Many individuals come to therapy with an unclear vision of what they need or want to get from their sessions. They cannot define the issue, but can talk about a feeling. This feeling is often anxiety and comes in many shapes and sizes. Anxiety can come in the shape of full blown panic attacks to constant worry to an impending sense of doom to butterflies. It can be specific to one area of life or to all areas of life. It can cause momentary stress or cause an individual to shut down completely. The interesting thing about anxiety is that we all feel it and is to a certain extent normal. When individuals can’t cope then therapy and medical intervention may become necessary.
Therapy involves understanding the cause of the anxiety. For some individuals this may mean exploring the past to gain a better understanding of the present. An increased awareness of the impact of specific situations on current feelings and behaviour can go a long way in reducing anxiety. For others it may mean identifying triggers and working towards eliminating triggers. Developing coping strategies is essential. Strategies when triggered that are useful include square breathing, mindfulness, distraction (i.e. consciously searching out things in your environment to focus on instead of the physical sensations during a panic attack), progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For more information on anxiety disorders go to the Canadian Mental Health Association website. Click here.
If you want to talk to a therapist who is qualified and experienced in helping individuals with anxiety contact Annette Poechman at 905-520-5859 or click here.
Listening. Guiding. Caring.
