This is a testimonial of one of my past clients. She was willing to share parts of her story, what she was like, what happened, and what she is like now! Thank you!
Hi there! Before I divulge my story, let me give you some background as to who I am. I’m a young girl in my early twenties about to start my sophomore year of college. I have been through many struggles throughout my life and found it extremely difficult to cope. I was in a very, very dark place before I made my decision to enter professional counseling. I’ve decided to share my story in the hopes of de-stigmatizing mental health. Everybody struggles sometimes, and it’s okay to ask for help. It took me a long time before I was ready to realize that.
While I was growing up, many adults that met me always described me as a fiery young girl that would never let the world stand in her way. I was a girl filled with determination, passion, and drive. That was, until my parents divorced. My world was turned upside down. I became a docile little girl, relying on my schoolwork because it was the one thing I had control over. I could set my goals and excel at school but at home, I was very different. I was angry all the time. Only now am I realizing that this is the beginning of my struggle with anxiety. To me, everything about anger is physical: Your heart races, your palms sweat, and your hands shake. It was easier to focus on that rather than the growing panic and insecurities building inside my head. I couldn’t understand what was going on and I felt like a failure as a daughter, as a friend, and as a student. I judged myself harder than anybody in my life. Unfortunately, these experiences only reinforced in my early adolescent brain that something was wrong with me.
By the time I reached high school I slipped into a really deep depression. I self-harmed and I genuinely wanted to just give up. I was still in such deep denial I had a hard time in talking. I ultimately got diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I hated these labels. It made me feel like something was wrong with me and my depression got even worse.
A few months later I started college and I finally felt free. I was determined to work on myself and make this depression go away. Almost immediately after starting college, I ended up getting into a really bad car accident. I got injured pretty badly. I had to leave school. I felt broken. I had a lot of testing and therapies done to regain my health. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It wasn’t until I was finally able to return to school that I realized I needed help. I found myself crippled by the thought of social interactions and I hid away from the world. I would panic whenever I was in a crowd of more than a few close friends and I would have a panic attack whenever I had to interact with people I didn’t know.
So, I began the search for a therapist. I came across Barb on psychologytoday.com and I decided to send her a message requesting a consult. Her profile seemed like she genuinely would care about my struggles and try to help me. The next day I got a call from her and she seemed like a very kind and understanding person. As a result, I agreed to an appointment.
One of the first things that Barb did that I truly appreciated, was she told me that I needed to feel comfortable talking to her and she would not be offended if I didn’t feel like she was the right fit. I was allowed to direct conversation and say if I wasn’t ready to talk about something. She was the first therapist I ever truly felt a connection with.
At first, our sessions were talk therapy. We got to know each other and I had a safe place to vent about stress in my everyday life. We began to work through my MDD, GAD, and PTSD. We planned a course of treatment and adjusted as needed. I felt safe being with Barb. I never felt judged or ridiculed by her. We used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) techniques. I noticed the MDD lifting. We created ways for me to cope and redirect the everyday stress anxiety. I realized that I am not crazy, I am not worthless, and I am not a failure. I am a fighter. I am a survivor. With the help of Barb I was able to face my demons and break free. I found my drive, my determination and my passion for life have all returned. I was able to rediscover the fiery girl. I have learned that my mental health does not define me as a person, just a piece in the story of who I am, and they make me who I have become. I am a person with GAD and social anxiety. Yes, they impact me every day but they no longer control me. Asking for help, reaching out to Barb, was one of the scariest and best decisions of my life. Therapy was hard work and I had a lot to sort through. She guided me and never let me get consumed by it all. Professional counseling saved my life and helped keep me on the right path. Whenever I need a mental health check in, I know all I need to do is reach out to Barb and she will be there to guide me again.
Hi there! Before I divulge my story, let me give you some background as to who I am. I’m a young girl in my early twenties about to start my sophomore year of college. I have been through many struggles throughout my life and found it extremely difficult to cope. I was in a very, very dark place before I made my decision to enter professional counseling. I’ve decided to share my story in the hopes of de-stigmatizing mental health. Everybody struggles sometimes, and it’s okay to ask for help. It took me a long time before I was ready to realize that.
While I was growing up, many adults that met me always described me as a fiery young girl that would never let the world stand in her way. I was a girl filled with determination, passion, and drive. That was, until my parents divorced. My world was turned upside down. I became a docile little girl, relying on my schoolwork because it was the one thing I had control over. I could set my goals and excel at school but at home, I was very different. I was angry all the time. Only now am I realizing that this is the beginning of my struggle with anxiety. To me, everything about anger is physical: Your heart races, your palms sweat, and your hands shake. It was easier to focus on that rather than the growing panic and insecurities building inside my head. I couldn’t understand what was going on and I felt like a failure as a daughter, as a friend, and as a student. I judged myself harder than anybody in my life. Unfortunately, these experiences only reinforced in my early adolescent brain that something was wrong with me.
By the time I reached high school I slipped into a really deep depression. I self-harmed and I genuinely wanted to just give up. I was still in such deep denial I had a hard time in talking. I ultimately got diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I hated these labels. It made me feel like something was wrong with me and my depression got even worse.
A few months later I started college and I finally felt free. I was determined to work on myself and make this depression go away. Almost immediately after starting college, I ended up getting into a really bad car accident. I got injured pretty badly. I had to leave school. I felt broken. I had a lot of testing and therapies done to regain my health. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It wasn’t until I was finally able to return to school that I realized I needed help. I found myself crippled by the thought of social interactions and I hid away from the world. I would panic whenever I was in a crowd of more than a few close friends and I would have a panic attack whenever I had to interact with people I didn’t know.
So, I began the search for a therapist. I came across Barb on psychologytoday.com and I decided to send her a message requesting a consult. Her profile seemed like she genuinely would care about my struggles and try to help me. The next day I got a call from her and she seemed like a very kind and understanding person. As a result, I agreed to an appointment.
One of the first things that Barb did that I truly appreciated, was she told me that I needed to feel comfortable talking to her and she would not be offended if I didn’t feel like she was the right fit. I was allowed to direct conversation and say if I wasn’t ready to talk about something. She was the first therapist I ever truly felt a connection with.
At first, our sessions were talk therapy. We got to know each other and I had a safe place to vent about stress in my everyday life. We began to work through my MDD, GAD, and PTSD. We planned a course of treatment and adjusted as needed. I felt safe being with Barb. I never felt judged or ridiculed by her. We used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) techniques. I noticed the MDD lifting. We created ways for me to cope and redirect the everyday stress anxiety. I realized that I am not crazy, I am not worthless, and I am not a failure. I am a fighter. I am a survivor. With the help of Barb I was able to face my demons and break free. I found my drive, my determination and my passion for life have all returned. I was able to rediscover the fiery girl. I have learned that my mental health does not define me as a person, just a piece in the story of who I am, and they make me who I have become. I am a person with GAD and social anxiety. Yes, they impact me every day but they no longer control me. Asking for help, reaching out to Barb, was one of the scariest and best decisions of my life. Therapy was hard work and I had a lot to sort through. She guided me and never let me get consumed by it all. Professional counseling saved my life and helped keep me on the right path. Whenever I need a mental health check in, I know all I need to do is reach out to Barb and she will be there to guide me again.