Anxiety therapy
Has Anxiety Confined You To A World Of Limitations?
Is fear or anxiety preventing you from fully living your life and reaching your true potential? Are you so caught up in your head, worrying about terrible things that will likely never even happen, that you’d rather stay home than take your chances in the real world?
Perhaps you’re always waiting for a painful experience in your past to repeat itself, so you never really feel safe or at peace anywhere—or with anyone.
Or...maybe you’re hoping anxiety therapy can help you navigate a difficult life transition that’s causing you more stress than you know how to handle on your own.
In A Lot Of Ways, Living With Anxiety Means Missing Out On Life
Like many with anxiety, it could be that panic attacks prevent you from driving, so you can’t really go places and do the things you want. Or, maybe social anxiety or a fear of what others think of you persuades you to avoid going out or being around other people entirely.
You might be so consumed with fear and negative thoughts that you’re constantly restless and distracted, unable to focus at work or get much done at home. It may be that you have trouble leaving the house altogether and just feel safer and more comfortable at home, never realizing just how small the world has gotten.
Anxiety has a way of taking more than just your peace of mind, but with therapy, you truly can heal and reclaim rightful ownership of your life. With my support, you can change the way you think and feel—you can learn how to meet new people, re-engage with the world, and ultimately enjoy a greater sense of peace throughout your life.
Modern Life Is Filled With Powerful Stressors That Fuel Anxiety
For instance, unrealistic standards for success and happiness, social media’s idealistic portrayals of “the perfect family,” and our culture’s “pick yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality—it all creates a tremendous amount of stress, self-doubt, and fear.
Moreover, the United States doesn’t have any mandated vacation time, unlike many other nations that require at least 20 days each year. Instead of prioritizing our own well-being, we’re forced to work long hours in unforgiving roles while keeping up appearances—even as the stress eats away inside.
Is Therapy Meant To Eliminate Anxiety Altogether?
Not exactly—but that’s a good thing! Anxiety is a natural defense mechanism we all have, and it plays an important protective role in our lives. It’s what makes you look both ways before crossing the street. So rather than eliminate it, we should work to navigate through it in a way that no longer dictates how we think, feel, or engage with the world.
Unfortunately, anxiety convinces us to avoid anything that causes discomfort—including facing our fears or trying new things—even when those experiences could help us heal and grow. For some, anxiety is rooted in painful early childhood experiences that don’t even register on the conscious level, making it incredibly difficult to navigate without support.
Working with a therapist helps you understand your anxiety and where it truly stems from. It teaches you how to listen to your body, challenge negative thoughts, and interrupt downward spirals while equipping you with tools for navigating—and containing—anxiety in the future.
Why Providing Therapy For Anxiety Is Such A Rewarding Experience
Many people who consider anxiety treatment feel embarrassed and worry that they’re blowing their feelings out of proportion—but what you are experiencing is real, and things can get better! Like virtually everyone, I can personally relate to anxiety and how it can limit us when it goes haywire.
But I’ve also witnessed the power of psychotherapy in helping people reduce the impact of anxiety, expand their world, and reclaim agency in their lives. It has been incredible to watch that transformation, and I’m honored to be part of such a powerful journey.
What Are Anxiety Treatment Sessions Like?
Early in anxiety counseling, I like to ask people about the experiences that have shaped them most, so I’ll start by equipping you with tools for staying calm, centered, and focused in the moment. Once you feel safe doing that deep dive, we can start looking at past experiences that may be contributing to your anxiety today, like childhood bullying, grief/loss, parental divorce, family illness, or changes in living situation, etc.
In addition to better understanding you and what you’ve survived, this exploration also helps remind you of your own resilience. It’ll also help explain many of the worries and challenges that make everyday life feel so oppressive. Gradually, we’ll collaborate on setting goals that ask the question: What would an ideal life not driven by fear and anxiety look like to you?
What Kind Of Anxiety Disorder Treatment Strategies Do I Use?
I offer a collaborative, mind-body-spirit approach to therapy that features education on how the brain manufactures anxiety to keep us safe—as well as how it can get activated and stuck in overdrive. To help my clients get a handle on their anxiety, I incorporate a range of skills and strategies into treatment:
· Mindfulness for anxiety utilizes deep breathing, grounding exercises, meditation, and guided imagery to help you self-regulate and connect with the person beneath the fear and self-doubt.
· Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps change the way you think, feel, perceive yourself, and move through this world by refining your relationship with those internal experiences.
· EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a holistic, mind-body approach to developing somatic awareness, regulating triggers, and healing the invisible bruises left behind by trauma, reducing the psychological sore spots that activate anxiety.
· Internal Family Systems (IFS therapy) focuses on helping you bring balance to the “parts” of you that make up your whole self so that fear and anxiety don’t hijack or govern your entire system.
· Exposure and Response Prevention, colloquially referred to as ERP therapy, gradually invites you to tackle real-world scenarios outside of sessions, utilizing all of the skills, insight, and healing facilitated by therapy.
Change Is Not As Elusive As You May Think
Anxiety is now an area of mental health we know a great deal about. When addressed with holistic and evidence-based approaches like CBT, EMDR therapy, and Mindfulness, anxiety responds very well to treatment.
Rather than merely reducing anxiety, however, my approach to counseling focuses more on helping you achieve what matters most to you. That could involve making new friends, leaving the house more, taking on a new role, or simply getting a good night's sleep. Those small successes will help build motivation and broaden your bandwidth to envision and set intentions toward a brighter, fuller future.
Still Have Questions Or Concerns About Anxiety Therapy?
I don’t know if I can afford anxiety counseling, honestly.
This concern is completely understandable, which is why I really try not to let cost be a barrier. First, I suggest calling your insurance carrier—or giving me permission to do so on your behalf—and finding out if you have out-of-network benefits. Then, let's talk. If your insurance doesn't offer enough coverage to make this affordable, I’ll be happy to discuss an alternative fee structure.
I worry that people are going to judge me for being in therapy.
Ironically, all the stress, fear, and uncertainty the pandemic stoked caused a lot of people to seek out therapy for the first time, so we’re actually talking about it more openly now. Even commercials are helping people see how common anxiety disorders and other mental health issues really are—all of which make therapy "more the norm."
The truth is: instead of being judged for seeing an anxiety counselor, you’re more likely to be met with a head nod that says, “Who doesn’t need therapy these days?”
I can’t imagine my anxiety disorder ever getting better, even with counseling.
In my experience, those who struggle with the most intense anxiety are often highly creative thinkers. Sometimes, that creativity amplifies anxiety’s voice, but it can also be a source of power and motivation that we can repurpose to reframe experiences, generate outside-the-box ideas, and envision new outcomes. Together, we’ll figure out how to optimize your strengths, draw upon your creativity, and utilize your anxiety to create the change you’re looking for.
You Don’t Have To Continue Missing Out On Life
Whether your life has been interrupted by stress, panic attacks, social phobias, or fear and self-doubt, my compassionate, holistic approach to anxiety disorder treatment can help you finally find peace. See how therapy can help you live your life to the fullest by calling 845-305-6547—or using the contact button above—to set up your free, 20 to 30-minute phone/video consultation.
Sonia Wagner, LCSW-R, offers online and in-person anxiety counseling services for clients in New City and West Nyack, NY, with virtual therapy sessions available to those throughout the state of New York.