Mental Health Counseling and Therapist in Westchester and Putnam Counties
Many people consider mental health counseling to help deal with a major life crisis. Often, a mental health therapist can help a client cope with strong emotions and feelings while helping to strengthen coping skills. Having an understanding of mental health issues can help remove the stigma and make a person want to deal with things. At Stress Free Counseling, we have helped numerous clients deal with a variety of mental health issues. Chris Colasuonno, LCSW-R, MBA, CASAC, works to partner with clients using a strengths-based approach to deal with these issues.
What Is Mental Illness?
Mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior. The conditions may be infrequent or longer-lasting, affecting someone’s ability to relate to others and function each day. Mental illness does not discriminate, and it can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, geography, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background, or other aspects of cultural identity. Mental illness is common where millions of Americans will deal with a condition in their lives. In the United States, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that almost 1 in 5 adults will experience mental health problems each year. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 5-10% of the United States population deals with mental health issues each year.
What are the Types of Mental Illnesses?
There are many types of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia, addiction, substance abuse, impulse control disorders, eating disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), etc. Sometimes a person does not have any formal mental health issue but dealing with a crisis effectively. For example, COVID-19 has put a tremendous burden on our society, testing everyone’s coping skills. Individuals have a certain amount of understandable worry and concern, but this might not rise to a mental health condition level.
How Do You Treat Mental Illness?
There are many treatments available for clients who deal with mental health conditions. Psychotherapy, which is talk therapy, can be a beneficial part of the treatment plan. There are times when an individual can benefit from a medical screening to rule out causes or consider medication. Some clients benefit from exercise, diet changes, or other entities. Helping a client look at the reasons for feelings, anger management, or mood-altering chemicals can be beneficial. If your crisis is overwhelming for you and feels like too much to bear, turn to a professional at Stress Free Counseling. Chris Colasuonno specializes in clients who are stubborn, have strong pride, or are just misinformed about seeking help with counseling.
Getting Perspective
While a counselor obviously can’t solve all of life’s problems, a good counselor can help put things in perspective and offers suggestions that have worked for other similar clients. Often, how you view a situation is one of the best places to work with. We can offer a perspective you had perhaps not thought of during your immediate crisis. Consider these common examples below. Notice how we might not be able to change the event, but maybe we can find a better way to deal with the situation.
Example A
Situation: You feel alone with your problems, and no one understands you.
Hope: The counselor offers evidence that you aren’t alone and finds support groups, books to read, or online forums of those who are walking in your shoes.
Example B
Situation: You give up because your mental illness is too much to deal with.
Hope: The counselor will help you research your illness and find others who have your condition. We will offer mental health therapy techniques and give you tools to talk to your doctor about medication management.
Example C
Situation: You can’t manage all of the stress in your life. You feel like you’re going to have a nervous breakdown.
Hope: Simple stress reduction techniques work well. Two important counseling techniques are partializing and prioritizing the problems that are often proven to reduce stress.
Proudly offering Counseling and Therapy in all areas of Westchester County, Putnam County, and Dutchess County including the following communities – Somers, Yorktown Heights, Bedford, Katonah, Cortlandt Manor, Mohegan Lake, Brewster, Armonk, Bedford Hills, North Salem, Mahopac, Mt. Kisco, Scarsdale, South Salem, White Plains, Poughkeepsie, Wappinger Falls, Carmel, Pleasantville, Peekskill, Croton, Rye, Harrison, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, Purchase, Chappaqua, Briarcliff Manor, Millwood, Mahopac Falls, Baldwin Place, Hawthorne, Elmsford, Valhalla, Newcastle & Putnam Valley, Phillipstown, Kent, Southeast.
Psychology & Therapy services provided including but not limited to: