of a habit that is not necessarily accompanied by obsessive thinking. An individual experiencing either addiction or compulsions may find it helpful to speak to a mental health professional.
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Bullying
Bullying is an attempt to undermine and harm someone based on some perceived weakness. It is often systematic and ongoing. Although commonly associated with children, bullying can occur at any age. Members of minority groups are significantly more likely to be bullied in adulthood.
A person who experiences mental or emotional health effects as a result of bullying may find it helpful to seek support from a compassionate therapist or counsellor.
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Communication Issues
Communication issues may potentially develop in any circumstance or social relationship. It can be easy for individuals to misunderstand or misinterpret others, and these misunderstandings may lead to arguments or tension in personal, platonic, or professional relationships. In some instances, conflicts may arise, and these conflicts can make communication even more challenging.
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Couples and Relationships
When individuals make a long-term commitment to each other out of affection, they are said to be in a relationship. The partners often spend time together, share resources, and support each other in times of need. When a relationship has been officially recognized in a community, it is called a marriage. Many people marry because they love their partners, but this wasn’t always the case. The cultural meaning of marriage has changed drastically over time. As the institution of marriage has evolved, people’s expectations and desires for marriage have changed as well.
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Depression
Depression is a serious, but common, condition. It often causes people to feel sad or empty for long periods of time. It can also affect one’s thinking patterns and physical health. In some cases, depression can lead people to consider suicide.
Depression’s symptoms can vary from person to person. Someone’s gender, culture, or age may change how they experience depression
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Food/ Eating Disorders
Eating disorders happen when someone’s relationship to food spirals out of control. This could manifest in all sorts of ways. Some people eat too much, some eat too little, and others struggle with the physical act of eating. Eating disorders generally occur because people develop complicated relationships with food or their bodies. Eating disorders don’t simply cause emotional distress. They can also cause physical health problems. In severe cases, they may even be fatal.
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Family Problems
Family problems can manifest in the healthiest of families, resulting in challenging, frustrating, and painful interactions among family members. From little irritations to buried resentments, from dramatic arguments to feelings of guilt, disappointment, and anger we did not even know we had, our families often bring up the most intense emotions we experience, for better or worse.
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Grief/Loss/Bereavement
Most people will experience loss at some point in their lives. Grief is a reaction to any form of loss. Bereavement is a type of grief involving the death of a loved one.
Bereavement and grief encompass a range of feelings from deep sadness to anger. The process of adapting to a significant loss can vary dramatically from one person to another. It often depends on a person’s background, beliefs, and relationship to what was lost.
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LTBTQ Issues/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation
Although a person’s sexual or romantic orientation or gender identity may not be a source of distress, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, or any other orientation or gender identity may find that the social stigma of living as a minority is a source of stress or anxiety.
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Stress
Stress is often defined as a bodily response to the demands of life. But there are also emotional and mental aspects of stress. It is experienced as thoughts and feelings as well as in the body. Another way to define stress could be as an internal and conditioned response to external pressures. Mental health professionals often help people reduce and manage their stress. They can also help people work through other mental health issues that have developed while coping with high levels of stress over a period of time.
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Suicide/Suicidal Ideation/ Self Harm
Suicidal ideation is a common medical term for thoughts about suicide. Thoughts may be fleeting in nature, or they may persist and resolve into a formulated plan. Many people who experience suicidal thoughts do not die by suicide, although they may exhibit suicidal behaviour or make suicide attempts. People who find themselves experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours may find that they do so as a result of conditions such as depression, hopelessness, severe anxiety, insomnia, or panic attacks.
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Workplace Issues
People spend nearly one third of their adult lives at work, and workplace issues are a common source of stress for many. It is impossible to have a workplace where everyone’s roles, expectations, and personalities work perfectly together, without conflict. As such, certain workplace issues may cause negative psychological symptoms.
Research shows perceived stress in the workplace, for example, is associated with a higher prevalence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Workers may find discussing their workplace stress or challenges with a trained mental health professional is helpful to them both professionally and personally.
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