Success Stories

Meet Carolyn: A Bridge to Clarity

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” – Roy T. Bennett.

You’re breathing, but no air is getting in. An overwhelming sense of dread splashes over you like a wave. A sinking feeling in your gut. Pounding in your chest…

Your mind becomes foggy like a thick cloud trapping you inside a haze. A series of scattered, rapid, negative thoughts swirl inside your mind, telling you that the worst is inevitable. You need to get out of there RIGHT NOW or else. Or else what? You don't know. But it's bad. Really bad.

The room you are in keeps shrinking smaller and smaller. Every breath you take causes more fog to flood your mind, inching you closer to complete disorientation. You can't breathe. Are you dying? You have to be dying. This is the symptom of a heart attack, right? Didn't you read that online somewhere? You need to leave. Why can't you leave? You're frozen in a loop of repetitive thinking. Trapped in a mental maze with no clear way out. Your eyes flicker back and forth for an exit. Any kind of exit. You're covered in sweat. Your hands are shaking. Why can't anyone see that you are in distress? Can't they see that you're dying?...

Carolyn didn’t know how to react after experiencing her first panic attack. She was left drained and exhausted, trying to wrap her brain around the sudden intense discomfort she just had. Never did she thought that her stress and anxiety would get to her… until her first panic attack was not her last.

While negative thoughts started to consume her, Carolyn continued to suffer from panic attacks daily. She began to lose interest in all social interactions and hobbies that she used to enjoy. Isolation became her only sanctuary, and she knew she couldn’t live like this any longer. Trying to gain some sense of control, Carolyn decides to work with Healing Bridges to improve her mental health.

Located within her home-town of Washington, this local behavioral health clinic, Healing Bridges, provides counseling, medication management, blended case management and supports coordination services for people living with mental health issues or developmental delays.

James was Carolyn’s first male therapist that she had ever had. She felt nervous and unsure at first, but she left her first session feeling comfortable and optimistic.

“My main priority was making sure Carolyn felt heard and seen during her first appointment,” James explained. “Once I could tell she was willing to work with me to build our relationship and improve her wellbeing, it became a lot easier to equip her with the coping strategies and prevention methods necessary to overcome her attacks, while simultaneously giving her the knowledge to restructure her thought process, helping to recognize her strengths and boost her confidence moving forward.”

After attending regular therapy sessions with James over the past five months, Carolyn now rarely experiences panic attacks and is preparing to spend some time out of town. With the help of Healing Bridges, Carolyn is now prioritizing self-care to maintain her positive outlook and avoid burnout.

“My mental health process has taught me that it takes time to feel better,” Carolyn said. “I will continue to manage my stress, process my unhealed emotions and try to be gentler to myself as I get ready for this big move.”

Mental health is often times debilitating. Join us in helping people like Carolyn rise above anxiety so they can live life without the fear of their own mind holding them back.