Anxiety Counseling & Therapy
Learn to Let Go of Anxiety and Fear, Reclaim a Sense of Control, and Create the Joyous Life You Desire and Deserve
If you feel anxious, stressed out, stuck or confused, you can’t stop running through “what if” scenarios over and over again in your head, or you constantly rely on the approval of others because you feel incapable of trusting your own decisions, you’re FAR from alone … and working with an anxiety therapist can help!
Of course, we all have to cope with stress and anxiety from time to time …
Anxiety and stress are normal, even helpful, reactions that keep us focused and alert when we’re faced with challenging or potentially threatening situations.
And there’s no shortage of things to be anxious or afraid of in the world today!
Yet most of the things we worry about or fear are things that are outside of our control. In these cases, our anxiety and stress don’t help us stay focused, alert, and in control. They take control of us, and they can slowly suck all of the joy out of our relationships and lives.
Few things are worse than living life in a constant state of anxiety and fear that you’re unable to control. Yet that’s precisely how many of us live, whether we’re consciously aware of it or not.
What can you do?
If you’ve tried just about everything you can think of to reclaim some peace of mind and a sense of balance and control in your life – reading one self-help book after another, taking long walks, compensating with exercise, food, alcohol or pills, you name it – but nothing seems to help you overcome the irrational, obsessive thoughts, fears, or panic you’ve been experiencing , then it’s time to seek professional help.
Fortunately, help is available.
Thousands upon thousands of people just like you seek out counseling and psychotherapy each and every day to cope with, work through, and overcome anxiety and stress.
Why Anxiety Counseling & Therapy?
Countless research studies have shown that professional anxiety counseling and psychotherapy are the most effective forms of anxiety treatment available.
Why?
Because unlike other anxiety treatment techniques, anxiety counseling and therapy don’t just help you alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and fear, they can help you:
- Learn the skills and tools you need to cope with anxiety whenever it arises, as well as let go of the things you can’t control;
- Change the way you perceive and react to anxiety-provoking situations;
- Examine the experiences and beliefs that lead to your anxiety, so you can work through and resolve the underlying causes of your anxiety and stress; and
- Reframe your thoughts and beliefs so that what once triggered your anxiety and stress no longer holds the same power and control over your relationships and life.
In other words, anxiety counseling and therapy can help you not only cope with anxiety and stress, but also work through and overcome the underlying issues that lead to them, so you can move forward in your relationships and life with confidence and optimism.
How Does Anxiety Therapy Work?
We’re all unique individuals with our own ways of perceiving and interacting with others and the world around us. Accordingly, anxiety therapy needs to be tailored to each and every individual. This is why I don’t provide any sort of one-size-fits-all anxiety treatment services. I’m also a very interactive anxiety therapist and I’m not just going to “sit there” and listen to your problems.
I typically start each session with a brief meditation and other mindfulness therapy techniques to help you become more grounded, relaxed, and focused on the present, as well as provide you a place you can return to whenever you need it during our work together.
From there, we may use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and IFS Therapy techniques to look at the thoughts, feelings, and parts of you that are leading to anxiety and stress, as well as use more body-oriented therapy techniques (such as Sensorimotor Therapy, Hakomi Therapy, Mindfulness, and EMDR) to look at how different experiences make you feel – not just emotionally, but physically – so you can manage those feelings more effectively.
Why?
Because our thoughts affect how we feel, emotionally and physically, and how you feel affects how you think.
For example, your heart may feel as heavy as a rock, or you may have sweaty palms, or feel the need to run away. You may feel fear as a cold icy feeling in your stomach or you may feel anger as a red heat in your chest.
Recognizing these types of body sensations are part of what’s known as body-oriented or somatic therapy.
By being able to identify the emotions that accompany these types of physical sensations, you can then go back and listen to how you’re thinking about and talking to yourself – you may feel that there’s something wrong with you or even tell yourself that you’re not good enough – while feeling these things physically.
We can then look at the source of those thoughts and feelings – the defense mechanisms and beliefs you’ve picked up during the course of your life that are likely no longer serving your best interests – so you can start consciously creating the change you seek.
In other words, effective counseling and psychotherapy isn’t just about changing the way you think.
The goal of our work together is for you to understand how your thoughts and emotions affect the way you feel physically, and then use that information to have greater insight into how you think and feel about yourself in order to create true healing, growth, and change.
Is Working with an Anxiety Therapist Right for You?
If you’re hesitant about anxiety counseling and therapy, I get it …
Most of us have a tendency to try and minimize, or deny, or “stuff” our anxieties and fears, so we can keep on “keeping on.”
But when anxiety and fear become persistent, they keep returning time and time again until they can no longer be ignored.
To make matters worse, if left unaddressed, anxiety and stress not only take a significant toll on your relationships and life, they can also lead to numerous other emotional, physical, and behavioral health issues.
Fortunately, you CAN learn to free yourself from the thoughts and fears that always seem ready and waiting to consume you.
If you’re looking for an anxiety therapist and are ready to do the work necessary to better understand who you are and create a healthier, more joyous relationship with yourself and the world around you, I encourage you to contact me today at 510-866-4781 or email me at eleanor@eleanorlew.com with any questions you have or to schedule a free, 15-minute, initial telehealth consultation. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you create the authentic, joyous relationships and life you desire and deserve.