Anxiety and Depression

No matter how hard you try…

You can’t seem to control your thoughts.

Your mind goes a mile a minute, telling you you’re not good enough, or that your loved ones will hate you if you tell them “no,” or that you’ll never get that promotion, no matter how hard you try.

It’s one worst-case scenario after the other. Always catastrophizing, you never get around to doing the things you want or need to do – the things that will make you the person you want to be.

It’s like you’re a prisoner of your mind. What you wouldn’t give just to shut your brain off!

Because it’s not just thoughts…

Those thoughts have control over your emotions. When you constantly think that you’re worthless … or hopeless … or that you’ll be abandoned…

It’s not long before that negativity shows up in your body. You become sad … lethargic, yet on edge.

Everything becomes stressful and overwhelming – your job, your relationships…

It’s like you’re stuck in a miserly loop, and your only move to escape is to try harder.

But what do you do when trying harder and doing more is killing you??

Let’s get to the root of the problem.

Many things you might not even be aware of contribute to the unusually high incidence of anxiety and depression among women of color:

Socialization to please others…

Many of us are running on autopilot, which is dangerous when you consider the fact that our autopilots were programmed when human trafficking was common practice among the “elite.”

We must think critically about what is “normal.” People-pleasing, especially among women and people of color, is heavily encouraged because it maintains a capitalist status quo. That’s a reality that keeps us overwhelmed with anxiety and depression.

A sense of helplessness…

When your problems feel too big or numerous for you to manage, it saps your motivation to work toward viable solutions because it can feel like there’s no point. That creates new problems in an exhausting, overwhelming cycle.

And when you have people depending on you, you don’t take time to slow down and figure these things out. You just keep going and going, wanting things to be different but not believing it’s possible.

Traumatic events, including racism…

The level of real-life violence we are exposed to regularly through the news and social media is not good for our nervous systems. Add to that racism and microaggressions … life can feel constantly overwhelming.

I’m here for you.

I relate to Black women and understand your struggle. Here’s how therapy can help:

Exploring your thought processes…

This is important because your thoughts influence your feelings, and your feelings influence your behavior.

If you do not understand why you think the way that you think, you won’t be able to choose what you value and prioritize.

Together, we’ll explore your thoughts so you can replace the unhelpful ones with more productive patterns. This will make you feel more in control as you start prioritizing your happiness and well-being.

Setting boundaries…

Setting boundaries can help you feel safer and secure in your relationships. Being honest about your needs is a way to build intimacy within your relationships … because you are showing up authentically and giving your loved ones a chance to show they value your safety and security.

I’ll help you understand why it has been difficult for you to establish strong boundaries, and you’ll develop the communication skills you need to establish stronger boundaries with empathy and love.

Soon, you’ll be surrounded by those who love and value you for who you are – not what you do for them.

Improving self-esteem…

We accept what we believe we deserve. When you don’t believe you’re beautiful or worthy of love, you’ll reject anything that attempts to make you feel differently.

In our sessions, you’ll explore your relationship and reframe your self-concept. This can change your entire world, as choices reflecting your love for yourself tend to make life more enjoyable.

Releasing stress…

Energy doesn’t die. If you don’t release it, it stays inside you and manifests itself as physical ailments. Life can be stressful. The longer you let the stress build, the more explosive it will be when it finally spills out.

Let’s examine your life balance and see what tools you need to manage your daily stress. Releasing it will make you feel lighter… and it keeps crises from building one on top of the other.

Free your mind. The rest will follow.…

You are human and have the right to experience and express the full range of human emotions.

Let me help you express those emotions and control the thoughts behind them.

Give me a call, and we’ll get started with your free consultation: (708) 292-8339.