Anxiety Counselling
Having some anxiety in our daily life is perfectly normal and in fact, it actually helps us sometimes! Yes, you heard that right: our everyday life anxiety can be a good thing. Why?
A healthy amount of anxiety helps protect us when there are dangers, can motivate us, keep us on our toes and enable us to recall information quicker. But we all know that anxiety can also feel totally overwhelming and debilitating. Often, our brains can’t pinpoint what is causing the chronic stress response and managing stress requires coping skills you may not have yet developed.
Metanoia Mental Health offers face-to-face or online counselling for anxiety to all Alberta residents.
10 Symptoms of Anxiety
Each anxiety disorder is unique, emerging as your body's coping skills to life circumstances. Our life challenges come in many forms. You may develop excessive worry from life transitions, relationship concerns, parenting stress, or in addition to disordered eating. Here are some common anxiety symptoms you may be experiencing:
Worrying about work, family, relationships, health, school, performance or any other aspect of life excessively.
You are avoiding certain things in life in fear of experiencing anxiety, fear or a panic attack.
You are constantly seeking some reassurance.
You find yourself ruminating about things often, perhaps the same subject frequently.
You have a specific phobia.
You experience sleep problems.
You experience anxiety attacks.
You feel you are in chronic pain emotionally.
You have low self esteem.
You experience social anxiety disorder.
If this sounds like you, consider reaching out to a registered clinical social worker.
What to Expect:
Counselling Anxiety Disorders
Regardless of your diagnosis, whether it be generalized anxiety disorder, a panic disorder, or social anxiety disorder, it is important to understand treating anxiety disorders takes time. For some, anxiety therapy will leave them feeling noticeably better quite quickly. However, others will need to work longer before noticing physical symptoms and general mental health improving. It is not uncommon in counselling to feel worse before you start to feel better. This is because we are creating what can be some uncomfortable change!
As we dig into the "Why" behind our mental health concerns, more emotions and questions may arise. This is part of the journey. Just remember, your clinical social worker is a part of your team and is there to help you reduce stress and anxiety.
How can counselling help you with anxiety?
When starting your journey to work on mental health issues, there are a few ways to effectively work on treating anxiety disorders . Our team of mental health professionals may choose to use exposure therapy, mindfulness based practices, EMDR, or cognitive behavioural therapy, all in a supportive counselling environment.
Anxiety Therapy will:
Help you to explore your triggers and develop relaxation techniques.
Move beyond simply deep breathing to include different therapeutic techniques.
Help you to gain control of your emotions.
Anxiety therapists will help you establish more balance in your daily life.
Create new routines and thought patterns to prevent your daily habits from making anxiety worse.
Learn to practice self compassion.
Find a therapist
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Brianne Erichsen
BSW, MC, RCSW
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Deborah Flowers
CCC, M.C., B.ED