Does anxiety have a grip on you and keep you from living fully?

Do you seem to worry constantly? Are you always on edge or wound up? Does a good, restful night’s sleep elude you and you have difficulty either getting to sleep or staying asleep because your thoughts keep spinning?

You may find that your muscles ache with tightness or maybe you feel disconnected from and out of touch with your body. Perhaps imagined worst case scenarios fill you with fear, which may leave you holding back and isolating.

Or maybe difficulty concentrating is impacting your work and your relationships, as irritability and fatigue occupy much of your day. Facing those challenges, you don’t find much joy and pleasure in life.

You may wonder if it’s possible to relax and enjoy your life. Anxiety therapy can make it possible.

You are not alone in experiencing anxiety!

We all experience some anxiety in our lives, during transitions or other difficult times. That level of anxiety can actually be helpful in motivating us to perform better. But anxiety becomes a problem when it starts interfering with daily life, relationships, work and other aspects of life.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.”

The upheaval of the past several years – political, racial, global, economic, health – has driven those numbers even higher. While many are hopeful that those issues will improve over time, the mental health impact is likely to extend into the upcoming years. According to the American Psychiatric Association, “In 2024, 43% of adults say they feel more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022. Adults are particularly anxious about current events (70%) — especially the economy (77%), the 2024 U.S. election (73%), and gun violence (69%).”

Work or financial stress can contribute to symptoms of anxiety. Many find significant changes in their lives – moves, births, losses, job changes – can exacerbate stress and anxiety. Global crises, including a pandemic, political conflict, and civil unrest, can certainly intensify anxiety. Especially now, many are concerned about tightening budgets with inflation and other economic concerns. While the pandemic has subsided, some are still dealing with the aftermath of those stresses.

But, as difficult as it may seem right now, whatever your circumstances, working with an anxiety therapist can help you regain your sense of wellbeing, focus and pleasure in living your life fully.

Anxiety therapy can help you unwind and find peace again!

The thought of adding one more thing when you are already experiencing so much stress and anxiety may seem too much. But what greater gift could you offer yourself than the opportunity to learn the skills and heal the emotional wounds underlying your anxiety so that you get your life back? With a trained therapist sensitive to the challenges you are facing, you can do stop avoiding situations that amplify your anxiety and start building the life you want.

I know how difficult and painful anxiety can be. I understand that even thinking about reaching out for support is hard to do. So I want to acknowledge you for looking for help. It takes courage to ask! Welcome!

My approach is gentle, always starting where you are. I believe that therapy is a partnership where you are free to share and explore at your own pace in a safe, judgment free space. We discuss your concerns, where you have been and where you would like to be, giving you space to get to know me as a therapist as well. As we continue, we will hone in on specific challenges that are bothering you and go deep in healing the core issues. In addition, I can help you learn and use new coping skills and tools to help you manage stress and respond to experiences more effectively.

I have been a therapist since 2007, building a large toolkit to support my clients on their journeys. I utilize mindfulness skills, helping them to be present to their experiences in the moment. Trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I teach skills to reduce symptoms of distress, regulate emotions and build effective relationships. Some of my clients also find that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be helpful for deeper healing.

Over the years, I have worked with many individuals like you who have struggled with anxiety and bravely committed to the journey of regaining their lives with the help of therapy. I have had the honor of watching them transform relationships (especially with themselves!), change circumstances that were not working for them or make adjustments to circumstances so that they could work, and reclaim their passion for life.

You, too, can heal and build a life that is fulfilling and purposeful. No longer holding back or isolating, you can experience life fully and rediscover peace and joy.

You believe that anxiety therapy can help, but you may still have questions…

I am already feeling overwhelmed. How will I ever make the time for therapy?

Counseling for anxiety is an investment in yourself. You are worth that! You deserve to have the life you want. Setting aside time now can help you begin to fill the rest of your life with the experiences and relationships you dream of. Many of my clients have even shared with me that, because they become more focused on what’s important to them through therapy, they begin to have more free time in their lives.

I’ve been struggling with anxiety for a long time and it seems really bad. Will it take a long time for me to feel better?

Everyone who experiences anxiety is different, so it’s difficult to say just how long therapy will take for you. However, you will begin to learn about new skills early in the process and you may find at least some relief soon.

How do I know if you are a good fit for me?

This is a great question to ask. Finding a therapist who feels like a good match is really important. You may even have tried treatment for anxiety before, but didn’t feel like you gained as much from it as you could have or that your therapist just wasn’t quite a fit for you. You can learn some about a therapist by reading their website, but choosing a therapist is an important decision. Because you will share deep, personal information in your anxiety sessions, a counselor you feel comfortable with is key to successfully meeting your goals. So I encourage you to reach out to me at 561-533-0948 for a 15-minute telephone consultation to ask me questions and explore whether I feel like the right fit for you.

You can find relief from anxiety, loosening its grip on you so you can live fully!

If you are ready to overcome anxiety, I invite you to make an appointment for a full counseling session or schedule a 15-minute phone consultation at 561-533-0948 . And if you don’t feel a connection with me during our first session, that’s okay. I can offer suggestions for another colleague who may be a better fit for you. My priority is that you get what you need from your therapy experience.