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Anxiety

Spinning Thoughts, Restless Feelings & Avoiding Your Life?

Are you having difficulty concentrating? Do you feel trapped in your own head all the time, unable to slow down your thoughts? Maybe you’re constantly overthinking things, and you worry too much about the future to focus on the present. Perhaps you find yourself increasingly withdrawn, avoiding any situation or relationship that could stress you out. In the end, your fears may hold you back from living up to your full potential.

Contrary to popular opinion, anxiety is not an emotional state—it’s a physical feeling. When you feel anxious, your heart may start pounding, your body may become jittery, and you may even experience panic attacks. Over time, living with chronic anxiety can lead to relationship difficulties and trouble connecting with others. You may experience confusion when making plans or decisions because of your inability to focus.

If you wish you could slow down, get control of your anxiety, and enjoy where you are in life, then please consider reaching out to me. Working together, I am confident that you can learn to be more present and emotionally grounded in your life.

Many Of Our Behaviors Are Fueled By Anxiety Without Us Knowing It

Everyone experiences anxiety of some kind. To a certain extent, anxiety can be healthy since it helps regulate your safety. When anxiety takes up so much of your energy that it keeps you from enjoying life, however, that’s a sign you may be dealing with an anxiety disorder. 

People experience anxiety for a number of reasons. Some people are predisposed to higher anxiety based on genetic makeup. Others become anxious after a traumatic event or learn to be anxious from their parents and caregivers. Additionally, individuals characterized by controlling behaviors or obsessed with certainty generally have underlying issues with anxiety. Because they feel a lack of control over their own lives, they try to compensate by controlling what’s external to them.

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize how and why anxiety shows up in their lives. They may feel uncomfortable in social settings or intimate relationships, but they don’t recognize that their avoidance issues are being fueled by anxiety. At the same time, many workaholics, screen addicts and compulsive social media users don’t know that anxiety is driving their repetitive behavior.

If you want to get to the bottom of your anxiety and rejuvenate your sense of confidence, therapy offers a chance to do so. When you understand what is driving your stress levels and learn the right tools for controlling them, there is no limit to the growth and freedom you can experience.

Anxiety Treatment Is A Chance To Build Confidence, Resilience, And Self-Esteem

Let’s face it: talking about your anxiety with others can in itself provoke anxiety since you don’t know how others will respond. In sessions with me, I encourage you to speak your mind without any fear of judgment or shame. Anxiety treatment is a chance for you to become more confident, raise your self-esteem, and increase positive decision-making. I want to help you regulate your emotions, stay grounded, and gain insight into how and why you feel the way you do.

I keep my intake process very conversational, relaxed, and open-ended. There is a questionnaire you will fill out online before the first session, but the main focus is on getting to know you and establishing goals. As we continue to work together, I will teach you strategies for identifying, understanding, and balancing your stressors. I believe that expanding your self-awareness is the best way to jump-start the healing process—by learning to pigeonhole where your anxiety comes from, you will be more equipped to balance and subdue its effects. Rather than ignore anxiety, I want to help you integrate it into its proper place in your life.

One of the major approaches I work with is mindfulness therapy. At its core, the goal of mindfulness is to help you become more grounded and thoughtful rather than impulsive and emotionally-driven. Through mindfulness exercises like meditation and conscious breathing, you can increase your ability to make positive decisions and become more present in the moment.

Additionally, I draw heavily from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). While mindfulness seeks to calm your anxiety, CBT aims to help you understand it in a deeper way, exploring how your thoughts and feelings affect your mood and behavior. By recognizing the connections between different elements in your life, you will be able to hold your stress levels in check.

I know how frustrating and debilitating it is to live with anxiety. By learning new grounding skills and integrating anxiety into its rightful place in your life, you can experience a peace and tranquility that is life-changing. After all, the goal of therapy and counseling is not just to temporarily alleviate symptoms, but to build your resilience to anxiety for years to come.

You may have some questions about anxiety treatment…

 

I’ve had anxiety forever. How would talking about it help?

It’s understandable that you feel that way. When you’ve lived with anxiety for a long time, it begins to feel like part of who you are. Anxiety is highly manageable, however, and it is most assuredly not part of your identity. By making small adjustments to your perspective and behavior, you would be surprised at how much you can accomplish.

I don’t want people knowing I have anxiety.

This is a confidential space. In sessions with me, you are free to express yourself in ways you can’t with others. No one else has to know about your struggles with anxiety. If there are things you wouldn’t tell anyone else in your life, I want you to know that everything we discuss is confidential.

What are your thoughts on medication?

Being a therapist, I don’t prescribe medication for anxiety. Nonetheless, I am open to doing whatever it takes to help you. If you’re interested in pharmaceutical interventions, I’d be more than happy to connect you with a psychiatrist. For many people, however, the healing that takes place through counseling is sufficient in itself.

Don’t Let Anxiety Get In The Way Of Your Best Life

No matter how bleak things may seem, I can assure you that there is hope. By working together, we can empower you to stay calm, grounded, and highly resilient in the midst of life’s storms. To connect with me, you can call 609-316-6696 for a free, 10-to-15-minute phone consultation. You can also contact me via email or the scheduling portal on my website.