Understanding Anxiety
Get to the Root of Your Restlessness and Improve Your Quality of Life
If You’re Feeling Anxiety, You Are Not Alone.
Anxiety is a common feeling everyone experiences at some point in life. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that anxiety affects 1 in 5 American adults in a given year, and about one-third of U.S. adults at some point in their lives.
What Is Anxiety?
Do you find yourself feeling nervous, anxious or on edge? Do you find that you’re not able to control or even stop worrying? Do you find yourself feeling restless and/or having trouble relaxing? Do you find that you’re often feeling constantly annoyed and irritated? Do you find yourself feeling fearful or concerned that something bad might happen?
Anxiety is defined as a feeling of being worried, nervous, or uneasy about an imminent event, an uncertain outcome, or something that may happen in the future. And, it is normal to experience anxiety from time to time, but when it starts interfering with your daily life, it might be a sign that anxiety is compromising the quality of your life. If this resonates with you, keep reading!
As a mental health professional, I know firsthand how debilitating anxiety can be for some people, and how complex it can be to manage. Anxiety impacts individuals in various ways and can be triggered by a range of factors, from genetics to relationships to environmental stressors.
Understanding the origin of anxiety and its effects on your mental health and wellness is essential if you struggle with this medical condition. Therapy can help you manage your symptoms effectively and regain control of your life.
Compassionate and Supportive Care for Individuals with Anxiety: Your Mental Health Has to Come First
“Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.”
- Walter Anderson
I Can Be Your Partner in Anxiety Recovery - Learn to Manage Your Anxiety Symptoms in a Safe Space
Individual therapy can help people who struggle with anxiety, excessive worry, and fear. The goal of therapy is to teach you how to notice, name, and neutralize anxiety, in an effort to manage your symptoms better and to learn coping skills for stressful situations. In therapy, we will practice and strengthen relaxation skills that promote emotional wellness to make it available to you when you need it most.
I am a licensed mental health provider who practices cognitive behavioral therapy with those experiencing anxiety so that they might live anxiety-free. I can help you get to the root of your anxiety and teach you grounding and relaxation techniques to help you keep your anxiety in check.
Therapy for Anxiety: Your Path to a Peaceful Mind and Fulfilling Life
Anxiety can significantly impact your quality of life, affecting your daily routines, relationships, and overall mental health. While anxiety is a common human experience, it can become all too much and cause suffering, can feel overwhelming and distressing, and ultimately can interfere with your ability to function.
Fortunately, therapy has proven to be a highly effective treatment approach for anxiety, providing you with the skills and support you need to manage your symptoms and reclaim your life.
Identify and Treat the Underlying Issues Contributing to Anxiety
There are many factors that can contribute to the development of anxiety, including past traumatic experiences, dysfunctional patterns of thinking or behavior, and other mental health conditions such as depression. Together, we can explore these factors, so you can gain insight into the root causes of your anxiety and develop strategies for managing it. I can be your guide on your journey which may include examining past trauma, identifying unhealthy patterns, addressing negative self-talk, and addressing relationship issues.
I will help you develop strategies to manage and regulate the emotions that increase your anxiety levels. We will work together to identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to anxiety and replace them with more positive, adaptive ones, and you’ll learn coping strategies for managing anxiety-inducing behaviors.
Confront and Challenge Anxiety-Inducing Thoughts and Behaviors
Learn to Improve Your Confidence and Self-Worth
Anxiety can often stem from negative beliefs about oneself, and improving self-esteem can help individuals better manage their anxiety symptoms. We will work together to identify your strengths and acknowledge your positive qualities and the ways you contribute to the world. You will also learn to identify negative self-talk and challenge it, replacing it with more positive, realistic self-talk. Setting goals and taking action to achieve them can help improve self-confidence. Together, we will break down goals into smaller, achievable steps, and celebrate your accomplishments along the way.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity, and developing resilience can help you better manage anxiety. Building a support system of positive relationships can provide a source of resilience when anxiety occurs. During your therapy session, you’ll learn communication skills and how to identify and set healthy boundaries for your mental well-being. By accessing tools such as coping skills, a support system, effective communication, and conflict resolution skills, you can develop the resilience and healthy relationships you need to better manage your anxiety and live a more fulfilling life.
Access Tools to Build Resilience and Develop Healthy Relationship Patterns
When Worry Turns into Anxiety - Managing Anxiety in Daily Life
Anxiety is a natural human response to stress, but when anxiety becomes persistent and interferes with your daily life, it may be a bigger issue that needs professional help. Here are some common symptoms of anxiety:
- Excessive worry
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep problems
- Physical symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, or shaking.
- Avoidance behaviors
- Panic attacks, including physical symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath
- Low self-esteem or negative beliefs about self
- Chronic pain (unexplained headaches or upset stomach)
- Anxiety and depression
Restore Balance and Achieve Emotional and Mental Wellness.
Get in Touch With Me Today!
Anxiety can significantly impact all areas of life, including relationships, work, and personal fulfillment. However, with the right support and tools, it is possible to manage anxiety and lead a fulfilling life. My approach to therapy is compassionate, supportive, and non-judgmental. I understand that anxiety can be overwhelming and distressing, and I am here to provide you with a safe and supportive environment to explore your feelings and experiences.
Whether you are experiencing mild or severe anxiety, seeking support early on can help prevent symptoms from becoming more severe over time. If you are ready to restore balance and achieve emotional and mental wellness, I encourage you to get in touch today to schedule an appointment. Together, we can work towards a healthier, more fulfilling future.
frequently asked questions
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. However, when anxiety becomes persistent and starts to impact a person’s daily life, it can develop into an anxiety disorder. There are several types of anxiety disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): People with GAD experience excessive and uncontrollable worry about a range of issues, such as work, finances, or relationships. They may also experience physical symptoms such as muscle tension, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.
- Panic disorder: People with panic disorder experience sudden and intense episodes of fear, known as panic attacks. These episodes may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as chest pain, sweating, and shaking.
- Social anxiety disorder: People with social anxiety disorder experience fear or anxiety in social situations or situations where they feel they may be judged or evaluated. They may avoid social situations altogether or experience significant distress when faced with these situations.
- Specific phobias: People with specific phobias experience an intense and persistent fear of a specific object or situation, such as heights, spiders, or flying.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD experience intrusive and unwanted thoughts or obsessions, which lead them to engage in repetitive behaviors or compulsions to relieve anxiety.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): People with PTSD experience anxiety and other symptoms after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as war, natural disasters, or physical or sexual assault.
- Separation anxiety disorder: Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive and inappropriate anxiety related to separation from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment.
Studies have shown that therapy can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve overall mental health and well-being. Different treatments for anxiety may be more effective for different individuals and types of anxiety.
It is important to note that the effectiveness of anxiety therapy can depend on a variety of factors, including the severity of symptoms, the individual’s willingness to engage in therapy, and the expertise of the therapist. Additionally, individual outcomes may vary, and some individuals may require ongoing therapy or additional support to manage their symptoms.
CBT is considered the gold standard for treating anxiety. CBT is a therapy approach that focuses on identifying and changing maladaptive cognitive patterns and subsequent behaviors that contribute to anxiety symptoms.
One of the ways that CBT can be helpful for managing anxiety is by helping individuals understand their thinking patterns and unlock new ways of thinking. In CBT, we reframe cognitions, challenge beliefs, and reorient thinking so that a plethora of pathways emerge, not just the path that leads to anxiety.
I help my clients explore and process their thinking patterns, which helps them develop greater insight into their meaning and behaviors.