Anxiety Therapy
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a mental and physical reaction to perceived threats. In small doses, anxiety is helpful. It protects us from danger, and focuses our attention on problems. But when anxiety is too severe, or occurs too frequently, it can become debilitating.
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Psychoeducation is an important early step in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The understanding and normalization of anxiety will allow you to better recognize the symptoms, and understand the rationale behind common treatments.
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What are the symptoms?
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Uncontrollable worry
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excessive nervousness
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sleep problems
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poor concentration
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increased heart rate
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upset stomach
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Muscle tension
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Avoidance of fear
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Types of Anxiety
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Generalized Anxiety: An excessive amount of anxiety or worry in several areas of life, such as job responsibilities, health, finances, or minor concerns (e.g. Completing housework).
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Phobias: A very intense fear of a specific situation or object, which is out of proportion to its actual threat. For example, a fear of giving speeches, or of spiders, could be considered a phobia.
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Panic: An extreme anxious response where a person experiences a panic attack. During a panic attack, the individual experiences numerous physical symptoms, and is overwhelmed by a feeling of dread.
How can Anxiety Therapy help?
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We help people find solutions to stress and anxiety that are custom-tailored to your needs.
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We ustilize:
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Cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT focuses on identifying, understanding, and changing thinking and behavior patterns related to anxiety. Our therapists may also use interpersonal therapy (IPT) to help you develop coping skills, encourage you to record your thoughts throughout the week as they occur, and attempt exposure therapy if appropriate for the diagnosis.
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Dialectical behavioral therapy: DBT is a specific type of CBT. The term "dialectics" refers to a philosophical practice of examining multiple or often contradictory ideas, combining acceptance and change simultaneously. For example, a patient can accept where she is in her life and also feel motivated to improve it. DBT places an emphasis on mindfulness, enabling people to recognize and attempt to understand thoughts as they occur.
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Exposure therapy: As this term suggests, exposure therapy gradually exposes an individual to the feared situation in a safe, controlled environment. Eliminating the actual fear is the ultimate goal. Practitioners begin by having the patient repeatedly imagine the feared situation or object and potential responses to it. Often used in treating OCD, phobias, and PTSD, this therapy may incorporate virtual reality or computer simulations to create a more realistic yet completely safe method of exposure.
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Group Therapy: The phrase "group therapy" describes a few therapeutic environments with participants beyond a single patient and provider. In addition to normalizing an individual's experience by relating to others, group therapy may offer an alternative for those who are unable to afford one-on-one therapy. Peer support groups offer an opportunity to share experiences and offer advice. In addition to fostering relationships between people with similar struggles, participating in a support group validates the shared experience of anxiety. A process group may be a good fit for people with social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The theory behind these groups is that, as you develop friendships with others in the group, over time the sources of anxiety will emerge and can be addressed.