You Don’t Have To Feel Lost
Find yourself again. Take back control. Stand up to the pressure.
Anxiety can be downright paralyzing. It can make you feel like the world is closing in on you or crumbling altogether. You might second-guess yourself and question your perceptions of reality at times. To make matters worse, you might feel disconnected and isolated in your struggle. But you’re not alone. Anxiety is one of the most prevalent, most widespread, most difficult parts of being human.
Songwriter Jason Isbell describes it this way:
“Anxiety
Why am I never where I’m suppose to be?
Even with my lover sleeping close to me,
I’m wide awake,
And I’m in pain”
But anxiety doesn’t have to run our lives! We can take back control.
How can I return to the present moment?
Imagine playing with your children on a sunny day without any nagging thoughts about what bills need to be paid. Imagine going on a date without ruminating on what Vickie said at work today that made you angry. Imagine regaining an appreciation for the beauty of the present moment because you’ve taken control back over your thoughts.
It probably feels like anxiety is running your life right now, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Setting boundaries for yourself toward other people, toward work, and even toward electronics can help you feel defined, self-contained, and in control of yourself again. It sounds simple but it can be quite difficult and complicated. Problems with boundaries create stress, and stress can keep us from the present moment.
That’s where I come in. I’ll use a mix of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help you find helpful solutions to the stressors in your life.
The Good Life is lived in the moment.
Regaining the present moment means accepting and managing emotions as they come. It means having much better relationships with the people you love most because you’ve learned when to say “yes” and when to say “no”. It also means developing a robust, healthy respect for yourself that harmful words from others can never threaten. Just imagine being at a family dinner with no fear of what someone might say to you because you know your worth!
Through counseling, you’ll learn that you don’t have to deny strong emotions or ignore them. In fact, you’ll actually be able to mitigate them and learn from them. After all, emotions aren’t bad for you – they’re a part of you! And you get to be in charge of them.
Most clients finish their work with me feeling highly empowered by the boundaries they have set and the skills they have learned. Most returning clients have also reported ongoing, permanent change in their important relationships after discovering their self worth and developing a new respect for themselves. Once you get this stuff down, you’ve got it! Life’s changes may bring you back in, and that’s fine! We can always work on re-applying these concepts to new situations.
How Does Anxiety Counseling Work?
It’s all about self-worth and boundaries.
For starters, I will listen and I won’t judge. Your story matters greatly, and I want to hear as much of it as you want to tell me. Much of the healing we experience in counseling is from hearing ourselves speak the hurt and then re-understand the situation. I’ll encourage you along the way. I’ll help point out when you may not be giving yourself enough credit for your resilience and strength. I’ll encourage self-examination and growth and provide a safe space for healing. Next, we’ll figure out what parts of the story bother you the most. We’ll probably work on establishing a key boundary or two to help you take back control over the distress you feel.
”Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where I end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me freedom.” (Dr. Henry Cloud).
We’ll examine ways you can set, keep, and re-visit boundaries to preserve your relationships with other people and to preserve yourself.
From there, we’ll work on helping you stop the thoughts that fuel anxiety. We’ll also address your physical health and make sure
that you’re using your body to address anxiety in its many forms. We’ll talk a lot about balance, both emotional and physical, to help you achieve a sense of stability and control. When we add all these together, we find the present moment. And it’s beautiful!
Anxiety Counseling FAQs
What is Anxiety Counseling?
Anxiety Counseling utilizes techniques like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) to help you regain control over anxious feelings and reconnect with the present moment. This process begins by focusing on your unique story and self-worth, followed by developing healthy boundaries and effective coping strategies to manage anxiety. Counseling can be essential when anxious thoughts interfere with daily life, such as limiting social interactions or hindering work performance. You don’t have to feel trapped—freedom from anxiety is possible!
How much does Anxiety Counseling cost?
How long does the Anxiety Counseling process take?
How do I know if counseling is right for me?
How often should I have a session for Anxiety Counseling?
Get Started With Anxiety Counseling in Atlanta
The process of learning to take back control over anxiety starts with scheduling a free, 15-minute consultation. This will be a short, simple conversation in which you can ask questions and we can both evaluate whether or not I can help you. If I can help, then we’ll schedule an appointment, usually within 2 weeks of the call. If I can’t help, I’ll refer you to someone who can.