Anxiety
I think and think and think. I‘ve thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it.
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— Jonathan Safran Foer
Persistent anxiety and worry are distressing emotions that can highjack our mind and body and have real debilitating impacts on all aspects of our lives and strip away the things that we do. Dealing with all the "what ifs", the second guessing of yourself, and un-ending worries can be mentally, cognitively, and emotionally exhausting and frustrating. And then there are the unwelcomed physical symptoms that show up and can be scary and draining of your energy and sense of wellbeing. However, the good news is that anxiety disorders are very treatable and the symptoms can be reduced or eliminated effectively through therapy, which for many is the most effective solution.
Areas of Practice
Generalized Anxiety
A constant sense of excessive worry, fearing the worst in any situation, and seeing harmless events as threatening that interferes with daily life. It can trigger physical and cognitive symptoms.
Social Anxiety
Fear of social situations in which a person might feel embarrassed or judged. Symptoms may include feeling self-conscious in front of others, worrying about being rejected by or offending others, avoiding social situations, and difficulty making friends.
Panic
Sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger and a sense that you are losing control. In most cases, it is accompanied by physical symptoms of fast heart beat, breathing difficulties, sweating, and trembling.
Performance Anxiety
Extreme distressed experienced in high pressure evaluative and testing situations, leading to poor performance. It can impact those in professional, academic, and athletic environments.
Specific Phobias
An excessive and intense fear of a situation, living creature, place, or object and is so strong that it interferes with daily life and the ability to function regularly. There are 3 categories: Specific phobia, Social phobia, and Agorophobia.
Stress
Experiencing acute or chronic stress related to personal, situation, or relationship issues and having difficulty coping with mental, emotional, and physical symptoms.
How Will We Tackle Your Anxiety?
As there are considerable variation in types of anxiety, through a collaborative process we will work together to identify areas of concern. We will explore the underlying causes of your anxiety and fears in order to treat more than the symptoms and to effectively tackle anxiety from the root. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is generally the treatment of choice for Anxiety disorders due to its proven effectiveness. In addition to providing a healthy outlet for releasing your emotions the goal of our work will be to develop and practice different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations in order to reduce anxiety and worry. The treatment may include education about why you feel the way you do, identification of your belief systems, Worry awareness training, problem-solving training, effective and practical coping skills, and exposure therapy, among other areas. Our work together may also include elements from Relaxation and Mindfulness training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).