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Linda M. Shake, LPC, LMFT, PhD is a counselor in Corpus Christi, TX specializing in counseling and family therapy.
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Anxiety
Anxiety is a generic name given to a variety of conditions characterized by unusual amounts of fear and worry, especially unrealistic fears and tension. People who suffer from anxiety often are aware that their fears are irrational, but that knowledge does not make the feeling of being scared and anxious go away. To qualify as anxiety, symptoms must last for 6 months or more and interfere with the way a person lives their daily life. Some cases may be mild, where, for example, a person simply avoids certain situations. Other cases can be severe enough to be disabling.
Some of the specific conditions covered under the general label of anxiety include:
Collectively, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues diagnosed in the United States -- even more common than depression. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with anxiety, and it is extremely common for a person with anxiety to have another illness at the same time, such as depression, a physical illness, or substance abuse.
Treatment for anxiety usually involves medication and psychotherapy together. Medications used may include antidepressants (which also work for anxiety), anti-anxiety medications, or beta blockers (which can be used to control the physical symptoms of anxiety). Psychotherapy can be useful to teach patients new ways of thinking and reacting so that they can manage their feelings of worry and fear. Support groups can also be very effective for anxiety, and they can be a form of treatment themselves for social phobias. Stress management, relaxation techniques, and meditation all help reduce feelings of anxiety or of being out of control. Finally, having a strong support network of family and friends is an excellent way to help manage the difficulties of life with anxiety.
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy refers to a specific type of counseling where relationship issues are the focus of the treatment. It used to be referred to as marriage counseling and still may be called that in many places, but because participants are not always married to each other, couples therapy is a more accurate name.
Closely related to family therapy, couples therapy is a type of counseling that seeks to help couples improve their relationship. A therapist may teach each partner in the relationship specific skills, such as managing or expressing their emotions, conflict resolution, communication skills, and problem solving. Both people in the couple need to be committed to learning new skills themselves as well as putting effort into supporting the relationship. The typical goals of couples therapy are to decrease conflict, unhappiness, and resentment, as well as increase communication, intimacy, and connection.
Couples therapy may be offered privately, at a university, or in a group practice. It is usually short-term therapy, lasting a few weeks until the participants have learned new skills and have the ability to repair their relationship. Its effectiveness depends on the willingness of both participants to commit to therapy and make the relationship a priority. For many couples it can be extremely helpful.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD causes recurring nightmares, flashbacks, and disturbing memories about the traumatic event. It is frequently triggered by particularly intense and life-threatening incidents. For example, someone involved in a serious car accident may have severe anxiety about the accident months or even years later. War veterans and people involved in armed conflict are particularly prone to developing PTSD. In decades past, PTSD was called shellshock and was used to describe the negative emotions that soldiers endured from war. Today, medical professionals who treat PTSD recognize that it can occur in all types of people and can result from all types of traumatic incidents. It is not known exactly why some people develop PTSD, although PTSD frequently arises from:
People who have experienced significant and repeated trauma are more likely to develop PTSD. Those who have disorders like depression or a family history of depression may also be more prone to PTSD. PTSD symptoms typically begin one month to one year following the traumatic event. There are four main categories of PTSD symptoms:
The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can vary over time. PTSD symptoms may suddenly return after disappearing for years. Many PTSD patients find treatment helps to gradually reduce their symptoms over time.
The most common treatments for PTSD are psychotherapy and oral medications. Psychotherapy for PTSD can include cognitive therapy (therapy to change thought patterns), exposure therapy (therapy to confront memories of the traumatic incident) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). EMDR integrates exposure therapy with guided eye movements to help patients confront and process their trauma. Certain oral medications may help with PTSD, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. Self-care, support groups, and relaxation may also benefit those with PTSD.
The path to overcoming PTSD can be long and challenging and people with PTSD can benefit greatly by seeking professional treatment from a mental health care provider. Treatment can reduce PTSD symptoms, provide essential coping strategies, and improve one's quality of life.
She has a state license in Texas.
Licensed In: Texas
Linda M. Shake, LPC, LMFT, PhD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Linda M. Shake, LPC, LMFT, PhD from all over the web to help you find the right in Corpus Christi, TX.
I was blessed to work Dr. Shake from the age of 18 until the age of 36 (it took 18yrs for me to be broken down so only natural it took 18yrs to repair/find the real me. The second 18 years of my life was truly a time of discovering the authentic me and learning to understand that I was safe to be my authentic self. I came to Dr. Shake with severe C-PTSD that manifested in some extremely dangerous behaviors towards myself and a deeply ingrained negative view of myself. I will never forget my first appointment with Dr. Shake, who at the time was Linda Shake LPC/LMFT. I didn't say much at all, yet her response when I asked what she saw when looking at me, let me know that she truly cared/desired to help me and a willingness to patiently work with myself, a girl who had been through so much I had given up. I had seen so many "professionals" that looked at my symptoms (behaviors) and just gave up on me, so when I could see and feel that she looked at me and not my behavior, I got scared and vowed to make sure I kept her at a distance. I pushed so hard at times in an effort to "protect" myself from being let down again, feeling hurt when Dr. Shake gave up on me the way I expected her to based on my past experiences. I struggled with my desire to become healthy and whole and belief system about myself and incapability to ever achieve that desire. Dr. Shake never gave up/walked away, instead she believed in me, held me accountable, told me the things I didn't want to hear/knew I needed to hear and yet did so in a manner that never left me feeling belittled/degraded. When I had no faith she had enough for both of us. In the 18 years I was a patient I grew in every area of the word. I learned to accept and love myself. I earned my h.s. diploma, my AA and BA in psychology with minors in social work, sociology, and criminal justice. I also began working in this chosen field myself and have had great success as a result of the professional I experienced/witnessed a patient of Ms.Linda Shake. Since "graduating" therapy with Ms. Shake, I have gone on to grad school earning my degree in the same major/minors (major-psyvlchology minors in socialwork, sociology, and criminal justice. I have my LCDC and had the opportunity to be a part of a scholars program that allowed me to conduct research start to finish, and present my findings all over the country. I have been extremely successful with the majority of clients who were ages 13/14-23/25 and believe it is 50% or more because of what she not only taught me but showed me.
Dr. Linda Shake's areas of specialization are family therapy and counseling. Dr. Shake's areas of expertise include meditation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and couples therapy. She has an open panel in according to DocSpot.
