Anxiety Counseling in Phoenix, AZ

While the experience of anxiety is a very normal part of the human condition, there are several types of anxiety that can be very uncomfortable and problematic. The focus of anxiety counseling is to help deepen insight into anxiety triggers, develop adaptive coping strategies to help decrease anxiety symptoms, and find the ways to make life changes to help avoid unhealthy circumstances. Anxiety is one of the more uncomfortable emotions we can experience, yet is highly treatable and is often done so in a short amount of time. Our psychologists and counselors use a variety of techniques to treat anxiety including, cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, EMDR, family/relationship therapy, and life coaching.

One of the more frustrating things about anxiety is that the triggers and sources of anxiety can seem almost limitless. With so many presenting forms and so many varying causes, anxiety management can seem so confusing. Our therapists treat anxiety from a highly individualized approach, specifically tailored to each clients needs. For example:

When the root of our anxiety is due to negative, perfectionistic, or highly self-critical thoughts our psychologists or counselors may use cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify the negative thoughts contributing to the feelings of distress.

When the cause of anxiety is due to family stressors, our therapists help individuals identity their needs in relationship and find more adaptive ways to communicate or advocate for their needs.

When the cause of anxiety is due to trauma, our therapists can use EMDR or other techniques to help the individual be less anxious or triggered by their past negative experiences.

Almost every person has anxiety, but the way their anxiety presents itself can be very different. The following are the most common forms of anxiety.

Social Anxiety: Where individuals feel a great deal of stress, anxious thoughts, and negative self talk when in social circumstances.

Specific Phobia: When an individual is highly anxious in specific situations such as speaking in public, flying on an airplane, being around dogs, or being in tight spaces.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): When an individual has witnessed highly traumatic or anxiety provoking situations that has resulted in them being very hypervigilant, easily triggered and highly anxious when in current situation that remind them of their traumatic event.

Generalized Anxiety: When an individual feels that in most circumstances they experience elevated feelings of anxiety that leave them feeling overwhelmed, distressed and unable to relax.

Panic attacks: When an individual quickly becomes anxious and experiences acute physiological changes that often include rapid breathing, trembling, increased heart rate, difficulty focusing, feeling faint, nausea, feeling of “impending doom”, etc.

The topics with which people can worry can be incredibly broad and unique. However, most people with anxiety tend to worry about several specific topics: their own health and safety, the health and safety of others, finances, the future, their own abilities, the way others perceive them, school performance, the health of their relationships, family, and love.

The physical symptoms of anxiety can be quite uncomfortable. In accuse stress, many often experience fatigue, racing heart, jittery feeling, muscle tension, headache, fatigue, trembling, rapid breathing, insomnia and loss of appetite. As anxiety becomes prolonged, it can lead to insomnia, chronic changes in the immune system, weight gain, and malaise.

Common symptoms of anxiety include: Racing thoughts, feelings of agitation, feeling overwhelmed, decreased attention, difficulties thinking, excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, physical tension, feelings of panic.

While many can maintain their jobs, relationships, and daily functions, they do so with great struggle and effort. Anxiety can often cause relationship difficulties as people tend to be more frustrated, agitated, less empathetic and less flexible when anxious. Anxiety can also cause physical difficulties that leave people feeling sick, tired, and more prone to infections. Lastly, it can impact life satisfaction leading to feelings of worthlessness, lack of accomplishment, or fear of failure.

The treatments for anxiety include talk therapy and medication management. Talk therapy will focus on the specific type of anxiety and will help the individual deepen their insight into their distress, identify the triggers for their anxiety, develop adaptive coping skills for these circumstances and look at overall life circumstances and how these may be adjusted to avoid feelings of anxiety for the future.

Many people choose to seek treatment for anxiety when they feel their efforts to control their anxiety are no longer working. Treatment for anxiety can also be very helpful before an individual’s anxiety gets out of control. When people are in a calm place, they may be in the best position to proactively make life choices to avoid thought patterns, relationships, and life choices that can lead to anxiety symptoms. So either amid increasing anxiety or before anxiety increasing, anxiety treatment can be very helpful.

Our psychologists and counselors are passionate about finding a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to each individual’s needs and circumstances. While in therapy, counseling will focus on helping the individual deepen insight into anxiety triggers, develop adaptive coping strategies to help decrease anxiety symptoms, and find ways to make life changes to help avoid unhealthy circumstances. Should medication management be desired, our psychologists and counselors will coordinate care with treating physicians to provide the best continuity of care.