Anxiety is our bodies natural way of identifying whether we are under threat, it comes from our nervous system and how we respond to danger.
You may have heard the terms “Fight, Flight or Freeze” which relate to the way our bodies respond when our brains tell us we are in danger. It can be really useful at times because it exists to keep us safe, but sometimes we find it needs a little bit of regulation to put us back in sync.
Counselling for anxiety looks specifically at what is causing the anxiety, finding the core beliefs and experiences that may have triggered the anxiety and then looking at challenging those thoughts throughout the sessions. I will support you with tips and tools to help you to manage anxiety and also look at what is underneath so that you feel better.
You might be thinking "So how does that help me?"
We will explore what’s behind the anxieties, and look at what’s really going on for you.
Reframe negative thinking patterns and replace them with new ways of thinking.
We will look at how you are currently coping and managing day to day, see what is working and what isn’t working.
Explore what triggers your panic attacks or anxiety attacks and support you with tools to alleviate the symptoms.
Help you to gain more control of your thoughts and feelings.
Feel more comfortable around other people and confident with being yourself.
Improve your communication styles so that you can have those important conversations.
We will work on your ability to see things from a different perspective.
We will look at ways to help you to make better decisions based on your own needs.
Understand your current self image and work on ways to develop a positive self image and stop you from judging yourself harshly.
Talk about overthinking and find solutions to stop you from overthinking every little detail.
Support you with tools to enable you to find more effective ways of coping.
Improve sleep which will help to improve motivation and increase energy levels.
Help you to let go of things that are outside of your control and focus on the things that are.
Anxiety can cause you to develop unhealthy beliefs and coping mechanisms as a result of how you're feeling and what you have experienced.
It can cause many different symptoms. It might affect how you feel physically, mentally and how you behave. It’s not always easy to recognise when anxiety is the reason you’re feeling or acting differently but with the right support and working together we can work out how to get you to a place where your coping better and able to continue doing the things you enjoy. Whether your worries relate to your health and wellbeing, social settings or general anxiety we can look at understanding where this all started and look at ways to help you to challenge any negative beliefs and assumptions so you can move forward, gaining more control over your body.
ANXIETY CAN CAUSE YOU TO FEEL PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS SUCH AS:
- faster, irregular or more noticeable heartbeat
- feeling lightheaded and dizzy
- headaches
- chest pains
- loss of appetite
- sweating
- breathlessness
- feeling hot
- shaking
ANXIETY CAN CAUSE CHANGES TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUCH AS:
- feeling tense or nervous
- being unable to relax
- worrying about the past or future
- feeling tearful
- not being able to get to sleep or regular waking at night
- difficulty concentrating
- fear of the worst happening
- intrusive traumatic memories
- obsessive thoughts
ANXIETY CAN CAUSE CHANGES IN YOUR BEHAVIOUR AND THE WAY YOU SEE THE WORLD:
- not being able to enjoy your leisure time
- difficulty looking after yourself
- struggling to form or maintain relationships
- worried about trying new things
- avoiding places and situations that create anxiety
- compulsive behaviour, such as constantly checking things
If you would like counselling for anxiety, I can help you.
I will support you throughout your journey, exploring the issues that are causing you distress, working on finding a solution that feels right for you in a confidential and comfortable environment.
Contact me today and lets work together to identify your strengths and look at the things that are holding you back from being the best version of yourself.