Do You Feel Like Anxiety Is Holding You Hostage?
-
Do you live in a prison of worry or dread?
-
Has stress or unruly fear sucked the joy out of your life?
-
Has something happened to make you feel unsafe or overwhelmed?
-
Does it seem as though you are always fretting about the future or criticizing yourself for choices you made in the past?
-
Do you long to live free of excess worry or fear?
It can be stifling, and often humiliating, to feel caught in the clutches of anxiety. Perhaps you can’t leave the house unless everything is properly checked, and sometimes it feels safer to just avoid going out at all. It may be that you can’t chill out and feel present with friends and family members. Maybe you can’t sleep at night because your mind won’t turn off. Making plans, fulfilling daily tasks and getting through your work might be difficult. Perhaps it seems as though you have to be so careful, and the pressure to do everything right leaves you feeling on-edge and inadequate. Perhaps, in almost every area of your life, a feeling of safety is elusive. It may be that you’re experiencing alarming physical symptoms of anxiety, or that you’ve mistaken a panic attack for a heart attack, only to leave the hospital feeling foolish and ashamed. As time goes on, it may seem more and more that fun is a concept, not a reality.
Anxiety Is More Common Than You May Think
Every human on this planet has experienced some degree of anxiety. Imagine anxiety as a continuum, ranging from low to high. Without any anxiety, we would touch hot stoves, play with sharp objects, drive any speed we wanted and show up for work any time we please. Without something prompting us to think ahead and motivating us to stay safe, alert and aware of consequences, chaos would ensue. So, a little anxiety protects us from harm.
But excessive anxiety creates harm. It’s not surprising that anxiety has been identified as the most common mental illness in the US. Sometimes we inherit it: anxious families often raise anxious children. Stressful work situations, social pressures or financial problems can trigger anxiety. Trauma blindsides us, stranding us in what feels like an unsafe world. Whether we are college students or middle-aged professionals, rigid expectations overwhelm us. Regardless of your particular experience, if you are dealing with anxiety, know that you are neither broken nor alone.
Unchecked, anxiety can contaminate every part of our lives. It controls us. The good news is that a compassionate, experienced therapist can help you regain control.
Anxiety Treatment Can Help You Find Relief
Stress and anxiety are a natural part of the human experience. But at their worst, they become harsh taskmasters. I’ve personally experienced many of their more odious effects, and, as a therapist, I understand anxiety from the inside out. Through both personal and professional experience, I’ve learned to control the harsh taskmaster. That helps me combine my anxiety counseling expertise with a hopeful, compassionate, optimistic approach. In other words, I believe that you can find relief.
In our sessions, we’ll begin by addressing your needs, worries and desires. When you work with a therapist who truly understands what makes you tick, it becomes easier to gradually identify and work through the roots of your anxiety. It also becomes easier to describe the kind of life you desire—whatever that less anxious sense of being looks like for you.
You may feel like a less anxious life is unattainable—possible for others, but not for you. That’s the biggest lie of anxiety—always telling us what we can’t do and who we aren’t. Therapy for anxiety can help you develop important insights into yourself and your abilities.
Believing in your ability to change is important. When you commit to finding a solution, the results can be amazing. As a hopeful and encouraging therapist, I incorporate behavioral techniques and homework assignments that help you practice different ways of thinking about, responding to and coping with anxiety. An example is learning to separate your problem from your identity. After all, anxiety isn’t who you are. It’s what you experience. Similarly, counseling isn’t about changing who you are. It’s all about changing what you experience. When you learn to change your response to anxiety in this and other ways, you’ll begin to live with greater freedom.
Even if you feel imprisoned by anxiety right now, with the help of a supportive and experienced therapist who specializes in treatment for anxiety, it’s possible to feel heard, understood and respected. You can develop a new perspective on your struggle and gain new tools to manage and control your anxiety. You can turn the harsh taskmaster in an irritating servant.
You may still have questions about anxiety treatment…
I think I need help, but isn’t therapy expensive?
Therapy for anxiety is an investment in yourself and your quality of life. By gaining a healthier perspective on yourself, as well as a few calming tools, you can significantly reduce the hold that anxiety has on your life. By investing in change now, you can reap a lifetime of rewards. After all, what’s the cost of not changing?
I’m committed to making therapy affordable. Although I don’t accept insurance, I offer receipts that some clients use to apply for out-of-network reimbursement. If you really want to work with me, but can’t afford the stated fee, please contact me to ask about reduced-fee time-slots.
What if my problem becomes too big to address, or another issue comes up?
It’s true that you might come in for help with anxiety, only to find that the counseling process reveals other issues lurking beneath the surface. I provide a caring, compassionate and confidential setting where you can feel safe working through any issues that arise.
It’s okay to be afraid when you consider opening your private world to a stranger. I understand, because I was once a client. In the safety of a counseling room, it’s good for those other issues to stop hiding. If they aren’t addressed now, they’ll keep jerking your chains from the shadows into perpetuity. But you won’t face that potential threat alone. I’ll provide the help and support you need to face whatever comes up.
What if anxiety treatment makes things worse?
Here’s what I’ve learned: ignoring a problem now means it will likely grow larger later. You—and every person on this planet—will ultimately change, because change is inevitable. Anxiety counseling offers you the opportunity to understand and have some control over the how the change takes place.
You Can Change Your Response to Anxiety
If you would like to schedule an appointment or discuss any questions you may have regarding anxiety treatment in Manassas, VA, I’m available at 571-494-1391. I try to respond to all voicemails and emails within 24-hours during the business week.