Anne Marie Ruta Buchanan, MA, LPCC

Loss changes everything.  Turns you upside down.  You live in a different reality and that reality is miserable.

Death of a loved one, miscarriage, loss of a relationship, divorce, loss of health, job loss, life transitions- change you. You avoid and forget things, people.   Everything takes longer, like you are living in slow motion.  You don’t have the energy or desire to do things or go places. You can’t remember what it was like to feel joy or peace-or if you will ever be able to feel those again. You get confused, walk around in a daze; everything is a blur. It’s a hard way to live. You wonder how long this will go on. Will it get better? Or worse? Is this normal? Will I ever be myself again?

Anxiety sucks the life out of you.  On edge, can’t shake the unease.  You feel like you can’t relax and let go, worried about so many things.  Fear about the future, regrets about the past- incessant thoughts and fears having you second- guessing everything. Headaches, stomach aches, sleepless nights, difficulty focusing, breathing, feeling trapped and hopeless.  Was that a panic attack you just had or is there something very wrong with your heart?  

You could be fearful and those fears are getting worse-flying, driving, open spaces, crowds, social encounters, contamination.  Phobias set in and limit your ability to engage. Your world getting smaller and smaller as you avoid more and more experiences.

My name is Anne Marie, and I Can Help

I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Orange County, CA and I’m here for you. As a grief counselor, I gently help you with the pain, and create a safe space to feel the feelings, mourn the loss, create new norms for daily life. Together we begin to focus on the reality of a new version of life very much worth living.

As an anxiety therapist I work with you to find ways to calm the storm and soothe a stressed and overtaxed mind and body. In the session I expose you to resources and experientially explore coping skills with you that you can begin to implement immediately to create greater peace day to day.

I offer talk, walk, or Dance Movement Therapy, a powerful medium to attend to stress, heal grief, and manage anxiety.  Through movement you can express those thoughts and feelings that words cannot describe.  Since grief and stress live in the body, you use the body to help you relax, calm and soothe your mind. Or, if you prefer to stay with conversation, you can choose to gain support and understanding about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through discussion.