Stop feeling weighed down by fear and self-doubt and learn to tackle anxiety head-on so you can get back to living your life.
what is anxiety?
Anxiety is like feeling worried or nervous about something, but it's not just regular worry. It's like having a constant, heavy feeling of stress, like there's something bad about to happen, even when there might not be any real danger.
Imagine having lots of thoughts in your head, and many of them are negative and keep going in circles. It's like your mind is stuck on "what if" questions, always thinking about bad things that could happen. This can make it hard to concentrate, hard to sleep, and hard to ever just feel relaxed and at ease.
Living with anxiety can be exhausting because it feels like you're carrying a heavy load all the time, even though you can't see it. It might feel hard to explain to the people around you why you worry so much about things or feel the need to be in control all of the time - and sometimes you might not even understand it yourself.
Anxiety can impact you physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Sometimes it can be so distressing that you start to avoid situations that make you anxious, even if doing so causes you more problems. It can impact your relationships and how you feel about yourself.
Overall, living with anxiety takes a major toll on your quality of life.
The good news? With evidence-based treatment, anxiety can improve significantly. It's totally possible to live a life in which you feel relaxed, self-assured, and calm (most of the time, at least!).
symptoms
Constant and uncontrollable worry, even when there's no immediate threat
Feeling on edge or unable to relax
Physical symptoms like muscle tension, racing heart, sweating, shortness of breath, sleep issues, or gastro issues
Avoiding situations that feel stressful or trigger anxiety
Intrusive thoughts that feel distressing and difficult to control
Feeling like you need to be in control to prevent something bad from happening
Constantly seeking reassurance from others to alleviate anxiety or self-doubt
Difficulty concentrating due to racing thoughts
Panic attacks (sudden and intense episodes of terror accompanied by rapid heart rate, shaking, difficulty breathing, or chest pain)
how i work with anxiety
My approach to working with anxiety is focused on helping you understand why you feel so anxious, and learning to build a better relationship with your anxiety so that you can focus on living your life instead of avoiding your fears. We'll equip you with the tools you need to manage anxious thoughts and feelings before they become overwhelming, help you learn to relax, and improve your ability to face your fears.
I use a few different types of therapies when treating anxiety - all of which have a ton of research proving that they are effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.
I am trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a type of therapy that teaches you how to shift your relationship with your thoughts and emotions through mindfulness and focusing on your values, and is a personal favourite of mine!
I also love to pull on the emotion management skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and the tools from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to help you identify and correct those irrational thoughts that can often fuel anxiety.
I am trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) - an offshoot of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) that was specifically developed to treat OCD, but can also be helpful for anxiety. ERP helps you gradually face your fears head-on without engaging in avoidance or behaviours that keep your anxiety going long-term. Through ERP you will gain confidence to face your fears and learn to cope with uncertainty.
Sometimes traumatic or painful experiences are at the root of anxiety. Once you are feeling well-equipped with skills to manage your anxiety, we may decide to do trauma work with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) to help address long-standing issues that contributed to the development of your anxiety.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Develop a healthier relationship with your inner world and refocus your life on your personal values.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Gain the skills needed to regulate, tolerate, and be mindful of tough emotions.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Challenge and reframe distorted thoughts that are causing you problems.
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Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Gain the confidence and skills needed to face your fears.