“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength – carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
~Corrie Ten Boom
Anxiety. It can be simple or complex. I am committed to helping you lessen the grip of anxiety and regain control of your life. If you are struggling on a daily basis, there is hope for a life filled with peace, confidence, and resilience.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural and often adaptive response to stress or danger. I’ve heard it described as a combination of worry and fear about the future. However, when it becomes chronic, overwhelming, or interferes with daily life, it can be debilitating. Heightened anxiety can manifest in various ways, including:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive worry about everyday situations, often accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of social interactions, public speaking, or performing in front of others.
- Panic Disorder: Recurrent panic attacks characterized by sudden, intense fear and physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, and a sense of impending doom.
- Phobias: Specific and irrational fears of certain objects, situations, or activities, which can lead to avoidance behavior.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Intrusive, repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and compulsive behaviors performed to alleviate anxiety.
Anxiety can also occur due to physical factors which therapy cannot help. These include certain medications, brain injuries, and certain neurological conditions like autism. These physical conditions can result in an increase in anxiety.
How Can I Help You Manage Anxiety?
My goal is to provide effective therapy and support for individuals to empower them to lead fulfilling lives. Here’s how I can assist you:
- Specialized Therapy: I offer evidence-based therapy, tailored to your unique needs. I utilize the techniques of somatic tapping and brainspotting. Both use body movement (somatics) to assist in releasing the underlying causes of emotions. Together, we will work to identify some of the underlying causes of your anxiety and develop strategies to manage it.
- Education and Awareness: Gain a better understanding of the nature of anxiety, its triggers, and how it affects your body and mind.
- Coping Strategies: Learn practical techniques and coping skills to manage your symptoms, including relaxation exercises, mindfulness, and cognitive-behavioral strategies.
- Medication Management: When appropriate, I can collaborate with a psychiatrist to explore medication options to complement therapy.
Somatic Techniques
Somatic tapping and brainspotting are two techniques which I use with clients to help regulate their emotions. While we will use these in session, you can also use them outside of sessions. Somatic tapping is especially easy to use on your own to help regulate your system.
Self-regulation is the key to help a person reduce anxiety. This can take some work to develop good habits for self-regulation but with practice, clients often find they feel more at peace in their daily lives.
Remember, anxiety is treatable, and you don’t have to face it alone. Together, we can work towards a future where you can embrace tranquility, face your fears, and regain control over your thoughts and emotions.