“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell I have heard many stories from people about losing a job, or ending a relationship. Sometimes you have no choice but to let go of some piece of your life. It may feel like the end of the world. Former U.S. President Barack Obama said, “The only thing that’s the end of the world is the end of the world.”

When you’ve been struggling with anxiety or depression for awhile it can be hard to feel that there is any hope for things to change. Added to how stuck you might be feeling is the constant reinforcement in our culture of the idea of a quick fix. It's the "Here, just do this one thing and you will feel better indefinitely" kind of attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about people getting relief as quickly as possible. It’s just that this kind of attitude can be a setup when what is needed is patience, time, and realistic, achievable goals.

What is Trauma? Trauma is a significant, upsetting experience or event. If you can’t identify one single event that could have had a huge effect on you, know that trauma can also result from ongoing similar experiences or events. Signs that you’ve been traumatized can vary from typical symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, to a vague sense that your feelings of fear or anger seem exaggerated. Something to ask yourself is, does your level of fear or anger seem larger, more dramatic than seems appropriate to the situation.