grief counseling for an entire family

Posted on: 7 April 2021

If you worry too much, to the point that it negatively affects your health and happiness, you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can be effectively treated in therapy. The type of therapy that works best for you will depend on several factors, including the severity of your anxiety, your past experiences, and your personality. Different therapists tend to prefer certain techniques, but you should remember that therapy works best when you feel comfortable with your therapist. Here are four of the anxiety-fighting techniques you can expect from anxiety therapy:

1. Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy encourages a person to evaluate their current mental health through the lens of their past. Your past makes you who you are, and your anxiety may have roots in your childhood. A psychodynamic therapist will help you comb your memories for clues about the origins of your anxiety. Psychodynamic therapy can help you understand yourself better, which in turn can lead to better mental health.

2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

CBT can help people whose anxiety stems from catastrophic thinking. People who catastrophize are likely to assume the worst in any situation. They may constantly be waiting for something bad to happen, which can elevate their daily anxiety levels. CBT can give you the tools you need to evaluate your own thoughts. Instead of allowing your anxiety to rule your mind, you'll be able to ask yourself if your anxious thoughts are true and realistic. By redirecting your mind away from untrue, negative thoughts, you'll be able to soothe your anxiety.

3. Exposure Therapy

People with severe anxiety sometimes develop phobias. Avoidance can actually reinforce your fear. Exposure therapy will help you face your fears in a safe, therapeutic environment. Your therapist will expose you to your fears in small, calculated doses. They will be with you to help you manage and work through your anxiety. Exposure therapy is done very slowly to avoid traumatizing or overwhelming the patient.

4. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

If your anxiety is caused by past trauma, you may benefit from EMDR. During EMDR, your therapist will ask you to recall a traumatic experience. It should be an experience that troubles you regularly for the best results. While you think of that experience, your therapist will ask you to move your eyes from side to side or tap your hand. These motions will encourage your mind to rewrite traumatic memories, desensitizing you to their effects and reducing your anxiety over time.

Reach out to a counselor, such as Dr. Lynn Fraley LCPC, to schedule an appointment.