Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a survival response to a perceived threat. The anxiety response is physical, emotional and instinctual. Without anxiety we would not have been able to survive as a species. Human beings throughout history who were more anxious, for example, always scanning for predators, were more likely to live than those who did not have anxiety about possible threats. Depending on the person, the experience of anxiety may be more physical i.e. stomach aches or migraines, and for another person it can show up as anxious thoughts, dread, or even panic attacks.
What is the effect of anxiety?
We do not face the same mortal perils as our ancestors on a daily basis so why is anxiety so common? Now more than ever, our fast-paced lives are full of expectations, deadlines, financial pressures and so forth that can illicit the anxiety response just the same. Anxiety and stress have been shown to wear down our bodies and make it difficult to cope psychologically with the inevitable list of life-stressors we constantly face.
How I work with anxiety?
Anxiety is a broad term and each individual’s experience with anxiety requires tailored unique treatment. Although anxiety can be an isolated symptom, more often anxiety is a result of a traumatic event, coincides with depression and other mental challenges, or is a symptom of a greater problem. I use a variety of approaches to understand the core causes, experience, and scope of impact of an individual’s anxiety. These approaches include mindfulness practice/training, Brainspotting, cognitive behavioral interventions, Somatic Experiencing, all supplemented by talk therapy where trust and safety are paramount.
I am here for support
If your are experiencing anxiety and would like to speak with someone feel free to reach out to me.