“Can Anxiety Therapy Help Me?”
“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.”
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Is This You?
- You feel nervous, anxious, or on edge
- You worry too much about different things
- You have trouble relaxing
- You become easily annoyed or irritable
- You are afraid to go out in public
- Or you’re concerned about being judged when you’re out with friends
- Or you’ve gone to the emergency room, thinking you’re having a heart attack, only to find out it was a panic attack?
Maybe, like me, you’ve gone through a time in your career when you encountered just the wrong number of stressors at the right time.
The Perfect Storm
I remember one career crisis (not working in private practice), when I had a promotion, but became so anxious that I couldn’t concentrate, was often hyperventilating at work.
I started to dread waking up in the morning because I dreaded feeling that anxiety.
I knew my anxiety was a problem when I started watching tv just to escape or looking for excuses to call in sick to work (even though I never did).
Normal anxiety is one thing, but when it starts to take over your life, it becomes a problem.
Anxiety and Stress Are Part of 21st Century America
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common conditions in the United States, affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 or older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
An American Psychological Association survey of university and counseling centers around the nation found that anxiety is the top presenting concern among college students (41.6%).
So according to these statistics, if you put 5 people in a room, 1 in 5 of them suffers from clinical anxiety!
You are not alone!
There are many societal factors that figure into our stress, but our genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and other life events contribute to developing higher levels of anxiety.
Anxiety Therapy Can Give You Relief and Confidence
I’ve worked with many, many anxious people over the years.
When I work with you, we’ll meet together to talk about your situation.
No two people are alike, so I want to hear all the particulars about what you’re dealing with.
We’ll talk about your symptoms to determine what type of anxiety you’re dealing with.
Next, we’ll talk about helpful research-based resources to help you.
For example, I like to use either the Thoughts and Feelings Workbook
or the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
systematically to structure our learning.
Questions You May Have About Anxiety Therapy
Isn’t it too embarrassing to talk about my anxiety?
Let me assure you that you’re talking to someone who has dealt with anxiety in my own life.
I’ve needed to learn about the symptoms and I’ve received my own personal counseling to learn ways to cope with anxiety.
So I know what it’s like to be in your place.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable to get to know a counselor.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable to talk about things that are bothering us.
But, the payoff of confidence and peace of mind over the long run is well worth the initial discomfort!
Will I be in therapy forever?
When you work with me, it’s important to me to help you with your greatest concerns.
So we’ll help you talk about what’s bothering you.
Then we’ll prioritize your problems and come up with a plan and a timeline to work on each one.
It’s always important to me to get your feedback.
So I’ll ask you questions after each session such as,
“Did you feel listened to and respected?”
“Did we talk about things that were important to you?”
“Are the strategies being used helping you?”
“Is there anything you’d like me to do differently?”
My goal with these questions is to make sure you are getting what you need to from the counseling process.
My ultimate goal is to work myself out of a job, so that you are handling stress on your own!
You Can Learn To Manage Your Anxiety
If you are ready to find relief from anxiety or panic, or if you have additional questions about anxiety therapy,
call me at my office, 847.737.5277, ext. 113, or via my cell, 847.571.0274.
You can also schedule a free confidential strategy session.
Or you can contact me via the form below. (Only put general information in there, and we can talk more personally via phone).