Testimonials

The long lasting effects of childhood trauma had been significantly weighing on Pat. At the age of 45, Pat regularly experienced severe anxiety episodes, had difficulty getting out of bed, and felt a crushing responsibility for everything that went wrong around her. Exhausted from a constant state of hyper-vigilance, she believed that predators lurked around every corner. Unbeknownst to Pat, she was suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
After decades of suffering, Pat sought help through Catholic Charities Counseling Services. She wanted to live a happier life and to be a better partner for her husband and role model for her daughters. Through therapy, Pat realized that witnessing the sexual assault of her sister at a young age had significantly impacted her mental health. Pat uncovered the underlying guilt she felt over her sister’s death by suicide as a teenager. Her mother’s untreated mental disorders, she learned, had also compounded her mental health struggles.
Once Pat better understood the impacts of her past, she began building a “tool kit” of coping strategies. With the help of her therapist, Pat has learned to challenge negative thoughts, use visualization to break up harmful thought patterns, and control intrusive ideas. Counseling has enabled Pat to gain powerful insights into her mental health and to develop strategies to help overcome her anxiety. Pat now uses inspirational quotes and meditation as some of her primary methods for self-calming, and her dedication to treatment has helped her to meet and exceed her goals. Now that she is actively managing her mental health, Pat is getting out more often, socializing with old friends, making new friends, and building a healthier family life.

- ~anonymous