If you experience chronic or overwhelming instances of worry, fear, and unease, you may be dealing with increased anxiety. While there’s no such thing as a bad emotion, when our emotions overwhelm our ability to cope, therapy helps build skills around how we manage these heavy feelings. On this page, you can learn more about anxiety and how therapy is utilized to alleviate the effects of anxiety on daily life.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural emotion that we all experience. It’s designed to keep us safe when danger presents itself and push us to perform at our best when the stakes are high. So why therapy if it’s a natural emotion? Consider what a healthy level of anxiety feels like versus too much anxiety. For instance, the first time you drove a car you likely felt a bit of anxiety. This emotion helped you focus- it made you more attentive to your surroundings, and it kept you safer as you learned to navigate a new and possibly dangerous situation. You even started to feel more comfortable over time! Now, imagine if you were so anxious that you couldn’t even manage to drive the car. You started fixating on all the possible ways things could go wrong, or the level of worry you had the first time you drove a car didn’t ever improve. Instead, you always feel anxious when driving. This is debilitating anxiety that can negatively impact your day-to-day life.
Should I Consider Therapy for Anxiety?
So, when is therapy beneficial for anxiety? We’ve already given the simple answer above. Individuals should seek therapy for anxiety if it adversely impacts their daily life. Therapy for anxiety restores a sense of stability, and it empowers people to reclaim areas of their lives that anxiety prevents them from enjoying.
What Happens During Anxiety Counseling Sessions?
Counseling sessions for anxiety start with the therapist helping individuals understand the way that anxiety is impacting them. As sources of stress and anxiety are uncovered, the therapist can help clients to understand why certain things are distressing and begin developing strategies to alleviate distress or tolerate it when it shows up. In most cases, that starts in the safe space of the therapy session. From there, counselors challenge their clients to apply what they’ve learned in counseling sessions when anxiety arises in the real world. In further sessions, the therapist will go over how managing anxiety outside of therapy sessions is going and work with the client to continue reducing the impact of anxiety on their lives.
How Do I Get Started?
Our practice, Eirene Counseling & Consulting, was founded on the definition of the Greek word eirene. This word refers to a sense of inner peace and reconciliation as well as harmony within relationships. We believe that the foundation of good therapy is increasing a sense of inner peace and stability while improving relationships. If that sounds like something you’re seeking, we hope you’ll reach out to us to schedule a session or a consultation call. If you’re ready, don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected], call us at 804-293-0306, or complete our online scheduling request form.
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8100 Three Chopt Rd Rm 203
Richmond, VA 23229
804-293-0306
Fax: 804-237-0358
