Peace of Mind
By: Carol Palmer, MSW
Bowdoin Street Health Center cares for and about the mental and physical health of families. In our culture, we have made great progress in the treatment of disorders in both areas. But it is also clear that it is much more acceptable to get help for physical problems than it is for mental or emotional problems. The fact is that usually physical and emotional symptoms are closely interrelated.
For example, if you get a severe headache, you might not be able to concentrate or to go to work. You might then worry, especially in these economic times, about whether you will lose your job if you take time off to get better. Also, with that headache, you may have difficulty getting the children dressed, fed and ready for the bus to go to school. You might have family or friends who can pitch in, at the moment, so you keep the kids home. But, you are worried about finances and you start becoming anxious and depressed. Maybe there have been others in your family who have been depressed and are not treated well. So you might not want to look for help with either the headache or the anxiety and depression. Mostly, you just feel badly and it doesn’t seem to go away.
When you are feeling down or in pain or discomfort, your family knows it and is affected by it. Your children may become anxious and start acting out. You get frustrated and irritated. Your relationship with your partner may become strained. Where can you get help?
You can call 617-754-0100 and make an appointment for counseling with one of our four licensed therapists. Counseling can be for you alone, for you and your partner or for your family as a unit. We start with where you are now and what problem you want to solve today. We want to help you to feel better and to find peace of mind.
