Stress And Anxiety
Safe one-on-one sessions to explore who you are and how
you can create new possibilities
It has so
many sources….
A big one is when we commit to things by saying “yes” to every job and person (when we really mean to say “no”). We want people to like us. We think if we say ‘no,’ that means the person might think bad of us. Ultimately, though, it leaves you constantly feeling overwhelmed and burned out.
Other sources of stress can include having to take care of other people (your partner or kids), feeling like the weight of the whole world is on your shoulders. Stress can include feeling overwhelmed by work and life’s responsibilities. Feeling like you don’t have time for yourself.
And it affects so many areas of our lives…
Poorly managed stress can lead to anxiety that bleeds into our work, family, and relationships. Stress can seep into our work by how we handle challenges, pressure, and our ability to solve problems. Stress affects our performance and focus.
Family conflicts can occur from poorly managed stress that led to anxiety—feeling angst and tension among family members.
Relationships can feel suffocating if stress is not managed well.
I like to give my clients the analogy of shaking up a soda can. When you keep shaking it, what happens when it’s finally opened? It explodes. This is the same with stress and anxiety. If it is not managed well, we can explode like a soda can and end up blowing up on everyone around us.
Licensed Psychotherapist
Unorganized, confused, drained, and overwhelmed…
When you’re stressed, you can feel as though you’re drowning, unsure of where to start on the to-do list of life. And when life feels like a mess, you’re probably not going to get far on that list even if you start.
It can sap your social life because even when you feel like meeting up with other people, you’re too exhausted to socialize.
Physically, do you have sweaty palms? A stomach in knots? Tightness in your throat and chest? Is it hard to breathe? Anxiety can be debilitating… even paralyzing.
And mentally? Those thoughts! Sometimes it’s as though they’ve taken over the steering wheel—as though they have a life of their own!
“What are people going to think?” or “What are people going to think of me?” “I’m never going to find my partner.” “What’s the point in being alive?” “No one understands me or gets me. I have no one.” These are characteristic of anxiety as it creates feelings of doubt, fear, and insecurity. It leaves us feeling either panicked or down.
Licensed Psychotherapist
Stress and anxiety get stored in our bodies.
That’s a problem…
Back in the day, anxiety was a reasonable response for surviving our environments—like giving us the “jolt” we needed to run away from a bear or tiger. But nowadays, that same mechanism gets activated all the time—even when we’re not in mortal danger.
Today, you’re liable to experience anxiety from not making ends meet, not getting along with your partner, or not making the grade you needed on that test (or thoughts about these realities!)
Our body stores that anxiety.
Here’s how we’ll get you feeling better…
Here’s what we’ll do…
We’ll explore the roots and issues underlying your stressors.
We’ll determine if the root of your stressors is more internal or external (does it come from the feelings you feel or things happening around you or outside of you). We’ll also establish comfortable and practical techniques for you to implement into your life immediately to soothe your anxiety and stress yourself.
You’ll acquire practical, effective tools for managing stress in your day-to-day life.
One key tool that we’ll practice is mindfulness, where you’ll practice disconnecting from unpleasant or negative thoughts and cope with feelings of stress with more ease.
Another is identifying your inner child (sometimes called the “shadow”), which is experiencing angst and anxiety. This is the origin of the voice in our head that feeds us a diet of doubt and insecurity. Identifying this inner child helps us SEE the anxiety and manage it better when we can see it and understand it.
We’ll look at the patterns and cycles of your thoughts, emotions, and behavior so that you can be aware of and manage them.
When you understand why your anxiety exists, you’re able to manage its symptoms and decrease its incidence in the future. We’ll look at whether your stress and anxiety come from a strong need to be in control, need to be right, need to look good for others, or the need to be comfortable. Through doing this, we’ll be able to see patterns and cycles of your thoughts.
We’ll work on your ability to shift your thoughts from negative, low-frequency thoughts (anxious thoughts, stressful thoughts) to thoughts that will help you feel neutral. For example, “I’ll never find someone for me” to “maybe right now, I need to shift my focus and energy to bettering myself.”
Licensed Psychotherapist
You don’t have to feel like you’re drowning!
Dealing with stress and anxiety can feel stressful and bring on more anxiety. Learning how to manage it doesn’t have to be stressful or more anxiety-inducing. Things don’t have to feel so daunting. We will take small baby steps at your pace.
You deserve to feel on top of life rather than feel like life is on top of you.
Lots of people struggle with stress and anxiety. You’re not alone in that. And you’re not alone in the fight!
Let’s do this together. Please email me for your complimentary 15- to 30-minute discovery session: