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Between gift exchanges, workplace holiday parties, and seeing extended family, it's easy to see why the holidays can be a stressful time of year. For people who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, that stress level can rise through the roof, so it's particularly important to give your mind the gift of self-care during the holiday season.

​We look forward to the holiday season with innocent excitement, as small children, however, as adults, the holidays tend to bring with them increased levels of stress and anxiety. Much of this anxiety revolves around spending increased amounts of time with extend family. Whether it's your in-laws or your own parents, no one knows quite how to push your buttons like family. This can be especially draining on someone with a history of anxiety or depression. Applying some of the basic tenets of family therapy theory can help to lessen the stress of a variety of holiday situations.

​Receiving a diagnosis for PTSD can be scary, it can even cause even more anxiety and depression. Where do you go for there? Many people don't want to take medication, and it may not always be needed. The important thing is to start talking to someone about it.

Modern society has and is becoming increasingly more accepting of different types of family structures. However, there are still many internal factors that can make it difficult for blended families to live together harmoniously. The term blended families refers to a family dynamic that includes one or more "step" family members. Contact us today to find out more how Family Therapy can help your family.

Most humans, in some form or another, experience changes, and challenges in their mental states at some point in their lives. However, the tools, and resources for navigating these changes aren't always in front of our faces for us to utilize them. Also, they can be new to us, and difficult for us to understand. For example, how many of us have heard of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT? This form of psychological treatment developed as a way to change people's thinking patterns.

​You may have heard of depression before, but many myths abound about what depression is and how it can be treated. Regardless of what you may be experiencing, there are resources and tools available to assist you in addressing depression's underlying causes and symptoms. Located in the Fresno area, Jodi Mitchell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), empathy, and other solutions-focused approaches to help you find the best way to process emotions and address the symptoms that you may be experiencing as a result of your depression.

​Anxiety is different for everyone, but the effects of it on the mind and the body are detrimental. If you are having trouble dealing with the stress that anxiety causes, you might want to try writing poetry. Read more to find out how it can help you.

If you have PTSD, nothing can be more frightening and exhausting than the constant vigilance of anticipating the next stressful event, whether that be a panic attack, flashback, etc. The stress of it can literally cause you adverse physical symptoms. Because this can become so debilitating, here are some questions you can use to "check in" with yourself in order to keep you grounded in the moment.

Couples counseling can be a life-changer when the couple finally decides to see a counselor, usually after enduring years of endless arguments. They now have a third person to provide them with a different perspective on what is happening in their relationship. The couples therapist could offer them advice on how to de-escalate stressful situations, learn to compromise so that they can find common ground.

​People may seek therapy for reasons ranging from dealing with traumatic or stressful situations to diagnosing and treating specific mental health conditions. Talk therapy with a licensed therapist can be an especially helpful tool when dealing with depression.