Therapy for Anxiety
Reduce anxiety, resolve panic attacks, and feel at ease again
You might be here if you’re experiencing any of the following …
Stress
Restlessness
Insomnia
Excessive thinking
Panic attacks
Feelings of inadequacy
Excessive worry
Fear
Nervousness
Irritability
Chronic Pain
Shortness of breath
Procrastination
Indecision
Self-Doubt
High blood pressure
Physical tension
Avoiding certain situations
Perfectionism
Feeling lost about what to do?
Life can feel so overwhelming. You lie awake at night replaying the interactions from your day, wondering what was made of something you said, and just wish there was an “off switch” to those racing thoughts!
It can be even harder when it feels as though nobody else is dealing with excessive anxiety, when you’re the only one fighting what feels like an invisible battle. You know anxiety is getting in the way of your life but the path to recovery also feels uncertain and the options overwhelming. You feel distant and disconnected to life and your loved ones.
The tightness in your chest, the pit in your stomach, and the fear of what tomorrow might bring are a weight that you don’t have to carry alone.
Read on to see if my anxiety therapy services might help you.
Causes of anxiety, panic, overwhelm…
Trauma (e.g. abusive relationships)
Difficult Life Experiences
Pressures of Modern Society
24/7 News Cycle, Technology, Social Media
Temperament
Heredity
Upbringing
Anxiety has become an increasingly common experience in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world (which has included a multi-year pandemic!). It affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. From the pressure to succeed in academics or career, to the constant exposure to social media and its expectations, people are constantly bombarded with stressors that can trigger anxiety. You are not alone!
Anxiety is something that we all experience in varying degrees. Think of it like a built in security system that is there to keep you safe. Sometimes, however, when life happens the security system becomes more sensitive and goes off in moments when there is no threat to your safety. This is normal, and it is also something that you can absolutely recover from!
How we’ll work on it together…
There are many ways to treat anxiety, overwhelm and panic attacks, but regardless of the approach they typically share the following foundation: confronting what you fear in doable steps in order to overcome it.
I rely on your input, goals, and preferences to tailor the approaches we’ll work through together. We might work on how to challenge the worries you have, or to accept certain ones and let them go. We might work through how to calm yourself and relax through breathing, body-based, and cognitive techniques. We also might work through exploring playful ways of applying courage to the areas of your life that are limited by anxiety and/or panic attacks. Similar to asking a mechanic to list all of their tools in getting a car back on the road, there are too many to list!
When it comes to panic attacks in particular, we often will take a paradoxical approach and start with learning about the symptoms and how they aren’t dangerous, sort out what the triggers are, then build a plan for welcoming in the sensations without reacting to them to help them fizzle out over time.
Feeling tentative about therapy?
“What’s talking going to do?”
Talking alone likely won’t materialize into much. But, similar to a gym membership, there’s something powerful that happens when you commit to growth, have a routine and method for achieving your goals, and also having a trusted and caring professional to guide you through this process, while helping you to have a belief in yourself you haven’t had before.
Research shows that 80% of people who participate in therapy are better off than those with similar struggles not in therapy.
You’ll never know until you try!
“I went to a therapist once and it didn’t work”
Therapy is all about the relationship. But what does that mean, you ask? It’s when the therapist strives to help you feel listened to, understood, & respected; understands and helps you work on your goals; and works in a way that makes sense to you. You might not experience this with your first or second therapist. But don’t give up!
If you think about it like dating, you don’t always hit it off with the first person you date. Sometimes you need to see a few people before you find the right fit.
“I’m scared to open up”
Therapy can be like a workout. It requires effort, intentionality, and courage. Similar to working out, there can be moments of discomfort near the beginning as you get in touch with your feelings and what you need - but, in time, you should experience an improvement in your stress levels and a sense of fulfillment from getting to the heart of what matters and having your needs met.
I will take time to explore what you need in our work to feel safe enough with opening up. I will do my best to work with you in a way that is at your pace, and we will only explore topics of your choice.
If you aren’t sure about your ability to take the next step, you can borrow some of my faith in you - we’ll do this together!
Still not sure? You can book a free 20-minute consultation to explore therapy further with no obligation to commit
Reasons to be Optimistic…
Anxiety is highly treatable through therapy
I’ve helped 84% of the clients who’ve sought my services
Therapy doesn’t come with any side effects
Most people see me for just 5-6 sessions
The benefits continue after therapy ends
My experiences with anxiety…
I’ve provided therapy to people struggling with anxiety and panic attacks for just under 10 years. Most of the people that I hold near and dear are also like you, people who are thoughtful, kind, always working to do the right thing, and sometimes bump up against the anxiety that life can throw our way. I’ve also experienced the ebb and flow of anxiety in my own life where it’s taken the shine off. Thankfully, I’ve been able to experience that shine again and believe that you can too! It doesn’t feel like work to me when I get to help someone like yourself. It’s an honour and I never take it for granted! My favourite role is to be a trusted confidant for you to express yourself and make sense of who you are and to empower you with encouragement, tools and strategies, all while approaching our work together with humility and collaboration.
If you want to work with a professional but want it to feel like a conversation that is engaging, personable, and safe, if you want to see yourself in a new and empowering light, if you want to experience a judgment free space and have someone in your corner… I’m here for you and am on your team 100%!
Let’s beat this thing together!
