Treating Anxiety

Diagnosis: When treating clients with anxiety, it is important to assess whether the client is struggling with social anxiety, generalized anxiety/worries, panic attacks, health anxiety, specific phobias or substance-induced anxiety. 

 

Treatment: I work with clients to investigate triggers for their anxiety, unhelpful behaviors they are engaging in when feeling anxious (such as avoidance), physical symptoms of anxiety (ex. muscle tension, heart palpitations, shakiness) and what thoughts they have that could be contributing to the anxious feelings. We practice healthy coping skills, relaxation strategies, and mindfulness skills. We can use gradual exposure to a hierarchy of anxiety inducing situations to help the client gradually overcome avoidance of anxiety-inducing situations.

 

Evidence Based Practices: I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and EMDR.  Some clients benefit from therapy alone and some clients benefit from seeking a consultation for medication management from a physician or psychiatrist in addition to therapy.

 

Homework: Homework can be assigned to practice relaxation and coping skills outside of sessions. For clients that enjoy learning through reading, anxiety related treatment handouts can be provided and reviewed in the therapy sessions.