Counseling for Anxiety

“I worry all the time,”

“I can’t stop thinking about this,”

“My body is on high alert and can’t calm down,”

“I’m always preparing for the other shoe to drop,”

“I doubt every decision I make. I always need reassurance from others.”

Maybe you experience anxiety in your body through a racing heartbeat, rapid breathing, and muscle tension when you encounter certain triggers. Or maybe it’s just always with you and you’ve begun to believe that this is just the way you’re wired. But the truth is, constant anxiety and always second-guessing yourself is not the way we were designed.

There is a way to manage both how anxiety manifests in your thinking as well as in your body which results in feeling peaceful and in control.

As a basic emotion, anxiety is not evil – in fact, it tells us what we care about, helps us to prepare for stressful situations, and reminds us that we are living human beings. It also protects us from real threat. It alerts us to danger, keeps us diligent when we need to be, and helps us prepare for the future. No doubt, our anxiety and fears can also feel too distressing to tolerate, make us want to hide from or avoid situations, or can paralyze us from taking action. But you don’t have to accept that you are doomed to live with this struggle forever.

My goal for you is to be able to experience anxiety in healthy, manageable ways and have the tools to then return to a state of balance.

Anxiety can be brought on by a thought, or a particular trigger or situation. Often, experiences such as moving, a job change, having a difficult conversation or walking into a crowded room provokes our anxiety. But sometimes the trigger for anxiety is not as obvious and anxiety can be mistaken for anger, stress or even a heart attack.

I can teach you how to make peace with your anxiety and the feelings your body experiences. Learning to let go of the resistance is important, as is developing an awareness of your triggers – both mental and physical. Learning to sit with the discomfort will help you gain strength and resilience. It will also tap into your innate power and help you feel less out of control. Regular meetings and practicing the tools will be the keys to managing the anxiety, building confidence and finding relief.

Practice tools and techniques that help you reduce overthinking and stress, so you can feel calm, confident, and in control.

Contact Julie Shepardson to learn more about counseling for anxiety and to schedule an appointment.