Thursday, December 26, 2013

Health Anxiety or Hypochondria

Health anxiety or hypochondria is a type of anxiety that affects the way people feel about their health. They often become obsessed with their own health, assuming every symptom, sore throat, headache, ache, or pain is due to a serious illness or disease. Dr. Marji Prefontaine treats this type of anxiety through different methods, including counseling, medication, and education about what hypochondria is.


The common symptoms of health anxiety or hypochondria include:



  • Believing minor symptoms can lead to a serious illness.

  • Seeing doctors repeatedly for these minor symptoms.

  • Having intense anxiety about having a serious disease.

  • Switching doctors often because the previous one did not provide a diagnosis.

  • Doing health research on an obsessive level.

  • Checking vital signs frequently.

  • Checking your body for sores or lumps frequently.

  • Thinking you have a disease you read about.


Here at Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we treat different types of anxiety, including health anxiety or hypochondria. It is a common occurrence, even though many individuals feel there is nothing wrong with them on a psychological level. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, call our office at 505-821-1948 to schedule an appointment.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Couples Counseling

At Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we provide counseling and therapy for individuals, couples, and families experiencing issues in their lives. Couples counseling is one of our more common types of therapy, which helps couples of all kinds with issues in their relationship. But it isn’t just couples with problems that visit us; we also believe in couples counseling for improving the relationship and helping the bond become even stronger.


Children do not participate in couples counseling if the couple has children. Couples counseling here at Relationship Center of Albuquerque is only for improving the couple and providing them with a healthier relationship. We help our patients improve on their communication, find resolution, and give them a free space to talk about their emotions, feelings, worries, and concerns. Some couples need help with intimacy issues, while others are having struggles with their parenting styles or financial situations.


Dr. Marji Prefontaine opens up the line of communication in the couple, assessing any issues they are facing and helping them to heal. In many cases, just having a neutral third party to listen to them helps both people in the couple come to better understanding with what the other person is going through. If you’re considering couples counseling, learn more by calling us at 505-821-1948.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Family Counseling

Family counseling is one of many counseling services we offer here in Albuquerque, NM. People come to us for counseling for their family for different reasons involving their family dynamics. Even the smallest problem within the family can be devastating and cause severe emotional stress for one or multiple members of the family. By getting help with their problems, our patients prevent more serious consequences and help their family stick together through a difficult time.


Here at Relationship Center of Albuquerque, we help families with all sorts of situations. Families seek our help due to financial issues, children or teens dealing with anxiety or depression, or a family dealing with a separation or divorce and hoping to help their children deal with the change in their family dynamic. In some cases, families seek counseling from our office because their children feel they are not getting enough attention, while other adolescents want more freedom. Through counseling and family therapy, adolescents feel more free in speaking their feelings and parents get some resolution into whatever issues they see.


Divorce and blended families are two very common issues with families. We provide counseling for children and parents going through a divorce, as well as helping children adjust to their new blended families with step-parents and step-siblings. Contact Dr. Marji Prefontaine today to benefit from family counseling.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Eating Disorders

In the United States, there are approximately 24 million people of all ages dealing with eating disorders, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. People with eating disorders are among all ages, genders, social statuses and lifestyles.


Here at the Relationship Center of Albuquerque, Dr. Marji Prefontaine understands the importance of offering counseling and psychotherapy for people with eating disorders. Eating disorders cause the sufferer to become preoccupied with food, physical fitness and their own weight. It is an unhealthy lifestyle that can lead to serious medical complications and can even be fatal.


Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder. Each of these disorders is serious and based on unrealistic expectations. Many people suffering from eating disorders have mental and emotional disorders that have led them to an unhealthy way of life. Signs of someone having an eating disorder includes extreme weight fluctuations, using the restroom after every meal, cuts on the person’s fingers and roof of their mouth, and a visible obsession with food and weight.


Eating disorders counseling is important because Dr. Prefontaine addresses the underlying cause of the eating disorder, whether it is depression, anxiety, a mental disorder or a childhood trauma. Many different aspects of a person’s life can contribute, which is why counseling and therapy is essential to helping overcome it.


If you notice signs of eating disorders in a loved one, call us at 505-821-1948 to get more information and schedule an appointment.