Anxiety Therapy
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Anxiety Therapy
Is Anxiety Holding You Back From Reaching Your Potential?
Do you struggle with persistent worries and fears that prevent you from enjoying your daily life? Does your anxiety make it difficult to engage in social situations and make lasting connections? Are you exhausted from juggling endless responsibilities at work, at school, and at home?
You might have so much on your plate that when you think about your to-do list, you feel completely overwhelmed. You may be having trouble concentrating and end up procrastinating as a result. You’re used to striving for perfection, and now, you can’t stop worrying about your mistakes. Sometimes, your anxiety is so intense that you feel physically ill, and you experience headaches and nausea.
Your anxiety might also be interfering with your relationships. Maybe you tend to overthink social interactions and struggle to speak up in groups, and as a result, you’re struggling to make friends and advance in your professional life. You frequently cancel plans at the last minute and stay guarded around your friends because you’re nervous to admit that you’re struggling.
Anxiety Can Leave You Feeling Paralyzed
Perhaps you’re tired of overthinking simple choices or avoiding making important decisions because you worry about every potential outcome. When you finally do make a decision, you inevitably end up second-guessing yourself no matter what you choose. You want to move forward, but “analysis paralysis” keeps you from making any substantial, positive changes.
If you’re ready to overcome your anxiety, therapy can help you heal. By working with a therapist, you can delve into the origins of your symptoms, challenge and reframe your negative thoughts and limiting beliefs, and start making progress toward your goals.
Our Fast-Paced, Competitive Society Contributes To Anxiety
Today, countless people are buckling under the pressures of our competitive culture. They are constantly connected to each other on social media, which leads to endless comparisons. People are also working long hours and struggling with the expectation to be available 24/7 because they worry about financial instability and job security. Furthermore, people are exposed to a constant barrage of headlines about climate change, political unrest, and other pressing global issues, which can fuel their anxiety and dash their hopes for the future.
When an individual is dealing with intense stress and burnout, the idea of taking action to address their anxiety can feel impossible. Additionally, many people today are isolated from social support systems, like close friends and family, which exacerbates anxiety and makes it harder to handle stressful situations.
Avoiding Anxiety Triggers Is A Temporary “Quick Fix”
People who are experiencing anxiety due to all of these factors more often assume that if they could just avoid their primary triggers, they’ll stop experiencing these frustrating symptoms. Some people also hope that if they simply ignore their symptoms, their anxiety will disappear on its own. But engaging in avoidant behaviors can result in isolation, shame, and missed opportunities. It might bring short-term relief, but in the long run, this approach to dealing with anxiety actually reinforces the problem.
Talking to a therapist can help you find lasting relief from anxiety. Through counseling, you can strengthen your sense of self-worth, practice setting reasonable boundaries, and start enjoying social interactions without feeling overwhelmed.
Counseling Can Help You Reduce Your Anxiety And Build Self-Confidence
When you’re living with anxiety, your symptoms can create a barrier to seeking therapy. It’s normal to feel a bit nervous about opening up to a therapist. At Channeling Growth Therapy, your counselor will make every effort to ensure that you feel relaxed and comfortable during your sessions.
Our practice encompasses a diverse group of therapists who approach treatment with cultural sensitivity in mind. Teenagers in anxiety therapy may attend sessions independently without parental involvement. However, we can also work closely with parents to provide psychoeducation and recommend how they might support their teen at home. We ask teen clients for permission before sharing details that may be helpful for their parents to know. This collaborative approach honors teen clients’ boundaries while involving parents in the therapeutic process as appropriate.
What To Expect In Anxiety Therapy
During your first session, you’ll be able to talk to your counselor about your anxiety symptoms, how they manifest in your daily life, and which positive changes you hope to achieve through therapy. Over time, your therapist will help you identify situations, behaviors, and thoughts that trigger your anxiety, develop healthy strategies to manage these feelings and break down your negative thought patterns so that you can shift towards a more balanced perspective. You’ll also examine your sleep schedule, diet, exercise routines, and social connections so that you can start improving your lifestyle habits to support your wellbeing. In therapy, you’ll work on making concrete plans for your future so that you can pursue the goals you’ve been putting off due to anxiety.
Treatment Approaches For Anxiety Counseling
At our practice, your therapist can integrate multiple therapeutic modalities into your personalized treatment plan. Through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you’ll begin accepting and honoring your authentic emotions and start making commitments for the sake of your values rather than anxiety.
Your counselor will also guide you through narrative therapy exercises to reframe your personal stories and empower you to make beneficial changes. Gestalt therapy will deepen your awareness of your body’s specific responses to stress, and schema therapy techniques will help you understand how your perceptions might be creating false ideals and serving as contributing factors for your anxiety.
Your therapist will equip you with mindfulness skills and strategies for soothing your anxiety in your daily life. For example, you’ll practice tuning into your environment with all five senses for grounding and engaging in active forms of meditation like mindful walking. You’ll also learn how to create space for yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed so that you can take a step back and identify how you wish to respond. Additionally, you’ll assess how you manage your time to better manage your priorities.
You’ll strengthen your communication and emotional regulation skills so that you can get comfortable with asserting your needs and navigating tough conversations without giving into conflicts. Overall, your therapist will apply solution-focused therapy techniques for anxiety treatment.
You do not have to keep trying to tackle your anxiety alone. With support from a compassionate therapist, you can develop healthier strategies for coping with stress, build your confidence in social situations, and return to the activities you’ve been avoiding due to anxiety.
But You May Still Have Questions About Anxiety Therapy…
Will talking about my problems in therapy make me feel worse?
Your therapist will create a safe, supportive space during sessions. They will not push you to talk about any specific issues or symptoms before you are ready, and they will equip you with the coping strategies you need to face anxiety-provoking thoughts without feeling overwhelmed. It’s a little like physical therapy – while there may be some initial discomfort, it’s part of the healing process, and if you ever feel overwhelmed, your therapist can change direction.
I’ve tried therapy before, and nothing changed. Is it really worth trying again?
Sometimes, it takes a few tries to find the right therapist. If you’ve had negative experiences in therapy, it’s understandable to feel a little hesitant about going to counseling again. Your comfort and emotional safety is our top priority. Each therapeutic experience is unique, and your feedback shapes our direction. If you’re ready for a fresh start, we can work together to create the change you’re hoping for.
Will my health insurance plan cover the cost of therapy?
We understand that many people are concerned about the costs of therapy, which is why we are in-network with several major health insurance providers, including United Healthcare, UMR, Optum, Sutter, Cigna, Evernorth, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield California, Carelon, Gold Coast, and LA Care. Additionally, we are in network with multiple EAPs, including Modern Health, Spring Health, and Optum.
Through Therapy, You Can Let Go Of Anxiety And Find Fulfillment
If you’re ready to embrace a new chapter of your life that is not defined by anxiety, you may be ready to start therapy. We invite you to fill out our contact form or call our office at 408-634-6506 to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation or book your first session.
