Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety takes on many forms.

Social anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, existential anxiety, generalized anxiety - no matter what form it takes, anxiety feels pretty awful. You might feel constant tension, or frequently nauseous. Each of these anxiety disorders feels a little different, but they can all hold you back from living life to the fullest. Maybe you are always on edge, waiting for the dam to break and the panic to sweep over you. Or you might just have an underlying feeling all the time that something bad is going to happen, or that life is dreadful for no reason. Your mind might be racing and you can’t focus on anything without getting distracted by painful thoughts. There are specific fears too, like what if someone judges me? What if I’m rejected? What if I fail? Anxiety is a shape shifter, but the root of it is always the same.

There is nothing wrong with you.

I know it might feel like there is. In fact, your anxiety is telling you there is something wrong with you. Your anxiety can be really extreme and all consuming, so your mind begins to tell you that something is wrong. Anxiety and panic attacks can be incredibly limiting, frustrating and even scary. If you are struggling with anxiety, it means that the natural defense mechanism of your brain is working overtime. Therapy provides the supportive environment you need along with concrete tools to help manage anxiety and break the patterns that have gotten your brain worked up. You can get back control and manage your anxiety. Counseling can help.

Symptoms of Anxiety that respond to Counseling

First of all, you should know that everyone’s anxiety looks different. When you come to counseling, I will treat you as an individual and try to understand your unique experience of anxiety. However, there are some general symptoms of anxiety that indicate you might need professional help. Below is a list of anxiety symptoms. If you experience some or all of these, it may be time to come in for therapy.

• Feeling out of control due to anxiety

• Constant worry

• Racing thoughts

• Fatigue/Sleep problems/Lack of sleep

• Lack of appetite

• Panic, fear and uneasiness

• Avoiding places, things or people

• Tense muscles

• Headaches

• Feeling agitated

• Restlessness

• Difficulty concentrating

• Irritability

These are all symptoms of anxiety that respond really well to the therapy interventions I use. These are annoying symptoms that are holding you back. But they don’t have to. You deserve to be able to fully engage in your own life. Therapy can help you regain control of your life.

You can find freedom from anxiety through counseling.

The good news is that anxiety is extremely well understood nowadays. We can pinpoint why and how people suffer so much from it, and there are several proven methods for recovering from even the most severe anxiety disorders. The simple truth is that counseling works as an anxiety treatment. People who come to my Asheville, NC counseling office for anxiety get better. I’ve seen other people find freedom from anxiety and begin to experience life fully again. I want you to find that same freedom.

I am well trained in evidence-based therapies for anxiety. More importantly, I have been through anxiety disorders myself. I understand anxiety from the inside out. I know what has worked for me, and I have watched the same things work for my clients. It really can get better.

“Working with Mike I’ve gone from having a panic attack every time I leave the house to confidently taking the subway alone. It’s phenomenal to have my freedom back. Mike is patient, empathetic, and knowledgeable.”

— AMANDA

Learn practical tools for overcoming anxiety.

There are two parallel paths that anxiety therapists should be walking you down. The first is support and exploration. When coming in for anxiety treatment, you want a therapist who is a confidant. Someone you know will always be caring and supportive no matter what you want to reveal or what ideas you want to explore. You should be comfortable sharing your thoughts, beliefs and anxious feelings with your therapist.

The second path that your therapist will be balancing is that of practical problem solving. In anxiety treatment, you and your therapist work together to answer the question, “What can you actually do to change your situation and make progress on the issues that brought you into therapy?” A lot of therapists are good at the first path, but forget to focus on the second one. And you need this second path. You are looking to balance both the acceptance of the first path with the real change of the second.

You’ll learn new tools in our counseling sessions

I try to make sure my clients are getting both that supportive understanding AND the practical tools when they come into my counseling office for anxiety treatment. I’m happy to spend as much time as you need listening and supporting, but then when you’re ready we need to roll up our sleeves and get down to business. I can teach you techniques and tools for learning to cope with anxiety and reduce the suffering it causes. I will incorporate mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into our sessions so you have specific tools to use to manage your anxiety. These tools come not just from my professional training, but from my own experience recovering from an anxiety disorder. I have tried all of these myself and can vouch for their efficacy. If you really want to get through your anxiety, learning new coping strategies is your best bet.

Begin Anxiety Treatment in Asheville, NC

You don’t have to struggle alone with panic attacks, constant nausea, fear or the many other forms and symptoms of anxiety. You can learn how to overcome and manage anxiety with the help of a skilled anxiety therapist. If you would like to experience new freedom in your life, I offer anxiety therapy at my Asheville counseling clinic. Please contact Strive On today to get started with anxiety counseling. It’s time to take back control over your life!

If you would like a free phone consultation, call (828) 407-0074, or email StriveOnCounseling@gmail.com.