Anxiety Counseling

Does Anxiety Impact Your Ability To Maintain Confidence In Yourself And Your Decisions? Are you constantly worrying and struggling to relax? Is a feeling of low self-esteem the result of regularly second-guessing yourself? Does it simply feel as though anxiety has taken control of your life?

Symptoms of anxiety occur on both emotional and physical levels. As a result, anxiety causes tension not only in your body but in your relationships—especially that which you have with yourself.

For example, you may feel sad and restless or unable to get comfortable in social situations. Your relationships may be suffering because you need constant reassurance from others and rely on friends or family to do the job of instilling confidence in your decisions. Or perhaps you are regularly tired from being on edge all the time, or struggling with muscle strain, diarrhea, and symptoms of panic that deplete your energy.

person sitting on the ground against a wall pressing their thumb into their head because they need anxiety counseling

Perhaps you may have given in to feeling that there is no other way to think or process your concerns beyond a constant cycle of worrying, or that happiness is out of reach because you can never seem to ever relax. While anxiety may be your norm now, there is potential for lasting relief in the form of therapeutic treatment. 

Perfectionism Is Like A Dog Chasing Its Tail

person holding their head in their hands experiencing anxiety and in need of anxiety counseling

Anxiety is the most common mental disorder, affecting over 18 percent of adults in the US alone. In a culture that does not highly value forgiveness and that encourages all-or-nothing thinking, it is easy to believe that one misstep can keep us from achieving our goals. In addition, the impact of social media creates a barometer that is constantly highlighting the accomplishments of some and criticizing the mistakes of others, resulting in a dangerous and impossible form of perfectionism.

As a nation that prides itself on its achievers, the US is a breeding ground for such perfectionism. If, however, we don’t “fit the mold” of success—perhaps based on our physical appearance, gender orientation, value system, or country of origin—America can be a difficult place to maintain self-confidence and pride. The “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality affects most Americans as is, let alone those in marginalized communities, creating vicious cycles of self-doubt and second-guessing among individuals. 

person holding their head in their hands experiencing anxiety and in need of anxiety therapy
person sweating and nervous about to do a work presentation and in need of anxiety counseling

It is normal to feel the pressure of a presentation at work, a big test at school, or any other situation in which our performance or abilities will be evaluated. But if feelings of distress and need for perfection extend into our daily lives, that is when anxiety becomes harmful to our physical, emotional, and mental health. In this mental state, it can be increasingly difficult to maintain relationships out of a growing inability to be vulnerable or ask for help, further sending us into the cycles of perfectionism created by anxiety in the first place. 

If you find that you are hiding the imperfect parts of yourself from others or that you can’t be honest about your worries, you may be at risk of damaging your health and destroying your most necessary and foundational relationships. Perhaps you feel as though you don’t need the guidance of a professional to change your thought patterns or to force yourself to relax. However, therapy offers the opportunity to not only be open and honest with an unbiased expert who is invested in your healing and treatment but to also better understand what is happening in your body on a physical level when anxiety occurs. 

person in anxiety counseling session looking happy and relieved

Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Reframe Thoughts & Feelings

Besides being a safe and open environment for you to explore your feelings, therapy can give you a personalized and effective toolbox for treating your anxiety. In sessions, you are encouraged to be your most authentic self while viewing the therapeutic space as your emotional home. From a nonjudgmental perspective, a therapist or counselor can offer you the understanding and skill set you need to be successful as you start the process of anxiety treatment.  

Beginning with psychoeducation, we will provide a neuroscientific explanation as to how anxiety works to normalize the thoughts and feelings you are having at the height of your anxiety. From there, we will explore the core beliefs you have about yourself and your surroundings while your therapist helps you to identify the thinking errors that lead to feelings of mental and physical discomfort or self-doubt. With a solution-focused treatment plan in mind, your therapist or counselor will help you to strategize the most effective ways to ease anxieties, both big and small. 

person hugging legs staring out the window in need of anxiety counseling

CBT in Anxiety Counseling

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness practices, you will develop the vocabulary needed to express your thoughts and feelings as you cultivate the necessary tools for feeling safe in any situation that might otherwise trigger symptoms of anxiety. In addition, your therapist or counselor may use motivational interviewing to help you understand the cycle of your belief patterns and thought processes that are distorted by anxious thinking. And finally, using narrative therapy, you will begin to see the story you have been telling yourself about your life and how that story affects the choices you make and the beliefs you maintain about your abilities. 

At Focus Counseling, we believe that the toolbox for anxiety treatment already exists inside of you. We are simply here to help you cultivate the skills that are aiding in your progress while getting rid of the beliefs that are hindering your growth and capacity for happiness. 

Since 2015, we have been helping clients to accept and embrace their imperfections while growing their confidence and self-esteem. Anxiety is a part of every person’s narrative, but you are the one who can determine how big of a role it plays in your story. 

Perhaps you are considering Seeing a Social anxiety Therapist, but you have some additional questions… 

  • There is no single answer to this question. Anxiety counseling will vary depending on the severity of your anxiety, among other factors. At Focus Counseling, we often use self-assessments for evaluating how disruptive you think your anxiety has become. From there, we will work with you to determine the course of action that will best suit your needs. The length of time varies from client to client, but we are confident that you will nevertheless quickly feel progress and relief as you begin the process of anxiety treatment. 

  • There is something “wrong” with all of us—we are all imperfect and possess flaws. The parts of us that are imperfect or broken will often make us feel very weak or afraid, but the goal of therapy is to accept those parts instead of letting them hold us back or trying to make them perfect. When you understand yourself better, you will do better—you will thrive. In accepting those parts, you can enjoy life more fully while embracing imperfection in a way that allows you to be more accepting, empathetic, and loving towards yourself and others. 

  • We accept certain forms of insurance. However, if your insurance is not accepted with us, we still encourage you to research if your provider offers out-of-network benefits. Diagnostic assessments cost $200 and individual anxiety counseling sessions cost $150. We accept many forms of payment, including cash, check, PayPal, and Venmo. 

 

Let Us Help You Rewrite Your Story!

If constant self-doubt and worry are impacting your ability to feel confident in yourself or your decisions, anxiety treatment at Focus Counseling can help you to feel more relaxed and at ease. For more information about our services, explore our site and contact us or call 614-489-8759 today. Please note that due to COVID-19, all sessions are being conducted via telehealth for the time being.