Discover Comfort in Times of Change: Navigating Transitions with More Ease

There is a way through with self-care, kindness and compassionate support.

The Rollercoaster of Emotions During Life Transitions

Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to quiet your mind as you worry about the uncertainty of the future or the difficulties of the moment? Are you struggling to find your footing as you navigate a life transition, whether entering a new stage of life, having a baby, parenting challenges, experiencing a breakup, career change, moving, or finding your way through grief?

Finding your way:

How can Therapy and Counseling Help You Overcome Life’s Challenges.

When facing major life changes, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by powerful emotions that can drive us to act and react. It is like being on a boat in a storm, thrown around by the waves. Therapy can provide a safe environment to take a step back and think about how we want to respond more intentionally and compassionately to the situation. It offers an opportunity to get in touch with what is most important to us in the long run and how we should treat ourselves and others. Counseling and therapy can help us develop self-care and coping tools and encourage us to find a perspective that offers us hope. You can use this process to reinforce your resilience and find your agency,
Therapy can’t solve all our problems, but it can help us navigate our lives more wisely and kindly. It is a source of stability and can serve as an anchor in times of change.

The Messy Middle: Struggling Through Life Transitions.

We all face struggles throughout our lives, and it’s a natural part of the human experience. Emotions such as anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and depression can arise during these times. While we can’t avoid experiencing change, we can choose how we respond and care for ourselves. It’s important to be kind to ourselves during these challenging times and to reach out for support from loved ones and professionals, such as therapists. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness but rather an act of courage and strength. I am so glad you are considering taking it.

10 Signs You May Benefit from Therapy or Counseling.

You’re experiencing overwhelming emotions such as anxiety, depression, or anger affecting your daily life.
You’re experiencing increased tension and conflict in your personal or professional relationships, straining your connections with friends, family, and loved ones.
You’re feeling stuck or stagnant in your personal or professional life and seeking guidance on moving forward.
You have difficulty communicating or connecting with others in your personal or professional relationships.
You’re experiencing self-doubt or a lack of confidence in yourself or your abilities.
You’re feeling isolated or alone and are seeking a safe and supportive space to discuss your thoughts and feelings.
You engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, drinking excessively, or using drugs to manage your emotions and stress.
You’re feeling disconnected, disengaged, or detached from your values and what is important to you and seek to develop a greater sense of meaning and purpose in your life.
You’re experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or insomnia that may be related to stress or anxiety.
You’re feeling a loss of identity or sense of self and are seeking clarity and understanding about who you are and what you want out of life.

What Clients have said:

I can think back about what happened to me, but the memory is no longer alive.”

I used to have to worry all the time about something triggering me and feeling upset. Now, I don’t even think about triggers anymore.”

I thought about what happened to me every single day for 20 years. Now, I don’t even think about it unless I want to.”

I used to believe that I caused what happened to me. I now understand that it was not my fault.”

Thanks to EMDR, I feel like I have a whole different future.”

Expert Guidance and Compassionate Care:

Finding Strength and Resilience Through Life’s Challenges

As your therapist, I’m here to support you through life’s transitions with compassion and expertise. Whether you’re navigating the transitions of pregnancy, birth, loss, a new chapter in life, changes in relationships, career, or health, I have the tools to help you navigate these challenges. With decades of experience and a focus on supporting women through life’s ups and downs, I’m committed to creating a warm and welcoming space for you to process your emotions and develop the resilience you need to thrive. Using mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral, and compassion-based approaches rooted in evidence-based practice, I’ve helped countless women through difficult times. Let’s work together to weather this storm and emerge stronger than ever.

Schedule Your Session

Common Questions You May Have

Will Therapy Work for Me?

I want to be straightforward with you. Neither I nor any other clinician can promise that therapy will change everything or help you be completely symptom-free. I do have good reasons to be positive. The treatment modalities I use have excellent success rates. Many of the women I work with develop the skills to overcome stress and anxiety. They feel calmer and more self-compassionate and balanced. The tools acquired during therapy last a lifetime and can lead you into a fuller, more intentional, and satisfying life.

How Common is Anxiety with Women?

Women-Focused Facts and Statistics About Anxiety

As women between puberty and age 50, we are almost twice as likely as men to develop an Anxiety Disorder.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental disorders and concerns reported in the United States.
Women experience more body-based symptoms of anxiety than men.
Women who suffer from panic attacks experience more shortness of breath, faintness, and smothering sensations than men.
Women with OCD report that their obsessions are often more focused on cleaning, while men’s obsessions focus seems to be around symmetry.
Panic disorder tends to be more chronic in women.
40 million adults, Americans, suffer from anxiety disorders. That’s 18% of the adult population in the US!
People with anxiety disorders are five times more likely to seek medical intervention.
Anxiety responds well to treatment but tends to remain unchanged without new tools and insights.

What causes anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are the effect of a unique combination of live events genetic heritage, brain chemistry and personality.

Why are women more likely than men to experience anxiety disorders?

There has been a lot of research to understand why women experience anxiety more often. Yet, there is no conclusive answer to this question. Research indicates that there are several factors at work. Biological (genetic, hormonal), socio-cultural (gender-specific learning to respond to our emotions from our environment), and psychological factors.

When Is My Anxiety Too Much, and I Should You Get Help?

8 Signs that Your Anxiety May Be a Problem?

Do your worries keep you awake at night; do you have a hard time keeping negative thoughts at bay?
Have you experienced a panic attack: racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or feelings of terror?
Do you feel like an outsider even with friends, like you don’t quite fit in anywhere?
You’re distracted by a stream of intrusive anxious thoughts.
Does your Anxiety at work, home, or socially making it challenging to excel and perform?
Do you avoid activities you might enjoy because of a feeling of dread?
You suffer from headaches, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, or stress-related health concerns.
Is my Anxiety is hurting my relationships?

What Can I do to Feel Better Now?

10 Things You Can Do Right Now To Feel Better

Cut down your caffeine intake. Caffeine can interfere with sleep, make your anxiety worse, and even lead to panic attacks.
Get enough sleep. Anxiety can lead to insomnia, and not sleeping enough decreases your ability to cope with stress and anxiety.
Eat healthily. Eat well and often. Several smaller meals during the day are often better than three big meals for people with anxiety. When you go without food for long periods, your blood sugar drops, leaving you anxious and irritable and eating complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables). Complex carbs stabilize blood sugar and boost serotonin, a neurotransmitter with calming effects.
Avoid alcohol and nicotine. Alcohol makes anxiety worse! It offers the lure of reducing anxiety and worry short-term. Still, it causes anxiety symptoms to intensify as it wears off. Nicotine is a potent stimulant that leads to anxiety.
Learn to use deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and meditation have all been proven effective.
Getting daily exercise can make a big difference in lowering your anxiety level. Exercise releases tension and reduces stress levels, which makes it a natural antidote to anxiety; it also releases endorphins, our brain’s “feel-good chemicals.”
Limit your sugar intake.
Connect with others. Spending time with other people in a meaningful way has been shown to lower anxiety.
Do what’s meaningful to you. Make time for activities that nurture you and matter to you.
Practice self-compassion-Having anxiety is challenging! Listen to how you speak to yourself and ask, “would I talk like this to a friend?” Try speaking with yourself in a more accepting way and observe how you feel.

Contact me with questions! I would be happy to connect.

Connect with Iris Hogan

How Much Anxiety is Too Much?
If your worrying or anxiety interferes with your daily life
—whatever that might look like to you—
That is Reason Enough to Get Help.

I’m here for you. Whether you’re still unsure and have questions… or are ready to schedule your first session.

Contact Me