Do you feel on edge and tense? Maybe you have thoughts that spiral out of control or even make you feel like they are attacking you. These are just a few examples of how anxiety may feel, and what might make it even more troubling is its persistence. We understand that anxiety can be a frustrating and difficult experience to work through. It is our goal to work together to reduce the effects of your anxiety and stop it from limiting who you are.
In general, anxiety is best defined as a specific set of symptoms that result from worry about a future event or future consequences. Symptoms of anxiety can vary based on the type of anxiety that is experienced and on other individual client factors. They may be present much of the time or be dependent on a variety of distressing situations. Some common symptoms of anxiety may include:
-
Feeling nervous, restless, or tense – potentially due to thoughts or for no apparent reasons
-
Having a sense of danger, panic, or doom
-
Physiological symptoms, such as increased heart rate, sweating, shaking
-
Difficulty focusing or concentrating
-
Disorganized sleeping, either too much or too little
-
Avoidance of anxiety inducing situations
It is helpful to break the idea of anxiety and its symptoms down between cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety. Cognitive anxiety is generally seen as having “negative expectations, worries, and concerns about oneself, the situation at hand, and potential consequences.” Another type of anxiety, somatic anxiety, is physiological stress such as a racing heartbeat, sweating, and shaking. Even though you may currently live with cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, or both, the positive news is that it is very treatable with psychotherapy.
Although it may not seem positive or necessary, anxiety can absolutely be helpful at times in everyday life. For example, it can motivate us to do tasks that we urgently need to get done, or it can protect ourselves from situations that truly are dangerous. At other times, however, it can negatively impact our relationships with those around us, limit the activities that we find meaningful, affect our performance work/school, and may lead to long-term health problems, among other potential consequences.
How Can We Help?
The therapists on Clarity Counseling’s team are uniquely trained in working with a variety of disorders and presenting concerns, including anxiety. When working with our clinicians, you can expect a respectful, compassionate, and empathetic experience that guides you toward achieving your vision of positive mental health. Psychotherapy may include building awareness surrounding your anxiety, restructuring your anxious thoughts, discovering methods to lessen negative feelings, and making progress toward overcoming fears, as well as much more.
We offer individual, family, and couples therapy to each client, depending on your needs. Sessions are offered in-person at PA and NJ locations, or conveniently through our secure telehealth platform.