Mental Health Conditions
Common Reasons People Seek Therapy
The following is intended to provide a very basic description of some common reasons people seek help from mental health professionals. For treatment of these conditions or others, contact us to speak directly with an Escalera Health provider.
Depression
Everyone gets sad from time to time; most of the time it will go away on its own, but depression is different, and can get in the way of normal day-to-day life. Escalera behavioral health providers use a variety of clinical approaches, helping patients cope with depression.
Symptoms of depression include:
- Ongoing feelings of sadness
- Helplessness
- Hopelessness
- Irritability
- Crying spells
- Difficulty sleeping
- Appetite changes
- Decreased energy
- Trouble concentrating
- Low motivation
Anxiety
Occasional anxious feelings are normal, particularly when life is stressful, but ongoing anxiety and worry that is difficult to control may interfere with daily activities. With various treatment approaches, providers at Escalera Health work with patients to overcome their anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety include excessive worrying, ruminating thoughts, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, disrupted sleep, and personality changes.
Trauma
Trauma relates to a distressing or disturbing psychological experience that causes emotional and mental health consequences. It can occur in many forms, at any one point (or many times) in an individual’s life, and causes varying reactions.
Resulting effects include feelings of helplessness, diminished sense of self, inability to cope, limited range of emotions, and substance abuse.
Treatment at Escalera provokes the healing process and explores the connection between the trauma experience and the emotional and behavioral responses. Our providers offer patients skills and strategies for coping and reparation.
Traumatic events include:
- Physical or emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Sexual abuse or violence
- Sudden loss
- Near death experience
- War or combat experience
Eating Disorders
An eating disorder is a mental health condition that causes disturbances to an individual’s diet, weight, body appearance, and relationship with food. These conditions can lead to dangerous behaviors, impacting the body’s ability to get appropriate nutrition. In addition to emotional impacts, eating disorders can have significant physical impacts, including harm to the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth and mouth, and can lead to other diseases.
Escalera will guide patients in identifying and understanding the contributing thoughts and beliefs. In treatment, patients address symptoms, learn healthy eating patterns, restore a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of relapse.
Common eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge eating disorder
Major Life Transitions
While change is inevitable in life, major transitions (even when positive) can cause significant stress, and result in difficulty coping. People may experience increased anxiety, irritability, insomnia, change in appetite, decrease in sex drive, physical illness, and/or tendency to isolate.
Treatment with Escalera Health helps individuals adjust better and provides patients with relevant coping strategies.
Major life transitions include:
- Marriage
- Birth
- Divorce / breakups
- Death
- Illness / health problems
- Financial problems
- Retirement
- Job loss
- Career or job changes
- Moving
- Empty nest
- Social / political changes
Substance Abuse
Escalera Health offers substance abuse treatment, personalized to your healthcare needs, to help you with living your healthiest life. Our comprehensive treatment services, coordinated with patients’ primary care providers, include medication-assisted therapy (MAT), when clinically indicated, and behavioral health counseling.
The licensed clinical team performs substance abuse risk assessments to evaluate triggers, as well as relapse prevention, crisis management, safety planning, and support in patient healthcare and recovery goals.
Couples Counseling
Relationships take work, and every couple has disagreements, faces irritation, or has feelings of unappreciation at times. However, anger, unhappiness, trust issues, or troubling behaviors can become consistent problems, and can be disruptive to a relationship long-term. Couples counseling can be extremely beneficial when both individuals are invested in this process.
Our team offers couples counseling to help improve communication, enhance trust, and work through common issues. Through exploration, addressing feelings, and practicing healthy communication and reflective listening techniques, Escalera will offer techniques to encourage open, non-judgmental communication, and avoid making assumptions about one another and the relationship.