In medicine, the body’s response to physical, mental, or emotional pressure. Stress causes chemical changes in the body that can raise blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. It may also lead to feelings of frustration, anxiety, anger, or depression. Stress can be caused by normal life activities or by an event, such as trauma or illness. Long-term stress or high levels of stress may lead to mental and physical health problems.

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry.

Psychosis is when people lose some contact with reality. This might involve seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear (hallucinations) and believing things that are not actually true (delusions).

Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.

Sexual violence is a broad category of actions in which a person exerts their power and control over another person through unwanted or harmful sexual actions. 

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Domestic violence is violence committed by someone in the victim's domestic circle. This includes partners and ex-partners, immediate family members, other relatives and family friends.

Trauma therapy is geared toward healing the emotional and mental lasting effects of trauma and abuse. Trauma can be extremely subjective. It encompasses any event, or series of events that causes one to fear for their life, life is threatened, or the witnessing of another's life being threatened. Trauma therapy can be talk therapy, or a combination of several different modalities.

It’s important to find a therapist who understands your unique needs and the complexities of sexual orientation/identity. Whatever you’re going through, we strive to be affirming, supportive, allied and competent providers for the LGBTQIA+ community.