You can take back control.
Therapy for anxiety in Atlanta and online across the state of Georgia
WHAT IS ANXIETY?
Anxiety is a feeling that we all experience. However when anxiety becomes intense and persistent it feels overwhelming, impacting every aspect of life and hindering our ability to enjoy and engage in the world around us. It is a heavy burden that affects our emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
How do you know if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety?
You experience general worries and intrusive thoughts on a daily basis. These worries get in the way of taking care of yourself, impact your sleep, and negatively impact your relationships. You experience difficulty enjoying the present moment because you are worried about what might happen in the future.
You struggle with perfectionism and experience an inner critical voice that leaves you feeling not good enough. Your inner critic has a list of “shoulds” that tell you how to live your life but they are often unrealistic expectations. As a driven and successful person, you are able to accomplish many tasks, but you might procrastinate until you are able to do it perfectly. You focus on taking care of the people in your life, but often neglect your own needs. You tell yourself that you should be able to handle everything on your own, which makes it hard to reach out to others and ask for help.
You feel nervous in social settings and worry that others are judging you or that you will embarrass yourself. This fear can cause you to avoid social situations. It is difficult to communicate your feelings out of fear of conflict and you find yourself in unhealthy and unfulfilling relationships.
When anxiety feels out of control, alcohol, food, or other substances may temporarily quiet your worries and help you feel more in control. However, therapy for anxiety offers a feeling of hope, providing an effective path towards reclaiming control and finding balance once again.
Therapy for anxiety can provide you with a safe and supportive space to explore your emotions, learn coping skills, and gain relief from the debilitating effects of excessive worrying.
HOW THERAPY WORKS
You don’t have to feel this way.
One of the greatest benefits of therapy is the opportunity for you to gain a deeper understanding of your anxiety and its underlying causes. Together we will compassionately explore the roots of your anxiety and gain insight into the unique ways anxiety manifests in your life. Therapy provides a safe space to express and process your emotions, unravel your worries and fears, and develop healthy coping skills.
An important part of anxiety therapy is the opportunity for you to build a toolbox of effective strategies and skills to manage anxiety in your daily life. I use techniques from CBT, IFS therapy, and mindfulness/relaxation skills in my therapeutic approach. Continue reading to learn more about each of these techniques!
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I can help you learn to recognize and challenge your negative or irrational thought patterns, and reframe them in a more balanced and realistic manner. In addition to challenging your negative thoughts, we will also explore how these thoughts impact your communication skills and ability to set boundaries in your relationships. By breaking free from the grip of anxiety-induced negative thinking, you can learn to stop avoiding fearful or anxious situations, experience increased self-confidence and self-compassion, improved self-esteem, and a greater sense of overall well-being.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy believes that our mind is composed of different parts, which help navigate us through our lives. In the context of anxiety, these parts can manifest as inner critics, perfectionists, or worriers, among others, all vying for control and protection. IFS encourages us to recognize and embrace these parts with compassion rather than resisting or suppressing them. By doing so, we create an environment of self-discovery and self-acceptance which leads us to healing and connection.
By using IFS therapy, I help guide my clients on a journey of exploration to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying causes of their anxiety. This therapy recognizes that anxiety can often stem from past experiences, unresolved trauma, or conflicting beliefs within our internal system. By compassionately engaging with these parts, we can uncover the root causes of our anxiety and work towards healing and integration.
An additional tool that I use for anxiety management is mindfulness and relaxation techniques. I will encourage you to begin practicing mindfulness in your daily life. We may practice relaxation skills such as deep breathing and grounding exercises, which can help you begin to regain control over your racing thoughts and bodily sensations.
It is time for you to take back control of your life.
Therapy for anxiety can help you…
Identify your physical and mental symptoms of anxiety
Regain control of your thoughts and emotions
Understand and quiet your inner critic
Let go of perfectionism that keeps you stuck
Stop living in the future and enjoy the present moment
Feel better about yourself and your relationships
Frequently asked questions about therapy for anxiety
FAQs
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Therapy for anxiety includes a mix of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, Internal Family Systems techniques, and mindfulness/relaxation skills. We will work together to identify and reframe unhealthy thinking patterns, heal past traumas, and learn new behaviors to reduce and manage your anxiety.
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People experience anxiety differently, however common mental and physical symptoms of anxiety include:
Feeling light-headed or dizzy
A pit in your stomach
Restlessness and sleeplessness
Increased breathing and heart rate
Sweating and hot flashes
Feeling tense and nervous
A sense of impending doom
Ruminating thoughts
Trouble concentrating
Excessive worrying
Isolation and social withdrawal
Irritability
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Reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation using the online contact form. I will answer your questions and determine if we are a good fit.
I will electronically send you new client forms to complete. These forms will give your consent to begin therapy as well as provide me with information on your background. We will use this information in our first few sessions to begin developing your individualized treatment goals.
Receive support through meeting regularly for therapy appointments. Most clients initially attend weekly sessions. Begin feeling more in control of your life and develop more confidence in yourself.