Anxiety Counseling
Is anxiety, worry, and/or fear a driving force in your life?
Those experiencing anxiety struggle with a persistent, restless sense of worry or fear. We experience fear when there is a real or perceived threat to our wellbeing or safety. We experience anxiety when we anticipate potential future threats. Those experiencing anxiety tend to over-estimate the threat they are focused on. The hallmark symptoms of anxiety are irritability, restlessness, anger, impatience, mind-racing, vigilance and muscle tension. There is a lot of energy in the body when anxiety is present, and it can feel very difficult to relax or rest when these sensations persist. These sensations are directly tied to the autonomic response of the nervous system, preparing us to literally fight or flight. Our nervous system does not know the difference between real or perceived threats and treats them equally.
You may think that everything would improve if you could just relax or stop worrying. When we are in an anxious state, it is invalidating when others tell us to simply relax or let it go. Anxiety feels like it lives in our minds because it shows up in common thinking patterns. We need a more holistic approach to healing anxiety. A simple mindset shift isn't enough to shake anxiety, but there is definitely hope for healing from anxiety!
Anxiety can have a specific focus, and it is typically helpful to identify the focus of the anxious energy. Some common targets of anxiety are listed here:
You are not alone! Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million people or 19.1% of the population each year. (Source) People suffering from anxiety are 3-5x more likely to seek medical care and 6x more likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder than those who do not suffer from anxiety. Even so, anxiety disorders are easily treatable, but only 36.9% of those who suffer from anxiety seek anxiety treatment.
We approach anxiety counseling with sensitivity, skill, cultural humility and trauma awareness. We appreciate that anxiety treatment must include both mental and physical interventions, as anxiety impacts both the mind and the body. Anxiety exists when our nervous system is hyperactivated, flooded with stress hormones. Our therapists can help you identify the specific target of your anxious patterns. It is helpful to identify the triggers that put you into an anxious state, explore the thoughts and sensations related to your anxiety, and then develop a plan to deescalate this automatic response and calm your nervous system. Any activity that brings safety and a sense of wellbeing will positively impact the nervous system. Some people benefit from engaging in intense physical movements that seem to move the anxious energy through their body. Some people require stillness and contemplative practices to heal their anxious patterns. We have to appreciate the cumulative effects of these simple actions, as any one action will likely not provide a complete turnaround. However, when we regularly practice grounding skills, mindfulness of thoughts, helpful movement, and establish enough safety from our perceived threat, we slowly begin to release the vigilant hold fear and worry have had on our lives. This can be both hard and rewarding work! Our team is equipped with helpful tools, practices and skills to help you start to move away from your anxious patterns.
Allow yourself to visualize what your life would be like without your anxious patterns. Where would you choose to put all of that extra energy? How would your relationships, career, personal life change? You deserve to thrive in these ways and we want to help you get there!
Those experiencing anxiety struggle with a persistent, restless sense of worry or fear. We experience fear when there is a real or perceived threat to our wellbeing or safety. We experience anxiety when we anticipate potential future threats. Those experiencing anxiety tend to over-estimate the threat they are focused on. The hallmark symptoms of anxiety are irritability, restlessness, anger, impatience, mind-racing, vigilance and muscle tension. There is a lot of energy in the body when anxiety is present, and it can feel very difficult to relax or rest when these sensations persist. These sensations are directly tied to the autonomic response of the nervous system, preparing us to literally fight or flight. Our nervous system does not know the difference between real or perceived threats and treats them equally.
You may think that everything would improve if you could just relax or stop worrying. When we are in an anxious state, it is invalidating when others tell us to simply relax or let it go. Anxiety feels like it lives in our minds because it shows up in common thinking patterns. We need a more holistic approach to healing anxiety. A simple mindset shift isn't enough to shake anxiety, but there is definitely hope for healing from anxiety!
Anxiety can have a specific focus, and it is typically helpful to identify the focus of the anxious energy. Some common targets of anxiety are listed here:
- Social Anxiety
- Separation Anxiety
- Specific Phobias, including agoraphobia
- Panic Attacks
- Generalized Anxiety
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Medication or Substance-induced Anxiety
You are not alone! Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million people or 19.1% of the population each year. (Source) People suffering from anxiety are 3-5x more likely to seek medical care and 6x more likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder than those who do not suffer from anxiety. Even so, anxiety disorders are easily treatable, but only 36.9% of those who suffer from anxiety seek anxiety treatment.
We approach anxiety counseling with sensitivity, skill, cultural humility and trauma awareness. We appreciate that anxiety treatment must include both mental and physical interventions, as anxiety impacts both the mind and the body. Anxiety exists when our nervous system is hyperactivated, flooded with stress hormones. Our therapists can help you identify the specific target of your anxious patterns. It is helpful to identify the triggers that put you into an anxious state, explore the thoughts and sensations related to your anxiety, and then develop a plan to deescalate this automatic response and calm your nervous system. Any activity that brings safety and a sense of wellbeing will positively impact the nervous system. Some people benefit from engaging in intense physical movements that seem to move the anxious energy through their body. Some people require stillness and contemplative practices to heal their anxious patterns. We have to appreciate the cumulative effects of these simple actions, as any one action will likely not provide a complete turnaround. However, when we regularly practice grounding skills, mindfulness of thoughts, helpful movement, and establish enough safety from our perceived threat, we slowly begin to release the vigilant hold fear and worry have had on our lives. This can be both hard and rewarding work! Our team is equipped with helpful tools, practices and skills to help you start to move away from your anxious patterns.
Allow yourself to visualize what your life would be like without your anxious patterns. Where would you choose to put all of that extra energy? How would your relationships, career, personal life change? You deserve to thrive in these ways and we want to help you get there!
A Benediction For Those Who Are Anxious
May you experience freedom from the story behind your fears. May you enjoy deep and satisfying safety in your life. May you honor your vigilance even while exploring new patterns. May you experience contentment and trust where fear once lived. May your mind respond to training of new thought processes. May your body release its need to be on guard. May your whole system relax as you redefine your relationship to your threat. May your stress hormones get fully metabolized and eliminated. May you rest deeply in your newfound sense of safety and wellbeing. |