Anxiety is a word that is known to many, possibly too many. A common question I get is “Why do I have anxiety?” Sometimes it is not always clear. Anxiety can come from genetics, life stressors, environment, and even facing a traumatic event.
Anxiety can, at times, be very crippling. Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety are struggling with sleep, struggling to concentrate, becoming irritable, and of course, constantly worrying. Many clients will also come to their intake describing physical symptoms such as pains in their stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea. Often times, clients have gone to gastrointestinal doctors and have had many tests run only to find out that the doctor thinks they may be suffering from anxiety.
Many of times, people who suffer from anxiety will panic and struggle with calming themselves down. Clients will even state that they feel like they are being ridiculous but cannot control their thoughts at all. Some are even embarrassed saying that their thoughts are “stupid” and that they now feel stupid that they are even acting like that. I feel that people will blame themselves for not being able to always control their mind despite suffering from a disorder but will not blame themselves if they have other medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes. And I am here to tell you that you are not stupid, you are not weak. You are suffering from a disorder, if you are diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.
Anxiety Therapy
Being a therapist who mainly uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, I typically start treatment for someone with anxiety by going over the basics or what I like to call, the Band-Aids. What I mean is, some of the technique do not help to get rid of anxiety but instead help to management it. While other techniques helped to change the wind your mind thinks, which in turn will diminish most, if not all, of your anxiety symptoms. I will teach clients about different relaxation techniques to help them calm down. Of the most popular relaxation techniques are deep breathing, focusing on your breath, visualization, meditation, and progressive relaxation. Once I see that client fully understands all of these different relaxation techniques, I then start to teach refocusing techniques. Refocusing techniques are basically what the name is, you will learn to refocus your mind. So instead of focusing on something that is worrying you, you instead will play a game on your phone, read a book, watch a movie, exercise, cook your favorite meal, or do any other hobby or interest that you have that will help you to not focus on your worry. The next phase of counseling, which is typically the longest phase, is learning to challenge your rational thoughts. In addition, it is also trying to get the client to believe a very hard fact: that worrying does not help the situation. Worrying, if anything, can make situations worse and make you feel worse. This is part of counseling is the core of what CBT is. We, who use these techniques, believe that if your perception on the situation changes, your behaviors will change. The most cliché example I can give you is if the glass is half-full or is the glass half empty. If you are thirsty and look at the glass and think that it is half full, you will most likely be happy. But if you are thirsty and look at it that the glass is half empty you will most likely be upset.
Generalized anxiety disorder is something that is very treatable. Sometimes it can be treated solely by therapy and other times it may also require a little bit of medication from a psychiatrist. It is very important the clients find a therapist that is a good fit for them. But what is most important as a client’s willingness and desire to want to change. If you are committed to making a change in your life and are ready to begin anxiety therapy, know that relief is possible and you can begin your healing journey today!
Author: Tara Amanna
As a counselor, I approach therapy through a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework while integrating other evidence-based approaches when they best support a client’s needs. I believe therapy should be flexible and collaborative, and I tailor my approach to each individual rather than using a one-size-fits-all model. My style is compassionate, nonjudgmental, and authentic. I strive to create a safe space where clients feel heard, respected, and understood. I believe that you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to support you in exploring patterns, building skills, and discovering new ways to move toward the life you want. Together, we will work to identify helpful strategies, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and develop practical tools that can create meaningful and lasting change. My goal is to empower clients while honoring their experiences, strengths, and personal values.