About

Kyle gripped his chair with white knuckles.

A 35-year old firefighter, Kyle was overwhelmed by the stress of his job. The physical risk involved in his line of work never used to bother him. He was young, naïve, and thought he was invincible.

Everything changed on the greatest day of his life. His daughter was born. In movies, we see this portrayed as unbridled joy.

However, reality does not always play out this way. Though Kyle was very excited to meet his daughter, he was stricken with feelings of impending doom.

PRESSURE began to crush him.

Responsibility never weighed so heavily. What kind of father would he be? Would he be a better father than his alcoholic and abusive father who abandoned him and his family?

What if something happens to him on the job? Who will support his wife and newborn? How will they manage without him? Worry snowballed into a dark place for Kyle. Most nights he couldn’t sleep.

Kyle’s drinking increased, and he shut his wife and daughter out. Kyle looked for therapists online for weeks, but he couldn’t pull the trigger on making the call for help. Every day he put it off, his condition worsened until his wife gave him an ultimatum. Get help or get out.

Kyle made the call.

He came in and sat down. “How are you today, Kyle?”

He immediately started to cry. Kyle was an intimidating physical specimen. It was clear that crying was foreign to him. The emotions spilled from him like a river. Behind the emotions were years of unvoiced thoughts and worries.

Memories from his childhood came bubbling to the surface. His shoulders dropped four inches, his grip on the armrest relaxed, color returned to his face. He found the capacity to survey his life and became overwhelmed with gratitude. Again, with the tears, this time of happiness.

Getting to what’s beneath the surface

Digging deeper is a journey one cannot not undertake alone. Taking the leap of faith and asking for assistance requires courage, but it is the first step in recovering a personality at the mercy of overwhelming sensations.

Once we are able to process the mountain of repressed emotion and repetitive thoughts, we begin to take an accurate account of what is happening in our lives. We find ourselves back in the driver’s seat.

People so often have negative impressions about therapy due to their fear, misunderstanding, or something they heard in their youth. If anybody ever told you that crying, asking for help, or going to therapy is a sign of weakness, then unfortunately you have been misled. Everyone needs help.

Tales of Hope & The Mental Health Toolbelt

Awareness is the first stage of change. You cannot change a problem if you are unaware it exists. Often people lack insight into what is fueling their struggles. You cannot know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been.

I work with you to face your challenges head-on and develop the skills to deal with difficult situations and emotions. I will prioritize helping you gather the right tools to get the job done.

We will work through strategies for contextualizing your overwhelm. We will gain insights on how to put things in perspective and escape mental loops.

When you initiate therapy at Kiner Psychology your life will change. Don’t wait another minute to take action.

Call today for a free consultation: (561) 329-4827.