Self Help Videos Click on Photo

Self Help Videos! Click Here. 

Secondhand Blues: depression is contagious.

 Click Here for Family Springtime Fun

 Financial Help for You

Managing Debt

S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective 

Disorder "The Winter Blues"

"10 Things Your Therapist Won't Tell You"

from Smart Money Magazine

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Sixty-four percent of online teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about

A good place to start is Digital Technology 101, which provides parents with simple information to help you understand new technologies and monitor your teen’s digital activities in the interest of safety.

 Dealing with a Critical Spouse?

Yes, you CAN stop arguing!

Improving Your Relationships

Between Client and Therapist

 Depression can be understood in part as a disorder of connection; as a result, the fastest way out of it is through improving your skills of connection with others. One of the most helpful elements in recovery is the quality of the relationship with the therapy professional and how consistent and trustworthy the connection remains between client and therapist.

The patient-therapist relationship becomes a guide to wellness for many reasons, but the most important may be because it is a kind of living laboratory of all relationships. In addition, the exchange of support acts as a catalyst, hastening recovery and fostering hope. How do you mobilize this most important resource for recovery? CLICK HERE

Drug Abuse out of the Medicine Cabinet?

Yes, more kids are trading, selling and sharing RX meds. Why? Because they can.

Click on the picture. This website is very helpful and gives you some information and choices to make about doing something about your teen's possible drug use.

"Don't Blame Me!"

Did you catch that commercial of the corner drug dealer stationed at his "office pay phone" wearing his open yellow shirt? He complains about his loss of business. He says that kids are getting their drugs for free and he says, "Don't blame me!"

Here is some info on Prescription Drug Abuse: (click on the picture below for that commercial and others)

Parent's Panic Button

Adult ADD

See resources at the bottom of this article.

Adults with AD/HD are often bored with repetitive, tedious,  tasks. They may also have trouble with planning and organization. Procrastination is common.

Impulsivity may lead to frequent job changes, troubled romantic relationships, financial problems and a tendency to annoy others when they frequently interrupt.

Students have trouble staying focused on normal everyday schedules, tasks, paperwork or lectures.

The AD/HD adult often becomes frustrated or angry rapidly, but may cool off equally quickly. He or she is then left wondering why everyone else is still upset after the outburst. He/she is often blamed as selfish and immature because they do not keep committments.

Adult ADD is the name given to a variety of syndromes in which psychological functions such as planning, managing time and tasks, and making thoughtful decisions are impaired.  People with this disorder have serious problems in one or more of the following areas:

• tuning out distractions

• beginning and finishing tasks

• organizing and remembering information and possessions

• tardiness

• poor ability to keep priorities

Individuals with the disorder can get lost doing unimportant activities, heedless of more important jobs that need to be done.  At times, they may have difficulty with their short term memory.  They may not fulfill their obligations until the last moment or complete a task only when they feel an external pressure to do so.  Symptoms are particularly difficult to those whose work involves target dates and/or organizing and recalling involved data. 

People suffering from ADD often feel unfairly nagged by those around them and sometimes become defiant when confronted with their performance problems. 

"I feel people do not like me or understand me most of the time!" 

Their underachievement often leads to reduced self-esteem, depression and anxiety.  Some undertake psychotherapy to deal with interpersonal conflicts that are caused by the disorder or to gain control over their seeming negligence.  

Mild or non-specific deficits of executive functions, such as planning and organizing, are common in the general population, particularly among older people. Decision making and logic abilities may also be affected by injury to the brain, fatigue, alcoholism, Alzheimer's, and other medical disorders.  In addition, other disorders, including learning disabilities, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, may impair these dysfunctions.

ADD first becomes evident in childhood although frequently it is not recognized at the time.  Many people are able to compensate for their symptoms until they are faced with especially challenging tasks in high school, college, the workplace or parenting.  Since ADD has a strong hereditary component, ADD in a child is an indicator that one or both parents may suffer from ADD and vice versa.

ADD is associated with abnormalities in various parts of the brain, especially the frontal lobes.  At the present time, there is no definitive test for the disorder.  The diagnosis is based on a thorough assessment of a person's present and past functioning and, if possible, the report of a friend or relative who has observed the individual's daily behavior. 

As with most psychological disorders, the severity of the symptoms and their impact on the patient's life are important factors to consider in deciding whether to make a diagnosis.  Psychological testing can sometimes be helpful in identifying learning problems that may need special attention.  They should never be used as the sole basis for making the diagnosis since some people with ADD can concentrate long enough to do well on tests or an interview but still have disabling ADD symptoms. 

On the other hand, symptom questionnaires filled out by the patient or someone who knows the patient well can be useful for rapidly determining and monitoring over time the most significant areas of dysfunction. (See resource below.)

Medication has been found to be effective for about 60-75% of adults with ADD in reducing or eliminating many symptoms of the disorder.   Because other disorders that disturb executive function may resemble ADD, a careful assessment should be carried out by an experienced clinician before treatment is undertaken.

It is important to stay committed to treatment and cooperative with your healthcare professional. Some people have a difficulty finding the most "effective" medication and find those with fewer side effects. Do not be surprised if more than one medication may be necessary.

Are You Living with Adult ADD? (click here for a questionnaire)

Hate to Wait? Here’s Help

Stop, Think and then Speak 

Avoiding Fights On The Job 

When Your Adult Spouse has ADD

Married to It (ADD)

Communication in Relationships

Click On the Photo

Click Here for: Seasons of Love Video!

Welcome!

Gil Garcia,  MSW

Individual, Couple and Family Therapist

In-Person Services available in Menominee and Stephenson, Michigan 

What We Do

We provide effective and experienced professional counseling for depression, anxiety, family problems, anger, persistent worry, abusive relationships, parenting, marriage counseling, couple counseling, step family issues, divorce issues, trauma, behavior problems and mood disorders. We work individuals, couples, and clients of all ages.

Gil Garcia has been serving the communities of Northeast Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan since 1978. Since that time we have provided services to  individuals and families, employers, business concerns, churches, schools, hospitals, home health care services, nursing homes, daycare centers, our local university and technical college, veteran services, medical clinics, local governments, and law enforcement. 

Where We Are: (click address)
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View Larger Map">Menominee Office 3612 13th St.  Menominee, MI 49858

Counseling Teens and Parents

Depression/Anxiety

Depression/Mood Problems

Depression and anxiety disorders are not the same though, although at first glance they seem very similar. Depression generates emotions such as hopelessness, despair and anger. Energy levels are usually very low, and depressed people often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day tasks and personal relationships so essential to life.

Anxiety/Panic/Excessive Worry

A person with anxiety disorder, however, experiences fear, panic or anxiety in situations where most people would not feel anxious or threatened. The sufferer may experience sudden panic or anxiety attacks without any recognized trigger, and often lives with a constant nagging worry or anxiousness. Without treatment, such disorders can restrict a person’s ability to work, maintain relationships, or even leave the house.

We know calling and asking for help can be a difficult decision to make. Call us when you're ready. We believe you'll be relieved.

Our phones are answered LIVE 24/7 to answer your questions and schedule appointments.
Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you. (866) 903-6000 or (906) 864-2208.

Feel Free to call

We know calling and asking for counseling help can be a difficult decision to make.                  

Call us when you're ready.

Our phones are answered LIVE 24/7 to answer your questions and schedule appointments.
Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you. (866) 903-6000 or (906) 864-2208.