Anxiety TherapY in Maryland & DC
Anxiety can lead to intense, excessive, and persistent worries that interfere with your daily functioning, leaving you feeling trapped in your own mind. It can cause significant distress and impair your ability to function in various areas of life, including work, school, and relationships. At times, anxiety may seem to come out of nowhere, increasing your worries. Some people might also experience panic attacks, which can feel uncomfortable and scary.
In therapy, we address anxiety through various effective methods. Together, we will identify triggers, thought patterns, and physiological signs to better understand how anxiety manifests in your mind and body. Treatment may also include practicing mindfulness and coping strategies to help you regulate yourself when anxiety symptoms arise.
Treatment for Anxiety
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation is an essential early step in treating anxiety disorders. It helps you understand and normalize your anxiety, review your symptoms, and grasp the rationale behind common anxiety treatments. You will also learn what situations cause you stress or increase your anxiety. Having an awareness of your triggers helps you manage them and supports overall treatment.
Therapeutic Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies focus on identifying, challenging, and correcting negative thoughts and beliefs that stem from anxiety. Additionally, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically validated approach that guides you toward more constructive responses to anxiety, allowing you to focus on meaningful pursuits. Finally, gradual exposure to anxiety-inducing situations (real or imagined) in a controlled and safe environment can reduce anxiety and fears. Recognizing that each person's experience with anxiety is unique, I adopt a holistic perspective to tailor my approach to meet your individual needs and strengths.
Coping Strategies
Techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing, and relaxation exercises can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment, thereby reducing anxiety symptoms. Coping with anxiety often involves a combination of strategies, and therapy can support in finding what works best for you.
