Conditions & Symptoms

conditions & Symptoms

Children, teens, and adults can develop a variety of symptoms and disorders that can impair family, school, work, and social functioning. Using effective, condition-specific therapies, we are able to help our client's overcome their emotional and behavioral challenges and get back to enjoying life.

Lonely single girl feeling depressed because of a happy couple laughing on the next bench.

Depression

Chronic or acute feelings of sadness, hopelessness, unworthiness and guilt; irritability and anger; decreased energy and feelings of fatigue; loss of interest or enjoyment in usual activities; a decline in concentration and productivity; changes in sleep and appetite; suicidal ideation and/or self-harming behaviors.

Bi-Polar Disorder

Severe, abrupt, cyclical changes in mood alternating from depressed to elated; easily and extremely agitated and irritable; grandiosity and unrealistic plans and expectations; excessive energy and reduced need for sleep; highly impulsive and impairments in judgment.

A multi-ethnic group of elementary age students are taking a test in class. One girl is stressed about the questions on the test.

Anxiety

Excessive ongoing worry, and/or fearfulness; tension and irritability; school refusal, phobias, panic attacks; distress over separation from caregivers; compulsive thoughts and rituals; difficulty concentrating; trouble falling or staying asleep; fatigue, headaches and other somatic complaints.

A nine year old boy is playing with his pet conure who is sitting on a book. He is making funny faces at the bird. The text on the book is blurred out.For more photos featuring this bird click here

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Poor concentration; easily distracted and off-task; restlessness; trouble following directions; forgetfulness; poor frustration tolerance; hyperactivity; impulsivity; peer and social difficulties; usually evident before age seven; occurs across home, school, and social settings.

Little boys playing jedi knights using sticks and imagination. The boy aged 4 is using his special powers and holding his wooden 'lightsaber'. The boy in the background is picking up his weapon from the ground.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Frequent arguing; angry outbursts; refusal to comply with requests and rules; deliberate attempts to annoy or frustrate others; inability to take responsibility for actions; frequently spiteful and vindictive.

Depressed sad child sitting on the floor, in the door. The little boy is hiding his head between legs.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Exposure to terrifying or life-threatening circumstances; intrusive thoughts; avoidance and withdrawal; flashbacks; nightmares and interrupted sleep; hyper-vigilance and exaggerated startle response; emotional numbness and detachment; feelings of irritability and depression.

Two young brothers fighting and hitting on grass in park, with older boy sitting over the younger

Conduct Disorder

Frequent fighting; bullies intimidates and threatens others; stealing; destruction of property; cruelty towards people and/or animals; fire-setting; lying and manipulation of others; moderate to severe aggression; severe non-compliance with rules; curfew violations and runaway behavior.

A preschool teacher sitting on the floor with a group of multi-ethnic children in a circle, smiling at the camera. A little girl, a special needs child with down syndrome, is standing beside her wearing a gray shirt with pink polka dots.

Asperger’s Syndrome

Difficulty with routine transitions; trouble understanding social cues, body language and facial expressions; poor modulation of speech; avoids eye contact; fixation with only one or few interests; preoccupation with non-functional routines, details and rules; focused on parts of objects; repetitive movements and gestures; impaired fine and/or gross motor skills; acute sensitivity to touch, taste, textures, and loud sounds; usually has normal language development and average to above average intelligence.

Agoraphobia

Phobic avoidance and fear of being trapped, having a panic attack, or being embarrassed away from their home (safe place). Fear of being alone; overdependence on others; fear of losing control in stressful environment (elevator, airplane, train). Panic symptoms mount with greater distance away from safe place.

Teenage girl staying on a sidewalk near the boulevard and staring at her cell phone.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Persistent worry and inordinate chronic thinking /expecting negative future outcomes; indecisive and fear of making a wrong decision; inability to tolerate uncertainty; agitated, irritable, and heightened startle response. Sleep problems; cold sweats; difficulty concentrating; inability to relax; muscle tension; headaches; stomach discomfort.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessions (thoughts): Involuntary repeating images, thoughts, or impulses that are temporally relieved by a ritualized behavior; thoughts of contamination, harming oneself or others, need for symmetry (things must line up or be balanced); intrusive thoughts of sexual or violent themes. Compulsions (behavior): excessive checking locks, switches, appliances; repetitive tapping and/or counting; repeated washing or cleaning; requiring things be orderly and “just right”.