Counseling for Anxiety
What is the difference between Fear and Anxiety?
Simply put, fear can be a healthy response; it keeps us alert to danger in our environment. Anxiety can be an exaggerated or unrealistic fear. Anxiety can send us false alarms about the danger we face.
Learning to conquer your anxiety can be scary because it is necessary to get out of your comfort zone, i.e. patterns you have become accustomed to that may not be in your long-term best interests. It is like jumping into a pool of cold water, instead of sticking your ankle in the shallow end, and running out because you are too cold.
Even though it may sound scary, with Dr. F-R as your guide, you will learn to master your anxiety in a step by step method that is evidence-based .
When you are on a roller coaster or experience turbulence on a plane you may get a tight or uneasy feeling in your gut. Some people get that feeling when preparing for a job interview, when waiting for medical test results, when studying for, or taking an exam, when they need to broach a hard topic with a family member, friend or co-worker and in many other situations. Those physiological symptoms are a signal that anxiety is present and needs to be addressed.
Procrastination can get in the way of routine tasks such as paying taxes or bills. It can not only cost you the late fees, but it also derails the fulfillment of your bigger goals. Although it is complicated, one contributor to procrastination can be Perfectionism– a sticky disorder that leads to indecisiveness and can contribute to missed deadlines. Indecisiveness can be about big things (e.g. whether to buy a house) or small things (Is this a good enough toy/gift for a BD present.) Anxiety is often hiding beneath the layers of Procrastination and/or Perfectionism.
When it comes to treating anxiety disorders, research shows that therapy is usually the most effective option. That’s because anxiety therapy – as opposed to anxiety medication – treats more than just symptoms to the problem. Dr. Faier-Routman utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) to assist clients in learning how to manage anxiety and take back control of important parts of their lives, which has a ripple effect of improving self-esteem, relationships, school or work performance, sleep, etc.
Often, these are the symptoms of anxiety:
- Nervousness, restlessness or being tense
- Feelings of danger, panic or dread
- Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
- Increased or heavy sweating
- Trembling or muscle twitching
- Weakness or lethargy
- Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about
- Insomnia
- Obsessions about certain ideas, a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Anxiety surrounding a particular life event or experience that has occurred in the past, a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder
Anxiety Disorders are one of the most frequently reported problems by people of all ages.
Therapy can help to uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears, learn how to relax, look at situations in a new, less frightening way, and develop better coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills.
If you suspect that anxiety is getting in your way, I invite you to contact me today for a brief complimentary consultation.