Adult Therapy
Individual Therapy in Northern Virginia
You’re coping, but you want to thrive. We learn to cope with a lot. We juggle different roles – from work, to family, to home – and we’re expected to handle it all in stride. When a new challenge arises, such as a birth, a death, a medical diagnosis, or a relationship change, it can feel like we’re just supposed to handle it along with the rest. What if you didn’t have to handle it on your own? With the help of a Sage House therapist, you can lean on the steady support of someone who understands. We’ll help you make sense of your life transition and help you find fulfillment again.
Anxiety and Depression Don’t Need to Define You
Mood disorders are the leading reasons clients seek out therapy- and with good reason. Living with anxiety can leave you feeling like you are constantly on high alert with no relief or enjoyment in life. The string of constant worry, the flood of panic, and the feeling that life just won’t give you a break; it can feel overwhelming. For those suffering from depression, it may seem like a cloud of heaviness weighs you down, keeps you isolated and from doing things you previously enjoyed. Similar to anxiety, depression can feel overwhelming and at times like you are in an emotional abyss. Oftentimes it is hard for loved ones to understand how someone with anxiety or depression feels. Loved ones can feel at a loss for how to best support someone in emotional need. This can lead to relationship conflicts, isolation, and a worsening of symptoms. We also know that oftentimes anxiety and depression co-occur together, making it feel like you live in a non-stop cycle of misery with little enjoyment. We are here to work with you to break that cycle. We are here to empower you with the tools you need to make lasting change and manage symptoms of anxiety and depression so that you can get back to the life you would like to live, or perhaps, start to live the life you really want.
Trauma is Awful. But You Are Not Broken.
Sometimes terrible things happen and we usually have no control or ability to stop it. You may have experienced something traumatic as a child or had ongoing trauma that you lived through each day as an adult. For many trauma survivors, the trauma can start to feel like a part of themselves or their fault, making it hard to piece apart and separate from. Trauma can cause us to form unique coping skills and defenses to protect ourselves emotionally and help us survive the traumatic experience. It is our brain and body’s way of keeping us safe during dangerous experiences. Unfortunately, the thought patterns and behaviors used to survive trauma are not a good match for our psyche once the trauma ends.
A traumatic experience may result in feelings of anger, distrust, and fear, making relationships challenging. Some people experience a fear of intimacy or an inability to trust others. You may even notice physical symptoms, such as pain, heart palpitations, high blood pressure. For some, there is a lack of sensation and a disconnection from the physical body, emotions, and pleasure. One piece of collateral damage from trauma is how it shapes our perspective of the world and those around us. For many people who have experienced trauma, it can feel like another trauma is waiting around the corner or somehow they deserved or invited the trauma into their lives. While we can’t always control what happens to us as children or adults, everyone has the ability to take control and find healing. Our therapists have completed specialized, trauma-informed educational training and are knowledgeable about the ways in which trauma manifests in a person emotionally and physically. We also make use of a variety of evidenced-based tools in a holistic, supportive approach to guide you through the healing process.
Relationships & Life Transitions
Humans are social creatures. We thrive when we feel connected to others and are part of a group. Feeling loved and nurtured are primary desires, which start from the moment we are born and continue for the duration of our lives. Some of how we cultivate relationships are influenced by our early experiences with our own caregivers. As we grow up and move through the world our relationships shape our views of ourselves and our loved ones. Since relationships play such a large role in our lives and emotional wellbeing when they suffer or end it can be devastating. It can also be challenging to navigate relationships that are unhealthy, are “stuck” or are in need of change. We also know that as humans we are always evolving, developing as individuals, and watching the world around us and those we love change. This can be hard sometimes. We understand these challenges and believe that healthy relationships are possible. We also know life transitions are not always easy. Our experienced clinicians are here to partner with you along the journey so you don’t have to walk it alone.