Counselling for anxiety
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an important emotion that motivates us to take action and succeed in our lives. Whenever we detect a ‘threat’ to our well being, relationships, emotional or physical safety, our nervous system activates into ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ mode. Our bodies become physically prepared to do whatever it takes to stay alive, and puts other biological functions ‘on hold’ (e.g. digestion or higher order thinking). Anxiety processes are crucial for self-preservation. Today, however, it is rare to find ourselves in a life-or-death situation where it is necessary to feel activated with anxiety. Furthermore, our nervous system hasn’t developed to the point of being able to distinguish the difference between a threat that is imagined, and a real threat in the present moment. In today’s world with constant stimulation, much of the population experiences higher-than-necessary levels of anxiety.
What are the effects of prolonged stress and anxiety?
Overwhelming and/or prolonged anxiety can lead to: anger and agitation, feeling frozen, or holding back. Learning the tools to regulate our experience of anxiety is important for focus, maintaining relationships, making decisions, and continued learning. Our immune system becomes suppressed, and it can lead to more severe medical diagnoses.
What kinds of anxiety are there?
Generalized Anxiety (GAD)
Panic Disorder
Specific Phobias
Agoraphobia
Social Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
What are common symptoms of anxiety?
-racing heart
-feeling nauseous
-agitation
-inability to concentrate
-trouble sleeping
-sweating
-hyperventilation
-weakness
-feeling of dread and panic
-gastrointestinal problems such as gas, diarrhea, constipation -trouble with digestion
-avoidance of certain situations
-chest pain or tightness
-shortness of breath
-dizziness
-constant worry
What are panic attacks?
Panic attacks are short, sudden episodes of intense fear. They appear to start without warning, and leave individuals feeling exhausted afterwards. Many people mistake panic attacks for a medical emergency.
Symptoms of panic attacks are:
-dizziness
-difficulty breathing
-chest pain or tightness
-feeling like you’re “going crazy”
-intense feeling of dread
-sweating
-hyperventilation
-intense crying
-fear that you are ‘dying’
How do I know when to get professional support for anxiety?
As previously mentioned, anxiety is a natural emotion that serves a purpose. However, if anxiety is starting to interfere with your ability to meet your responsibilities, or is holding you back from engaging in things like meeting with friends or partaking in activities you enjoy, it is time to seek professional help.
How does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for anxiety work?
Laurel takes a practical approach to addressing unhelpful levels anxiety through evidence-based, Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) tools and strategies that help to shift the nervous system out of ‘fight, flight, or freeze’. CBT helps clients identify and understand unhelpful patterns of thinking, and generate new patterns that lead to an overall sense of well being, confidence, and ease. It also allows clients to understand where they developed patterns of thinking and acting that contribute to unhelpful levels of anxiety, in order to give them more power to create new patterns.
Laurel has successfully worked with individuals experiencing: Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, and situational/fear-based Anxiety.
Laurel provides CBT for anxiety at her West Vancouver location for adults and teens.
Book your first session with Laurel to discuss how counselling and CBT for anxiety can help you: