Anxiety

Is Anxiety beginning
to get the best of you?

Almost everyone struggles with anxiety to one degree or another. We often respond to anxious thoughts by attempting to control, solve, avoid, manage, or distract ourselves from them. These responses may seem reasonable (indeed, they are part of our body’s survival instinct to protect itself in a crisis); but if used habitually, they end up doing harm. These unchecked recurrent responses can lead to poor sleep, digestive issues, heartburn, and panic attacks.

When anxiety begins to disrupt our normal daily functioning, we need to pay attention. This is the point where the “anxiety, disrupted sleep, bad habit” cycle begins. Instead of reflexively allowing our bodies to engage in protective but harmful responses, we can instead acknowledge these thoughts with appreciation, curiosity, and compassion.  It is in this safe space that we learn to be integrated instead of disrupted.

Psychological Flexibility

Our ability to calmly engage and integrate intrusive thoughts involves developing psychological flexibility.

Instead of reacting in fear and trying to control the outcome, we choose:

  • to live in present awareness

  • to be open to learning what our thoughts want to tell us, and

  • to be engaged with their messages.

I will help you learn to approach your thoughts and feelings with an appreciation for their intended purpose (protection), a willingness to explore why you feel you need to be protected, and an acknowledgment of how you are feeling in that moment. While turning into our pain can be frightening, when you learn to do so with these three principles in place, you will discover that your pain holds wisdom. Ironically, it is the act of turning toward the anxious thoughts itself that will lead to freedom from their associated bad habits. It is not the thoughts that are harmful, it is our response to them!

During our initial sessions, we will explore who you are, what motivates you, and where your values lie. With these core principles in place as guideposts, we will then walk through how to integrate the helpful parts of your anxious thoughts’ messages. By gleaning the wisdom they offer you, you will learn to honor this part of your inner self, thus removing shame. You will begin to acknowledge their helpful purpose, and intentionally apply their lessons to who you really are. By combining their wisdom with your own personal values, you will naturally begin the process of forming healthy habits.

This is how you will go from harming yourself to healing yourself. Let me help you get there.