Anxiety Therapy

Life is abundant with problems, challenges and obstacles. For every problem solved, another will present. We often think about problems, challenges, and obstacles as being negative. When we think about them as being negative or overwhelming…there will be reactive energy felt in the body in the forms of physical stress (e.g. tension, aches/pains), emotions (e.g. anxiety, panic attacks), and avoidant behaviors (e.g. social withdrawal, phobias) and reactive behaviors (e.g. substance use, obsessions, compulsions), and compromised brain functioning (e.g. impaired attention/concentration, impaired learning and memory retrieval).

The mind-body health hazards of stress are numerous.

ANXIETY & STRESS

Anxiety and stress are very common in our society. I see many people who have a variety of different types of The Family of Anxiety Disorders:  generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.  However, some of the people I see do not have a psychiatric disorder, but are Stressed Out to maximum overload. Any presentation of anxiety or stress can affect work, school, relationships, and health.  Depression is also often co-occuring with anxiety.  How do you know if you are depressed? take the quiz.

CAUSES OF ANXIETY

The exact causes of the anxiety disorders are unique to each person because everyone has their own genetic predisposition, environmental experiences, history, and personality. Anxiety most often starts when we don't know effectively how to adapt, cope, or flow with perceived stress (real or imagined).

Many times anxiety seems to be only related to events that have unfolded in a person’s life. Interestingly, individuals who have been through the same exact experiences may deal with them in different ways–some people may develop an anxiety disorder, while others may not. Ongoing clinical research provides clinical psychologists more insight into anxiety, the harmful mind-body reactions to stress, and uncovering the most effective treatment options.

TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND STRESS

When it comes to treating anxiety and stress, there are many scientifically proven therapies and options at our disposal. I use a variety of methods including psychotherapy, coaching, relaxation training, and stress management techniques to help alleviate the pain and suffering caused by Stressed Out overload and the Family of Anxiety Disorders. Often the people I treat for anxiety and stress also have other areas of their life that they would like to improve as well, so there are many factors that influence which therapy methods are used.

Generally speaking, I start with sessions that facilitate an exploration of your particular experiences of anxiety. This allows me to either recognize that you are someone who would benefit greatly just by processing ongoing anxiety and stress triggers in a supportive and therapeutic environment, or recognize that you are someone who would benefit from a very specific modality of treatment.

In either case, as appropriate, based on your goals, we will develop a treatment plan. As you work with the treatment plan, you may want to revisit the sessions that are structured as more of an open space for you to explore your feelings and build awareness, or you may decide that once you have learned, for example, a cognitive-behavioral program, you may feel your therapy is complete.

I work with patients who are seeking both short-term therapy as well as patients who prefer ongoing intensive healing through standing weekly visits. I respect your right to choose short-term or ongoing therapy, and if you are unsure which you need I will help you to explore the options available to relieve anxiety and stress.

There are unique combinations of scientific proven psychological “best practices” therapeutic approaches that combines break through insights from Mindfulness Based Therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, and Mind-Body Therapies, and Insight Therapies, so you can free yourself from symptoms of anxiety, stressed out, panic, fear.

Join me for a liberating custom made program for you to transform your experience of stress and anxiety.
You deserve to have a life of wholeness balance, and success and a healthy functioning Mind-Body.

I hope that you understand the most important component to free you from anxiety is this: You have a unique personality and your own dynamic history. There is no one else like you, not now, before, or after. Therefore, it is important that we also consider complimenting the Symptoms’ Relief therapies with exploration to ultimately understand the Root Causes of your anxiety and stress. Insight into why anxiety reactions occur are the most important facet to prevent future symptoms' presentation.

Together as an alliance, you will gain insight and the coping tools to build your anxiety and stress resilience and badass success in today's very demanding world.

The order in which these skills are presented is individualized to each patient’s needs, goals, and interests. Anxiety Therapy and Stress Management Therapy can be completed during live in-office visits, and/or by video conferencing for patients who live far away or are simply too busy for office visits.

You can't get away from life challenges and obstacles, but you can learn to manage anxiety and stress without pharmaceutical medication.

Flow with me,
Dr. Shawna