Postpartum depression affects nearly a quarter of all new mothers. Pregnant women who feel sad, blue or down, are at an ever greater risk of postpartum depression. Women who are taking anti-depressants before, will have to stop when they fall pregnant, causing increased feelings of depression.

It is common for new mothers to be afraid to discuss postpartum depression and their thoughts and feelings for fear of being judged as bad mothers. Unless these emotions are discussed with a professional, it could escalate to worse problems.

The most common symptoms of baby blues include anger, sadness, numbness, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping and mood swings. However, postpartum depression affects your functioning significantly and symptoms could include too much or too little sleep, lack of motivation and energy, restlessness and mood swings, trouble with decision making, lots of crying, feelings of worthlessness, and memory problems. Feelings of worthlessness may cause you to withdraw from family and friends. Aches, pains and stomach problems may persist, making it hard to take care of a baby. A new mother with postpartum depression may lose interest in activities she used to enjoy.

The dangers of postpartum depression includes thoughts of the mother hurting herself or her baby, or a total lack of interest in the baby. Some mothers are unable to care for themselves or for their babies.

Professional help is essential for women suffering from postpartum depression to change their perceptions about themselves. A therapist will help a new mother adjust to the changes brought about by motherhood and the changes in hormones and lifestyle and the dynamics of being responsible for a new life.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers postpartum depression counselling and other women's issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

A positive self-esteem is an essential tool to help someone function as a productive member of society. Our basic sense of worth determines how well we are able to deal with situations and how well we perform in the family, at school, at work and in life.

Having a healthy self-esteem means that we have a sense of self-worth, self-respect and the ability to find the good in yourself. On the contrary, a negative self image can lead to social anxiety, loneliness, self-criticism, shame and even anger. A person with low self-esteem often feels isolated.

Self-esteem issues are usually created in childhood when negative experiences and poor influences and reactions from caregivers stunt the development of a positive self esteem. Self-esteem can also be affected by abuse, or by being different. A person may be stigmatized for his or her social identity, race, social class, behaviors or appearance.

However, a person's self-esteem can also be challenged during adulthood when one experiences marital issues, financial problems, career glitches or legal challenges.

Therapy can help a person come to terms with self-esteem issues. A therapist will help identify the causes of self-esteem issues and help the individual to regain control over circumstances through goal-directed therapy.

It can help someone with low self-esteem to separate who they are from what they have, or how they look in order to overcome low self-esteem issues. Discovering one's worth is a great way to take control of situations and to learn to feel adequate.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers goal directed therapy to address your self-esteem issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.
 

Teen adjustment issues start at a young age and can result in serious interpersonal problems at home and at school. It can affect the whole family, as well as friends and teachers. Teens today face incredible challenges and as parents it can be difficult to keep up with decisions healthy communication.

The scope of teen adjustment issues is wide, and ranges from dealing with new schools, ADHD and oppositional disorder, to gender identity problems, life skills, grief and loss, academic underachievement, sexual abuse, anxiety, depression and self-esteem. Peer pressure has always been a problem for teenagers, as has bullying.

At the same time, some parents are becoming less engaged with their children, while others are over-involved. It is becoming harder to find the balance and ways to handle their behaviours in a way that will encourage your teenagers to share their experiences with you. If your child is acting out and rebellious, you have lost control and it is time to get counselling.

Teen adjustment issues professionals can help your family to once again become a functioning unit where each member's needs are met in a healthy way. Many therapists have years of experience in working with teens of all ages and they commonly deal with teen adjustment issues, such as suicidal thoughts and attempts, drug use, self mutilation, and eating disorders, to name a few.

Counsellors provide a professional, yet safe and nurturing environment for teens to explore their issues and to help teens get back on track. Therapists can also help parents to find balance and create coping strategies and solutions for their children's teen adjustment issues.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers youth counselling to address your child's  teen adjustment issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.