Have you had any of these ‘worrying’ thoughts recently?
I have this feeling of dread lately and I don’t know why.
I worry all the time. My mind never stops.
I can’t catch my breath. I wake up feeling anxious.
I keep Xanax in my purse/pocket.
What if…. What if….What if… I just can’t do it.
What if I try and it doesn’t work out?
I get tired so easily. I don’t want to think.
I feel dizzy or lightheaded.
My stomach is tied in knots. I have butterflies – all the time!
I am so restless and jumpy.
Just getting through the day is a huge accomplishment.
I am so stressed out!
Does this sound like you?This is anxiety talking. It may not feel like your brain is making this up, but it is. Like depression, anxiety may feel like it has just taken over your body. Stress can be emotionally painful. I would like to help you change your feelings with anxiety treatment, to help ease this pain, and to help recover. Yes, you can recover from excessive worries and anxiety. Not only is anxiety treatable, but the results of anxiety therapy can be long-lasting.
Anxiety can feel physical. Do you feel it in your body? Your heart may race or pound, or you feel tightness in your chest. You may feel a lump in your throat, or feel like you are smothering. Sometimes you may even feel sick to your stomach. I used to feel that my head was going to burst. (It never did.) The skills you will learn can last a lifetime!
Anxiety starts to control your feelings and thoughts, too. When you are flooded by worries, it is hard to ‘think straight’. When you are worried about ‘going crazy’, it’s hard to take control of your thoughts and even your routine daily activities. We may misinterpret our bodily sensations and think we’re having a heart attack. We may believe our fear thoughts. Anxiety thoughts come from parts of the brain that are fired up to make us feel like fighting, freezing or fleeing from real danger. And even imagined danger feels real to the brain and body.
Anxiety and the brain
Thankfully, our human brains have been hardwired over centuries to protect us from danger. In order to protect us, however, the brain’s first response is to want to interpret events as if they were life-threatening, and then it tries to control our physical and behavioral responses accordingly. Three major parts of our brain, the amygdala, hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex work together to determine what kind of stress we are facing. They are also affected by, and in turn affect hormonal responses in our body.
Different kinds of anxiety
Not all anxieties are of the same type or origin. Some people may have a genetic pre-disposition for anxiety. Some people have major anxiety disorders which respond well to medication and therapy. Most of my clients have experienced or are experiencing stressful life situations. Regardless of the reason, my clients have found that they handle better certain issues better when they share them with a professional. I have helped many people over the years who worry excessively, who are over-concerned with what people might think of them. Some clients suffer from free-floating anxiety, the kind that brings excessive worry even when there’s little in their lives that provokes concern. Have you experienced any of these Anxiety symptoms?
Let me help you overcome your anxieties and worries with my unique anxiety treatments. I can teach you several relaxation techniques, beginning with specific breathing exercises. I will help you face your fears, find your strengths, and teach you ways to confront your thoughts. Cognitive strategies, such as examining irrational beliefs and replacing them with rational beliefs has been shown to be especially effective. Some clients want to explore the issues underlying their worries. And others prefer to work with their belief system. With either approach, the most important thing is to develop trust, practice the new coping skills, and notice how your self-confidence builds! You may even want to take a deep breath – now.
Together, we will build hopefulness. I will want to know what anxiety is like for you. How does it affects your life? We will build your strengths so that you will feel more in control of your life, and more willing and able to accomplish these tasks in therapy.
Having worked successfully for over 28 years with clients who have been uncomfortably anxious, had OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or Social Phobia, or just got caught in a web or worries and sadness, I have seen how the work of therapy has helped restore hope and optimism.
Therapy can be a holding place for deep feelings.
At Claudia Trevithick-Creative Therapy you will have a place where your feelings are honored, held, and protected. Take that next step on your road to healing.
Call me, Claudia Trevithick at 720-242-9241 for a free initial 20 minute phone consult or just call me to set up an appointment.
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