Are You Lying in Bed at Night With Racing Thoughts?

Do you find yourself worrying about every little thing? Or perhaps you feel like you always have to be perfect.

Do you avoid social situations? You may feel anxious talking in front of people or meeting new people.

Maybe you have had a panic attack and now you’re afraid of having another one.

Or perhaps you tried anxiety therapy before and it hasn’t worked.

Anxiety can make it difficult to concentrate and can affect your relationships with friends and family.  Anxiety can also impact various systems in the body and can cause difficulty sleeping, memory problems, gastrointestinal symptoms and even tension and pain. If you feel anxious, you may start withdrawing and avoiding activities that you have enjoyed in the past.

The good news is you can learn how to better manage your anxiety so that you can engage in your life again.

Anxiety is Common

Everybody has experienced anxiety at some point in their lives and some degree of anxiety is normal. Anxiety becomes chronic when it interferes with your life and functioning. If you find yourself feeling anxious much of the time, or when you are in specific situations, it is important to work through your anxious feelings in anxiety therapy.

Anxiety protects us from harm, but when certain parts of our brain become over-active, anxiety can take over. We are supposed to feel stressed when we’re in danger and then move out of the fight-or-flight response when the threat is over. You may have trouble turning off the stress response and engaging in daily activities.

You may think your anxiety is not as bad as it is for other people. You may even put off getting anxiety treatment because you don’t think you are anxious enough to seek help. But anxiety generally doesn’t improve on its own.

If you suffer from anxiety, you are not alone. Research shows that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the US. Especially now, with so much uncertainty in the world, people are more anxious than ever. We know that anxiety treatment can help.

An anxiety therapist can help you learn strategies that help keep even mild anxiety at bay. Talking about anxiety helps. And learning techniques to minimize anxiety before it gets worse can make a big difference in your life.

Anxiety Treatment Can Help You Find Relief

Maybe you have tried anxiety counseling in the past, but you didn’t get the results you were expecting. In our practice, we know that the treatment approach that works for one person, may not be effective for someone else.

Our therapists will tailor your anxiety treatment to fit your specific needs. We will help you to safely express your feelings and better understand what is causing your anxiety. We will develop a plan using evidence-based strategies to help you feel better. Anxiety treatment can make a big difference in helping you manage anxious thoughts.

Anxiety therapy can treat a variety of different anxiety-related disorders, including: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Types of Anxiety Treatment

There are many effective anxiety treatments. Your therapist will help you to understand how anxiety works and what happens in your brain when you are feeling anxious. We use a variety of different strategies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help you learn how to manage anxious feelings. We also use relaxation and mindfulness strategies to help reduce anxiety before it progresses.

In our practice, we know that effective anxiety therapy needs to engage the brain from a bottom-up approach. Bottom-up strategies work with the body and sensations, while typical therapy only works with a client’s thoughts. We utilize tools that engage the parasympathetic (or rest and digest) part of the nervous system in addition to using techniques like CBT and EMDR.

CBT focuses on how your thoughts and beliefs impact your behavior and emotions. By working with unhelpful thoughts and habits, we can help reduce feelings of anxiety. EMDR uses eye movements to help create change in the brain and allow you to process through anxiety and negative thoughts. EMDR can be helpful for anxiety, trauma and phobias. In our practice, we combine these techniques with talk therapy and assess which anxiety treatment will be most effective for you.

You May Still Have Questions About Anxiety Treatment

Is Online Anxiety Therapy Effective?

Research shows that online anxiety therapy is very effective for treating many different types of anxiety. Online therapy is a great solution when it’s not possible to come in person. Your therapist can engage with you online in the same way as you would in-person.  And having therapy in your own home can provide comfort and security. Many clients prefer online therapy. During these challenging times when the world feels unsafe, online anxiety counseling can help you deal with a variety of issues from home.

Our knowledge and experience of how anxiety works can help you to get better results. We integrate a variety of different evidence-based therapies to find what works best for you. Even if you have had anxiety therapy before and it hasn’t worked, our approach is different. When you work with an anxiety therapist, you can learn how to break the cycle of anxious thoughts and feel more calm.

Will I Need to Take Medication?

A non-medication approach is often the most effective option for anxiety. Exploring your anxiety with a therapist can help you get to the root of the problem.

If you are interested in being evaluated for medication, our therapists can refer you to a psychiatrist. We work closely with several psychiatrists and primary care physicians in the area and we can work together to help coordinate your care. Your therapist will discuss different anxiety treatment options with you and help you decide on the best plan.

How Long Will Anxiety Treatment Take?

Anxiety counseling is different for everyone. In our practice, we don’t believe that therapy should take years. We want to help you achieve your goals in as few sessions as possible. We emphasize the therapist-client relationship as collaborative, while also helping you move forward.

Is Anxiety Treatment Worth the Investment?

According to a study led by the World Health Organization, yes it’s worth it. The WHO study shows that the return on investment in treatment far outweigh the cost. An anxiety therapist can help you understand your unique situation and learn to address your particular challenges. Therapy is an investment in your health and can help you to reduce negative thoughts, improve self-esteem and confidence. We all need help sometimes and seeking therapy takes courage.

You Don’t Have to Feel Out of Control Anymore

If you are ready to be free from anxious thoughts, we invite you to contact us or call 202-656-3376 to learn more about anxiety treatment. We offer a free consultation to answer any questions you have.