ANXIETY THERAPY
Is Anxiety Keeping Your Child or Teen From Putting Their Best Foot Forward?
Does it seem like alarm bells are always going off in your child’s head, even when they are not in any danger?
Do relative minor concerns at times set off full-blown panic attacks?
Are you doing everything to help your child but the worry doesn’t seem to go away?
Maybe they are perfectionists, and they can’t help but dwell on their perceived mistakes. They may tend to replay the same scenarios over and over in their mind, wondering what they should have done differently, or are constantly asking you for reassurance.
Even when they wrap up their school day, they just can’t seem to relax. No matter how hard you try to get them to engage in family activities they seem to prefer to hang out alone or spend time on their phone/computer/device. Maybe they are irritable with family even when things seem to be going well.
Perhaps thinking about worst-case scenarios has always been their go-to. Although the catastrophic situations they imagine practically never happens, they still seem like they keep their guard up. You find that they are spending so much of their time thinking about the trouble they might face down the road, that they completely forget to live in the present and are missing out on a lot of fun.
Anxiety Creates Symptoms That Can Be Unsettling
When you live with anxiety, you might struggle with a wide range of symptoms that affect your physical and mental health, such as:
Nausea or other digestive issues
Negative impact on school performance and social life
Severe symptoms like panic attacks—sweating, difficulty breathing, and intense feelings of fear
Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Trouble focusing on school or daily tasks
At social gatherings, children and teens may often feel so tense and nervous that they avoid social situations just to dodge the awkwardness. They might stop participating in sports and other extracurricular activities they have once enjoyed and they might seem distant and quiet when they are with people.
Do you wish your child or teen could feel calm, happy and enjoy their life? They can! Through therapy, they can get to the roots of their worries, find relief from their symptoms, and finally let go of their anxiety. And you will learn all these things too so you can support them outside of therapy session.
Everyone Feels Fearful And Anxious At Times
It can seem like you’re only the person struggling with a child or teen with excessive worries. But be assured, you’re not alone! Anxiety disorders are actually the most common mental health issues affecting people in their daily lives today.
And it’s really no wonder so many of us are overwhelmed by anxiety. As kids try to juggle pressures in school, navigating their social life, having responsibilities at home, and the expectation to grin and bear it through hardship, it’s easy to see why anxiety has become so widespread.
On top of that, many of us spend hours on social media each day, comparing our own lives to highly edited photos and videos. And if that’s not enough, the 24/7 news cycle has us living in a constant state of emergency, with constant updates about the next global crisis.
Anxiety Can Keep Us Stuck In Fearful Thinking
Rather than seeking help for anxiety, we often feel like living in panic mode is our only option. And so, we avoid reaching out for help because of the stigma surrounding therapy or because we assume that our symptoms just aren’t “bad” enough for professional treatment.
Some of us may even feel like we’re “weak” if we can’t fix anxiety on our own.
But I’m here to help! Anxiety therapy can offer you effective treatment customized to your personal needs. With my support, you can learn how to use tools and strategies to manage your symptoms and overcome your anxiety.
Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Feel Calm And Grounded
If your child or teen is living with anxiety, it can be tough for them to figure out when their concerns are valid and when they’re simply worrying about something that’s unlikely to happen. I get it! And I have a lot of experience with treating anxiety.
I’m here to give you empathetic and compassionate support through effective, evidence-based treatment approaches. With my help, they can identify the root of their fears, develop skills to alleviate their symptoms, and finally feel at peace.
What You Can Expect In Therapy Sessions
My goal is to build a working relationship with your child or teen and create a strong, authentic healing connection. During the first session, my aim is to understand you and your child/teen’s situation and unique needs and get to know you better as a person/family while you share how anxiety has affected your child’s life and what specific symptoms they’re dealing with. Parents will be present in all children’s sessions and are welcome to be present in teen sessions. We will work together to determine what works best for you and your family.
After my initial assessment, we will work together to…
explore the roots of the anxiety.
go over what you might like to change or do differently.
set specific goals to help make these changes.
prepare a personalized treatment approach that fits your/their needs.
Throughout each therapy session, you and your child/teen will be able to get a deeper understanding of the anxiety, as well as how to avoid constantly mulling over their fears and participate in positive calming activities. Before long, you’ll notice that they’re not spending so much time worrying on a daily basis and that the fears have calmed.
Effective Treatment Methods For Anxiety
I’m experienced in using a variety of evidence-based modalities and therapeutic techniques. Ultimately, I seek to apply the methods that will work best for your unique situation and specific needs. With my help, you and your child/teen will also learn skills to keep your symptoms under control outside of sessions.
Even if your child has been struggling with anxiety for a long time, change is possible. With the right tools and support, anxiety is highly treatable. I’ve seen it time and again working together with my clients. Many have made significant progress in understanding their anxiety, reducing their symptoms, and finding permanent relief.
Children and teens don’t have to live life in the shadow of endless worrying. It’s possible to flip the switch on panic mode! With the help of therapy, they can break free from their anxious thinking.
But You May Still Have Questions About Anxiety Therapy…
How long does counselling for anxiety take?
I take a customized approach that puts my clients at the center of anxiety therapy. Some people find relief after just a couple of sessions, while others need more time to address their issues. There is no set timeline for treatment. You'll be able to work with me for as long (or short) as you personally need to effectively target your anxiety.
Will talking about my fears not make my anxiety worse?
I understand that the idea of sharing your fears with a therapist might feel overwhelming. But as you reflect on the roots of your anxiety in therapy, you’ll also focus on actively learning skills and finding solutions for controlling your symptoms. And that’s empowering! As you get the hang of managing your symptoms, you’ll probably find that your quality of life improves.
I should be able to get over my anxiety on my own.
Even if you’re tired of living with anxiety, you might be one of these people who put off seeking therapy because of the stigma. But there’s nothing shameful about working with a therapist. On the other hand, trying to “tough it out” and grapple with anxiety on your own can prolong your suffering. With the right treatment, you’ll be able to learn the skills to manage your symptoms and finally feel at ease… and at peace.
You Can Learn To Silence Your Worries
If anxiety is holding you back from thriving and living your best life, therapy can help you manage and overcome your fears. I invite you to contact me to find out more about how I can support and guide you.
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