What is Mental Health, Really?
Mental health isn’t the absence of struggle. It’s how we think, feel, process, and function — on good days and hard ones. When something’s off, it usually has a name. And having a name for it isn’t a life sentence — it’s a starting point.
MOOD
Depression
More than sadness. Depression is a persistent heaviness that affects energy, motivation, sleep, appetite, and the ability to feel pleasure. It can look like exhaustion, irritability, or just feeling completely flat — even when life looks “fine” from the outside.
Treatment may include: Antidepressants, psychotherapy (CBT, DBT), TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) for severe/treatment-resistant cases, lifestyle interventions, or a combination.
ANXIETY
Anxiety Disorders
Worry that doesn’t shut off. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and phobias. The brain gets stuck in threat mode — even when there’s no real threat. It’s exhausting, and it’s incredibly common.
Treatment may include: SSRIs/SNRIs, therapy (especially CBT and exposure-based approaches), mindfulness-based interventions, beta-blockers for situational anxiety, buspirone.
ATTENTION
ADHD
Not just “can’t focus.” (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder )ADHD affects executive function, emotional regulation, impulse control, and time perception. It shows up differently in adults — especially in women, who are frequently missed or misdiagnosed for years. It’s not laziness. It’s not a personality flaw. It’s neurological.
Treatment may include: Stimulant medications (amphetamines, methylphenidate), non-stimulant options (atomoxetine, guanfacine), behavioral coaching, CBT, and organizational strategies.
MOOD
Bipolar Disorder
Not just mood swings. Bipolar disorder involves distinct episodes of mania or hypomania (elevated, impulsive, high-energy states) and depression. There are different types:
• Bipolar I — full manic episodes, often requiring hospitalization
• Bipolar II — hypomanic episodes (less intense) plus depressive episodes
• Cyclothymia — milder, chronic mood cycling over at least 2 years
Treatment may include: Mood stabilizers (lithium, valproate), atypical antipsychotics, therapy, sleep regulation, and close monitoring. ECT for severe manic or depressive episodes may be necessary.
PERSONALITY
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
BPD is one of the most misunderstood — and most stigmatized — diagnoses out there. It involves intense emotions, fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, impulsivity, and a shifting sense of self. People with BPD feel deeply. That’s not a flaw — it’s a feature that needs the right support.
Treatment may include: DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy — the gold standard), individual therapy, mood-stabilizing or antidepressant medications, and a strong, consistent therapeutic alliance.
INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
OCD is not about being neat. It’s a cycle of intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that drive repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) to relieve anxiety. The relief is temporary — and the cycle keeps going. It can be completely debilitating and is very treatable.
Treatment may include: ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention therapy — the gold standard), SSRIs at higher doses, clomipramine, TMS for treatment-resistant OCD, and in severe cases — ECT.
TRAUMA
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Trauma doesn’t always look like war. PTSD can follow any event where you felt unsafe, powerless, or threatened — and the nervous system never fully came back down. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance, and emotional numbing are the brain’s attempt to protect you. It just gets stuck.
Treatment may include: Trauma-focused CBT, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), SSRIs, prazosin for nightmares, somatic and body-based approaches.
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
Schizophrenia Spectrum
Schizophrenia affects how a person perceives reality — through hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. It exists on a spectrum that includes paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, and undifferentiated types, as well as Schizoaffective Disorder.
Symptoms can mimic or overlap with other conditions, and tend to shift over time, making diagnosis and treatment a nuanced, ongoing process.These conditions are serious. They are also treatable.
Treatment may include: Multi-avenue approach — combining medication, therapy, community support, and care coordination to manage symptoms and support daily functioning.
OTHER CONDITIONS WE SUPPORT
Dissociation & Dissociative Disorders
When the mind disconnects from reality, identity, or memory — often trauma-driven. Includes DID, Depersonalization/Derealization, and Dissociative Amnesia.
Treatment: Trauma-focused therapy, medication as needed.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and ARFID — serious conditions, not choices. We evaluate, support, and connect you to the right care. You won't leave without a plan.
Treatment: Medication, therapy, nutritional counseling, and specialty referrals as needed.
“There Are a Lot of Names Up There. That’s Okay.”
Diagnoses are tools — not definitions. You are not your diagnosis, and you are not broken.
And honestly? This list doesn’t even scratch the surface. There are dozens of other diagnoses, presentations, and experiences that didn’t make it onto this page — because mental health is complex, layered, and deeply human. No two people experience it the same way.
But that’s exactly why we’re here.
I know how overwhelming it can feel to be stuck in your thoughts — cycling through the same worries, the same heaviness, the same patterns — and not know where to start or what to call it. That’s exactly why I built this practice.
Not to hand you a label and a prescription and send you on your way. But to sit with you. To learn who you are, what you’ve been carrying, and what actually works for you. Then — and only then — do we build a plan together, with options you feel comfortable with. At your pace. On your terms.
You belong here. Let’s figure it out together.