The Benefits of Anxiety Counseling

Therapy gives you the tools to overcome anxiety and teaches you how to use them. You and your therapist examine your thoughts, fears, and desires to better understand how you view yourself and to reduce your anxiety. A therapist will help you uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears, with that you will learn how to relax, look at situations in new ways and deal with these things in a less frightening way and develop better coping skills and problem-solving skills. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one way that a therapist will work with you to help you reduce anxiety.

Some methods you can use to begin reducing your stress and anxiety is with Calm Breathing, which involves consciously slowing down the breath, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation which involves systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups. You may also identify troubling situations or conditions in your life. The more a person is willing to open up the more success they will gain through CBT therapy. By expressing your feelings, you will become aware of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs about these problems.

Many people ask will my anxiety ever go away? Will I have to take medications for anxiety? The simple answer to that is…it depends on the person. An anxiety disorder can last anywhere from a few months to many years. It will go away completely for some, and for others, it may be a lifelong condition to treat which could also include taking medications to help calm and relax you. A therapist cannot prescribe you any medications; however we may need to refer you to a psychiatrist.

Here are some steps you can take to address your anxiety and stress:

1. Keep physically active. Develop a routine so that you’re physically active most days of the week.
2. Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs.
3. Quit smoking and cut back or quit drinking caffeinated beverages.
4. Use stress management and relaxation techniques.
5. Make sleep a priority.
6. Eat healthy.
7. Spending time with family and friends.
8. Self-management.

So, if you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety or panic disorder, coming to therapy once a week can be life changing. All you need to do is make an appointment! If you or a loved one is nervous about coming into the office and talking in person, there are options of Telehealth or phone calls as well. Reach out to us today.