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3 Things to Ask Your Psychiatrist if You Are Considering Medication

How Long Will it Take for the Medication to Be Effective?

Sometimes medications can take months to have a noticeable impact on your life. Knowing this on the front end can help you develop realistic expectations and have a better idea of whether or not a medication works for you (assuming that you choose to take it). Before starting on a certain medication, talk to your psychiatrist and develop a timeframe that will help you have a better idea of what to expect, when to expect it, and whether or not the medication is working at all.

What Are the Side Effects and Potential Risks?

Sometimes the benefits of psychotropic or psychoactive medications do not outweigh the benefits. Many such medications may make your symptoms more bearable, but they may also come with significant risks for other mental and physical problems. For example, you may have reason to pause if a certain medication alleviates symptoms of depression but has been known to cause severe anxiety and insomnia (which can interfere with your social life, work performance, physical health, and more).

When considering a particular medication, it is also important to inquire about the prevalence of abuse and addiction among people who take it. Some medications, whether they are effective or not, can be habit-forming and are highly addictive. Don’t be taken by surprise on this one.

Is the Medication Known by Other Names or Used for Multiple Purposes?

Sometimes a mental health medication will, indeed, work to combat the symptoms you are experiencing, but also have other effects that are not directly related to your condition. For example, a medication for ADHD may improve your ability to focus, but the same medication may also be used as an appetite suppressant for persons suffering from bulimia nervosa. If you are not aware that the two are one in the same, you may be oblivious to the fact that the medication could result in you losing an unhealthy amount of weight, feeling full when you haven’t eaten, and having difficulty maintaining a proper diet.

Mental Health Care in Chico & Surrounding Communities

At Therapeutic Solutions, we believe in helping people by providing a wide range of solutions. Whether you are struggling with depression, drug addiction, or anything in between, our qualified psychiatrists and mental health providers are here to help you find answers and solutions that work for you. Let us come alongside you and clear the path toward recovery.

Call (530) 899-3150 today to speak to a member of our kind, compassionate team in Chico.

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What if Antidepressants Don’t Work for Me?

You may have to test out a few different treatment options before finding an effective remedy for your depression. With the availability of multiple medications, therapy techniques, and potential root causes, it can be difficult to nail down the right approach. For over 10% of Americans, antidepressants are the remedy of choice. However, antidepressants can be tricky, and it can often be difficult to gauge whether they are hurting, helping, or having any effect at all.

Given the painful, restrictive nature of unresolved depression, it is important to quickly identify which treatments work and which ones don’t. If you are in dire need of a depression treatment that works, spending months on a medication that has no effect can create deepened distress, discouragement, and additional risk of suicide or self-harm.

How to Know if Your Antidepressant Isn’t Working

Many people who take antidepressants report that they see little to no change since starting an antidepressant regimen, and others report that their trusted antidepressant medication no longer has any positive effects. In other cases, an antidepressant may produce strong positive emotions in conjunction with other confusing or negative side effects, making it difficult to tell whether it’s actually helping.

Here are a few signs your antidepressant may be working against you or not working at all:

  • Worsened symptoms of depression: Antidepressants, though intended to improve your symptoms, can actually make them much worse. If you become more deeply depressed and/or experience nervousness, anxiety, and restlessness your antidepressant may be making your depression worse.
  • Reduced control over emotions: If you experience intense mood swings, heightened or disproportionate emotional responses, and a sense that your emotions are controlling you, rather than the reverse, your antidepressant may be loosening your grip on your mental health and deepening your depression.
  • Suicidal thoughts or hallucinations: Sometimes, antidepressants can cause intense suicidal thoughts and tendencies and even produce hallucinations, in some cases. If you are experiencing any of the above, stop taking your antidepressant immediately and seek help right away.
  • Reduced positive effects: If you’ve been taking an antidepressant for an extended period of time and it has stopped delivering the positive results it once did, you may have built up a resistance or an immunity to that particular medication or that dose. However, it is crucial to consult your doctor or other mental health professional before you increase your dose or stop taking it all together.

There are a number of reasons your antidepressant may not be working and a number of ways its ineffectiveness may manifest itself in your life. If you think your antidepressant is not working, has stopped working, or is hurting you, don’t give up hope. There are a wide variety of treatment options for depression, and there are plenty of other techniques and medications out there that may help you cope and resume your normal life.

Treatment for Depression in Chico and Northern California

At Therapeutic Solutions, we believe in providing tailored, personalized care for every client, and we know that no two cases of depression are the same. We are experienced in a number of different treatment options and are committed to providing the highest quality mental and behavioral health services to our neighbors and friends in Chico and Northern California.

Some of the mental health treatments we offer include:

  • Electroconvulsive Therapy: This may be a suitable option if you have not experienced success with antidepressants or other medications. It has proven valuable for patients who have developed a tolerance to antidepressants or who have allergies or other physical intolerances that keep them from using medication.
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: If you have suffered with depression for a long time and are still struggling to find a healthy way out, TMS may provide a helpful alternative. If you have a physical or biological intolerance to antidepressants or have not seen success with medication, talk to one of our behavioral health therapists to find out if this is a viable option for you.
  • Partial Hospitalization Program: If your antidepressants have been ineffective or stopped working and you have been hospitalized or seriously hurt as a result, partial hospitalization may provide a viable, affordable alternative to spending time in the hospital. This program provides participants with access to counseling, personalized care, transportation to and from appointments, and more.

If your antidepressants or other depression treatment method is failing, it is not the end. Our compassionate team is here to help make sure you are treated in a way that is helpful, not harmful, and that you have the opportunity to consider your options in order to find one that works.

Call (530) 899-3150 to speak to one of our friendly team members today.

Additional Reading on Depression

We have treated many people suffering from depression and are happy to provide you with the answers you need. If you have a lot of questions about depression, antidepressants, and available treatments, check out our blog:

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Is There a Connection Between Depression and Allergies?

Woman with postpartum depression symptoms.

Understanding the Correlation Between Allergies and Depression

Untreated allergies can make you miserable. Between the coughing, sneezing, itching, and watery eyes, you may feel like a completely different person during allergy season.

Or, perhaps your allergies aren’t seasonal and your symptoms aren’t anything like those of hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Maybe you are allergic to certain foods, animals, or other specific substances, and your allergies make it more difficult for you to sleep, breathe, concentrate, exercise, and perform other normal functions.

In either case, allergies can have adverse effects on your mood and has been linked to feelings of sadness and mental sluggishness.

How Allergies Can Make You Depressed

To be clear, there is no apparent, causal relationship between allergies and depression. However, people who live with persistent allergy symptoms are more likely to have a difficult time meeting the demands of their day-to-day life and may feel general gloomy and lethargic as a result.

Sleep is one of the primary factors in this equation. Allergies often make it more difficult to experience continuous, restful, deep sleep. As a result, many people with allergies are likely to experience negative mood changes. While this doesn’t necessarily mean people with allergy-related melancholy are suffering from clinical depression, it does merit our attention.

How Do I Know if My Depression Is Allergy-Related?

If your allergies are what is making you feel sad or lethargic, allergy treatment may be the best course of action for dealing with your depression. However, if there are other emotional or psychological factors at play, getting rid of your allergy symptoms won’t deal with the root cause of your struggle.

The best way to figure out the right course of action is to identify the factors that are contributing to your depression. You can do so by talking to your doctor about your allergies and your feelings of depression, as well consulting with a psychiatrist.

Behavioral Health Assessment in Chico

Our team at Therapeutic Solutions offers behavioral health assessments to people in Northern California. Even if you are unsure whether or not your depression symptoms are linked to allergies, we can help you evaluate your mental health and all potential treatment options. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with someone who can help.

Take your life and your mood back into your own hands. Call Therapeutic Solutions today at (530) 899-3150 to speak to one of our kind, knowledgeable team members.

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Tips for Parenting an Adolescent with Anxiety

Where Does Anxiety Come From?

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stressful situations, and being nervous or anxious in some situations or seasons of life is merely a part of the human experience. In many ways, nervousness and anxiety clue us in when there is danger, potential discomfort, or some sort of threat and help us deal with difficult or scary situations.

Your teen may experience a bout of nerves or fear when preparing to make a presentation, starting out in a new school, or talking to someone of the opposite sex. This is likely normal. (However, if you are concerned about your child’s level of anxiety, it is always best to consult a professional, just in case.)

While anxiety is not itself a bad or inherently unhealthy thing, too much anxiety can be harmful, especially for children and teenagers. Controlling, irrational fear, on the other hand, has the potential to be quite damaging for your child if not properly dealt with.

How Do I Know if My Teen Has Anxiety?

Anxiety Disorder is not uncommon, but it does come in varying degrees and can be difficult to spot. When talking with your child, here are a few questions you may wish to ask gently:

  • “Why do you feel anxious?”: If your child feels anxious for legitimate reasons, this may not be reason enough to pursue therapy, counseling, or other mental health care. However, it may indicate that your child’s emotional health can be improved by addressing the source of anxiety, such as not having enough time to study, feeling unsafe at home or at school, feeling overwhelmed by a packed schedule, or any other circumstantial basis for feeling worried and stressed.
  • “How much time do you spend worrying about stressful things?”: If your child is spending an excessive amount of time and energy worrying about things, it could be a sign that they have too much anxiety or that they aren’t dealing with it in a healthy way. For example, worrying about an upcoming test is normal, but if a child experiences stress dreams, loss of appetite, or emotional breakdowns in response to the upcoming test, they may have too much anxiety or may not know how to deal with stress properly.
  • “Do you compulsively check on things?”: Repeatedly checking on the same things to ensure they are done correctly is an anxious behavior. If your child is constantly checking things to make sure they haven’t made a mistake, this could be a sign that they are too keyed up and worried.
  • “Does anxiety ever keep you from functioning properly or cause you to freeze up?”: Too much anxiety can cause your child to have great difficulty interacting with their peers, completing tests, speaking in front of other people, passing a driving exam, or other important things. Worry is one thing, but paralyzing fear is another.

Tips for Discussing Anxiety with Your Child

When speaking with your child and asking about their stress level, remember to be as gentle and non-confrontational as possible in order to encourage honesty, openness, and vulnerability. Children and teenagers whose stress levels are on the fritz may have difficulty discussing their mental health and the sources of their worry, especially if they do not feel as though they can freely discuss their feelings. However, even if your child is not entirely comfortable discussing their anxiety or answering questions, it is still important to bring it up and offer your support and listening ear.

Besides talking about it with them, one of the best things you can do for an adolescent child who is struggling with anxiety is to remain calm and collected, especially when they are at their most worried. Emotional stability on your part can help create a safe environment for teenagers and children dealing with anxiety.

Help for Parents of Adolescents and Teens with Anxiety

If your child is dealing with anxiety, Therapeutic Solutions is here to help. Our team of compassionate mental and behavioral health specialists can help you and your child understand the problem at hand and figure out the best path forward. Our Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (A-IOP) allows you to take advantage of the services your child needs while keeping them in school and maintaining your family’s normal routine as much as possible.

Call (530) 899-3150 to learn more about the services we offer and how we can serve your family.

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More than Moodiness? How to Know if Your Teen Is Suffering from Depression

The teenage years are already fraught with hormonal, emotional, and social challenges, and tend to be difficult for even the most stable, healthy kids. Because the teen years are inherently difficult, bouts of moodiness or angst are not uncommon. However, depression is not part of the coming-of-age process and should be taken seriously if it rears its ugly head in the life of your child.

Potential Symptoms of Teen Depression

If you suspect your teenage child may be suffering from something more than melancholy, there are a few things you should watch out for. You may have cause for concern if your child exhibits any of the following:

  • Social isolation
  • Disconnection from or conflict with close friends and family members
  • New disinterest in normal hobbies or activities
  • Difficulty with concentration and memory
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Poor performance in school
  • Poor self-esteem
  • Drug and alcohol use
  • Irritability and agitation, even over minor issues
  • Self-harm and self-mutilation
  • Significant weight gain or weight loss
  • Major changes in diet and appetite
  • Angry fits and emotional outbursts

Also pay attention to the ways your child speaks about themselves and the way they talk about the future. Tune in if your child consistently refers to themselves in a derogatory manner or displays signs of self-hatred, shame, or a sense of worthlessness. If your child seems particularly focused on their failures or shortcomings or tends to view the future as bleak and hopeless, these could also be signs of depression.

My Teen Needs Help Immediately – What Can I Do?

Many people who experience depression, especially teenagers, tend to be highly pessimistic about the future, to the point of wanting to take their own life. If your child is having thoughts of suicide or has indicated that they have thought about how they would kill themselves, immediate intervention may be necessary. Call 911 immediately and do not leave your child alone if they have attempted suicide or have indicated that they have made a plan to kill or harm themselves.

How Can I Help My Teenager Deal with Depression?

Symptoms of depression can worsen over time and become more and more heightened and difficult to treat if not addressed quickly. However, parents who are concerned about the wellbeing of a depressed teenager need not go in alone. Our team of therapists at Therapeutic Solutions is here to serve you, your child, and your family during this difficult time and work with you to address the challenges your teen is experiencing.

Call Therapeutic Solutions for Help Treating Teen Depression

Our Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (A-IOP) is designed for teenagers who are facing emotional and behavioral difficulties, including depression. While your teen is enrolled in our program, we provide them with helpful tools to foster strong family relationships, positive communication, and healthy conflict resolution, in addition to equipping them with strategies for managing and coping with depression.

One of the greatest barriers to participation in programs like ours tends to be scheduling. In order to ensure your child has access to the help they need, we have structure our A-IOP in order to accommodate your family’s schedule and keep your child in school during regular hours.

For more information regarding our Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program or any of our other emotional and behavioral health programs, call (530) 899-3150 to speak to one of our caring staff members, or send us an email to request your first appointment.

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Local Spotlight on Running Brave: The Race to End Suicide

On March 31, 2018, the Therapeutic Solutions team will be at One Mile Recreation Area for Running Brave Chico: The Race to End Suicide, as volunteers, runners, and a resource for the community. Here at Therapeutic Solutions, our staff and care providers know that our work to support positive mental and behavioral health does not end at our office doors, and that the fight to prevent suicide and promote wellness needs to reach far and wide in the communities we serve. That is why we have chosen to help bring the first Running Brave event to Chico, California.

Running Brave is an effort to raise awareness about suicide and promote initiatives to prevent it. The event originated in Redding but is making its way to Chico at the end of March for the first time. Hundreds of community members will be in attendance as runners, walkers, volunteers, resources, and event supporters, to show their support and raise funds for the local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This event will be held on Saturday, March 31st from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, and includes many ways to support the cause:

  • A professionally timed 5K & 10K race
  • A one-mile fun run/walk
  • A Running Brave T-Shirt for all race registrants
  • Prizes for top finishers in each race
  • Pre-race and post-race activities for the community, such as:
    • Music
    • Giveaways
    • Speakers on mental health
    • A local mental health & suicide prevention resource fair

Therapeutic Solutions provides a variety of resources for those who have been impacted by mental and behavioral health concerns. We believe that everyone can get better, and that everyone can find happiness in their lives, and we will continue to do our part to support the patients and clients who seek out our services in their journey to wellness through scientifically proven treatments and compassionate therapeutic services.

But, the work doesn’t end there.

Happiness starts with each and every one of us doing our part to foster wellness in our communities, our families, and ourselves. If you are interested in getting involved in suicide prevention efforts, here are a few ways to get started now:

Find us at our Running Brave table, and let’s continue the conversation about suicide prevention in our communities. We hope to see you on March 31st for the Race to End Suicide.

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Is Electroconvulsive Therapy Safe?

Despite its consistent positive effects, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) gets a bad rap. The practice began in the 1940s and, in its early days, caused injury, memory loss, and brain damage for patients, which has been heavily reported by news media since then. It is colloquially referred to as “shock therapy,” which certainly contributes its unfavorable public perception.

According to the Mayo Clinic, much of the fear and negative coverage of ECT “is based on early treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia.” However, “[ECT] now uses electric currents given in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks.”

How Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Work?

Before ECT is performed, a patient will be given anesthesia and electrodes will be applied to the head. A small, controlled electric current is administered, causing a brief seizure. Patients are not awake during the procedure, nor do they feel pain during the seizure.

Contrary to popular belief, ECT does not merely “shock” people out of depression and other mental illnesses. It is designed to trigger changes in brain chemistry that can provide relief from depression, psychosis, catatonia, and other painful, disruptive mental health problems, and continues to create positive results and lift what many patients call “the clouds” of depression.

When Is Electroconvulsive Therapy Appropriate?

It is often assumed that ECT is used as a quick alternative to long-term treatment and therapy. However, it is actually intended to be an alternative for people who have not responded to medications and other forms of treatment for depression and other mental illnesses.

If you have experienced the continued, unmitigated effects of depression for a long time and have yet to see any success using antidepressants or other treatment methods, ECT may be a good option. It may also be necessary if you have not found any treatments that work and continue to experience suicidal thoughts or other symptoms of depression, schizophrenia, or other mental illness that pose an immediate danger to your life and well-being. ECT may also be a helpful alternative for people who suffer from allergies or other intolerances that keep them from taking medications.

Electroconvulsive Therapy and Mental Health Care in Chico

Contact Therapeutic Solutions today if you are suffering from depression or any other mental illness and have not been able to find relief in other treatments. Our board-certified psychiatrists are able to work with you to find a solution that works, and our entire staff is committed to providing the highest quality mental and behavioral health care in Northern California.

Call (530) 899-3150 today or contact us to request an appointment with our friendly staff members.

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Can Morning Rituals Calm Anxiety?

While you might brush your teeth every morning before starting the day, you might not have a precise morning routine to rely on. For some, creating a morning ritual has helped them cope with the anxiety they experience during the day.

Some people wake with anxiety, whether it’s before the alarm even sounds or arising with anxious or troubled thoughts on the brain. Starting the day like this can be exhausting. However, if you create a morning ritual to calm your anxiety, it might curb the bulk of it before it ruins the rest of your day.

Ritual has been part of the human experience for thousands of years. These routines soothe the psyche because they’re done regularly and predictably. Likewise, they’re comfortably rhythmic and allow us some measure of control over what we do.

The most effective type of anxiety-reducing ritual should take place as close to the same time each day as possible. This will establish a routine your brain will come to rely on. Likewise, your brain will make a connection between the time of day, place of the ritual, activities done, and reduced anxiety; meaning, simply seeing or being otherwise reminded of the routine will induce calm.

Also, make sure to pick a comfortable, pleasant place for your morning ritual. You want this place to be physically enjoyable for you. If you have pets or family members who might interrupt you, make sure to establish boundaries with them in advance, which will allow you to perform your ritual uninterrupted.

There is no best possible routine for every person; rather, people all have something that best suits them, their personalities, and their unique anxieties. Whatever that activity is for you, make sure you do it each morning at a set time in a set place to induce peace and reduce stress. Simple activities you enjoy doing are some of the best options. However, if you want some suggestions, you could try some of the following:

  • Writing affirmations
  • Watching fish in an aquarium
  • Drinking tea, decaffeinated coffee, or water
  • Mindfully eating something healthy
  • Meditating
  • Journaling
  • Deep breathing
  • Taking a mindfulness walk
  • Goal setting for the day
  • Making an action plan for a low-anxiety day

Make sure whatever you decide to do in the morning, it brings you a sense of joy, peace, and calm.

If you’re dealing with overwhelming anxiety, consider talking to one of our Chico mental health professionals. Therapeutic Solutions has been helping Northern California residents cope with their mental health disorder since 2008. Whether you have a behavioral health issue or you need coping strategies for your anxiety, we can help. Our clinic is well-equipped to deliver the comprehensive care and treatment you need in a warm, comfortable environment. Our staff of board-certified psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists have extensive training in the behavioral health field, and we have a broad range of programs to choose from to meet your individual needs. We can offer you two decades of experience in high-quality care.

Contact us at (530) 899-3150 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment with us today. If you would like to refer a patient, you can do so on our online form here. We look forward to speaking with you!

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Does Sunlight Help with Anxiety?

Man with anxiety looking out sunny window.

Scientists have been studying the connection between anxiety and sunlight, finding in many cases, that sunlight levels are linked to anxiety and possibly panic disorder. While there have already been links found between sunlight levels and depression, the inclusion of anxiety in research might allow people to discover more strategies to reduce anxiety levels.

There are no definitive links so far, but researchers are still finding a connection. When people’s serotonin levels drop, this is a major factor in depression and seasonal affective disorder, which can happen when individuals don’t get enough sunlight. However, while there’s less of a connection between sunlight and anxiety, there is still a connection.

According to studies, there doesn’t appear to be a direct cause-and-effect relationship between sunlight levels and anxiety, people can and do experience increased anxiety and panic in response to less sun exposure.

How Does Sunlight Increase Serotonin?

Sunlight and darkness each trigger the release of hormones in the brain. Sunlight triggers serotonin and darkness triggers melatonin. The hormone serotonin is associated with improved mood and helping one feel focused and calm. The effects of serotonin are triggered by sunlight that enters your body through the eye. Sunlight cues special areas in the retina, which triggers the release of serotonin. Without enough exposure to the sun, your serotonin levels can dip. Lower levels of serotonin can pose a higher risk of depression and anxiety.

Physical & Mental Benefits of Sunlight

Sunlight offers a lot of benefits to the human body, including mental health benefits. It increases serotonin production as well as Vitamin D levels. Each of these plays a significant role in proper health and functioning, including mental health.

However, there is a potential additional benefit to sunlight for people who experience anxiety—it’s possible the sun reduces anxiety because it influences how we live our lives. When the sun is out, we tend to be more active, potentially spending more time in nature. These activities boost well-being and reduce anxiety.

In order to reduce your anxiety, you might want to consider incorporating some nature into your plans for a lower-stress, higher-quality life. Go outside every hour or so to enjoy the sun. If you have the chance to go on a short hike, do so. While research is still being done to shed light on the connection between sunlight levels and anxiety, there is enough evidence to show sunlight does give us some mental health advantages.

If you’re having problems with anxiety, talk to one of our Chico mental health professionals. Therapeutic Solutions can provide you or a loved one with professional and compassionate behavioral health services. We have 20 years of combined experienced in helping people cope with their mental health issues, and we are well-equipped to deliver the comprehensive care and treatment you need. Let us see what we can do for you in an appointment.

Call us at (530) 899-3150 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment today. If you’d like to refer a patient, you can do so online here. We look forward to speaking with you!

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Understanding Alternative Mental Health Care

Alternative approaches to mental health care rely on more than just therapy sessions and medication to solve the problem. They include an emphasis on the interrelationship between mind, body, and spirit. Although alternative practices have a long history, they also remain a controversial alternative or additive to traditional Western mental health care. Here are a few examples of some alternative mental health care methods and how they might help various people cope with mental health disorders.

Self-Help Groups

Finding and interacting with individuals who have gone through similar experiences to yours is an invaluable tool. Self-help groups for various mental illnesses are invaluable for recovery and self-empowerment. Instead of relying on a person who may or may not have experienced something similar to you, a self-help group is full of individuals who can fully empathize with what you are going through. These groups or meetings involve some of the following:

  • People who have similar needs
  • Facilitation by a survivor or other layperson
  • Assistance with life-disrupting events, such as death, serious accidents, abuse, addiction, or diagnosis of a mental, physical, or emotional disability
  • Operation on an informal, free-of-charge, and nonprofit basis
  • Voluntary, anonymous, and confidential
  • Provide support and education

Diet and Nutrition

While diet and nutrition can’t solve a hormonal imbalance, they can certainly make symptoms better. Adjusting what you eat can help some people with mental illnesses. For example, some studies show eliminating milk and wheat products can reduce the severity of symptoms for those who have schizophrenia or some children who have autism. Likewise, some physicians use various holistic substances to treat anxiety, depression, autism, drug-induced psychoses, and hyperactivity; for example, some doctors use herbal treatments, riboflavin, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, and thiamine in treatments.

Religious Counseling

Some people find it infinitely more soothing to speak with their religious leaders rather than a therapist, who isn’t associated with any particular religious community. Religious leaders sometimes have training in counseling, but for those who find praying helpful in relieving stress, therapy from their priest or pastor can have the additional advantage of coming from the same set of spiritual beliefs. Counselors working in traditional faith communities often find a need to incorporate psychotherapy and/ or medication along with prayer and spirituality to help someone effectively with mental disorders.

Animal Assisted Therapies

Many people have found working with an animal or animals under the guidance of a health care professional may benefit some people with mental illnesses by facilitating positive changes, such as acquiring better socialization skills and increased empathy. Animals can also be used as part of group therapy programs to encourage communication and improve people’s ability to focus. Individual animal therapy has also helped in developing self-esteem and reducing loneliness and anxiety.

Expressive Therapy

Expressive therapy includes expressing oneself through art as a means of communication and dealing with stress. For example, art therapy uses drawing, painting, and sculpting to help people resolve inner conflicts, release deeply repressed emotions, develop self-awareness, and foster personal growth. Some mental health professionals use art therapy as a diagnostic tool and as a way to help treat disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and abuse-related trauma.

Other treatments include dance/ movement therapy and music/ sound therapy. Dance/ movement therapy allows people recovering from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse regain a sense of ease with their own bodies. Music therapy helps improve blood flow, blood pressure, breathing, pulse rate, and posture. Research shows music stimulates the body’s opiates and endorphins, providing a natural “feel good” response to listening to it. Music/ sound therapy has been used to treat stress, grief, depression, autism in children, schizophrenia, and other mental health issues. It has also been used to diagnose mental health needs.

Culturally Based Healing Arts

Many non-Western cultures have healing practices many health professional use in conjunction with traditional Western medicine. For example, acupuncture, shiatsu, reiki, Ayurveda, yoga, sweat lodges, and talking circles all apply beliefs from non-Western cultures that emphasize the following:

  • Wellness is a balancing of the physical, spiritual, and mental/ emotional selves
  • Illnesses are caused by imbalances in the body
  • This imbalance can be corrected by herbal/ natural remedies, nutrition and exercise, and meditation and/or prayer

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be used to help those who suffer from addiction by way of detoxification, to alleviate anxiety and stress, to treat ADHD in children, and to treat the negative side effects of depression. It is also used to help those suffering from physical ailment, such as chronic back pain. Some insurance companies even cover the cost of several acupuncture treatments to treat various illnesses and conditions.

Ayurveda

Ayurvedic medicine incorporates an individualized regimen to treat a variety of different conditions. For example, providing people with a healthy diet, meditation, herbal preparations, or other techniques has helped treat depression, facilitate lifestyle changes, and release stress and tension through meditation or yoga.

Native American Traditional Practices

Part of Indian Health Service programs to treat depression, stress, trauma, and substance abuse includes ceremonial dances, cleansing rituals, and chants.

Yoga/ Meditation

Yoga and meditation can help people breathe more easily, improve posture, increase flexibility, and decrease stress. Some mental health providers encourage people to take up yoga or meditation in combination with other treatments to combat depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.

Cuentos

Cuentos originated in Puerto Rico. Based on folktales, therapists use stories containing healing themes and models of behavior, such as self-transformation and endurance through adversity. This therapy is used primarily to help Hispanic children recover from depression and other mental health issues related to leaving one’s home and living in a foreign culture.

Relaxation and Stress-Reduction Techniques

Using various relaxation and stress-reduction techniques have helped many people manage their mental health disorders. For example, the following have been used successfully to treat such mental health issues as stress, depression, panic disorders, phobias, and addiction:

  • Biofeedback
  • Guided imagery/ visualization
  • Telemedicine
  • Massage therapy
  • Phone counseling
  • Electronic communications
  • Radio psychiatry

Technology, in particular, has made it much easier for people to seek help anonymously and without the added stress of leaving the house. For people in more rural areas, technology has also allowed them to seek counseling when none was previously available in their city or town. It has also contributed to online consumer groups exchanging information, views on mental health, experiences, alternative medicine, treatment systems, and so on, helping them seek alternative treatment methods they had never before considered.

If you or a loved one have a mental health issue, consider talking to one of our Chico mental health professionals about it. Therapeutic Solutions has more than 20 years of combined experience in helping people with behavioral health issues, such as anxiety and depression. We believe in a multi-disciplinary approach because we believe it is the most effective way to provide quality care. Let us talk to you about the various programs we offer in an appointment.

Contact us at (530) 899-3150 or fill out our online form to request an appointment. If you’d like to refer someone, you can also visit our page to refer a patient today. We look forward to speaking with you!

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Our Locations:

Our Chico Office

3255 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95973

Our Spokane Office

1620 North Mamer Road
Building B-100
Spokane, WA 99216
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Now offering telehealth services to all of California, Washington & Idaho.

  • Chico Hours:
    • Monday - Friday
      8:00am - 5:00pm
    • Saturday & Sunday
      Closed
  • Spokane Hours:
    • Monday - Friday
      8:00am - 5:00pm
    • Saturday & Sunday
      Closed

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as medical advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, a doctor-patient relationship.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

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