About Counseling and Anxiety Treatment
It has often been said that the only constant in life is change. And yet change is often the most stressful part of life for some people, especially those prone to anxiety. Why is this? I believe that life changes sometimes requires coping skills that we have not yet learned. For instance, a long awaited professional promotion may require the person to give presentations, communicate effectively with more people, some of whom may have difficult personalities, or be away from home longer than is comfortable. And if that person is a perfectionist, fears failure, and fears the criticism of others, he/she will feel stressed and begin to have symptoms of anxiety. In this way, life changes present challenges we may not feel confident to confront successfully.
I have found that most people who come to me for counseling and treatment of anxiety have either recently been through some difficult life changes or are in the midst of one. Problems with panic, social anxiety, and fears and phobias are often the result of a combination of stressful changes plus an anxious brain and personality plus inadequate coping skills. Sometimes anxiety, phobias, and depression are due to trauma, either early in one’s life or more recently. This is an important issue to address, as unresolved trauma can make one vulnerable to anxiety/depression throughout life. Fortunately, the treatment of trauma has evolved and I am well versed in trauma informed treatment.
I understand that finding a therapist to help you with your anxiety can create even more anxiety! From the time we first meet, my goal is to help you feel as comfortable in this process as possible. Working as a team, we will collaborate to develop a workable treatment plan. I am confident that you will soon be on the road to living free of the burden of your anxiety disorder.
My way of working with people is person-centered and highly integrative, combining strategies from Behavioral-Cognitive, Mindfulness, Humanistic, Family Systems, Trauma-informed, EMDR, Psychodynamic, and Spiritual, in a manner that best fits the individual’s needs. Since everyone is a little different, I do not use a cookie-cutter approach, and will tailor the treatment to best fit your needs and goals.
In addition, I am educated and experienced in the use of nutritional supplements for anxiety and depression conditions. In 2001 I received a certificate in Health Psychology. In 2018 I became certified in Integrative Medicine for Mental Health. I am able to make recommendations regarding nutrition and supplements that will benefit your treatment of anxiety and overall health. If you have medical conditions in addition to the anxiety I can refer you to a wholistic practitioner or a psychiatrist, depending on your needs and preferences.
When face to face meetings in my office are not possible, I also offer video conferencing appointments for clients in California. I use a secure HIPAA compliant platform. This is an effective alternative if you cannot make it to the office.
I work with individuals, couples, and families. The type of issues dealt with include:
- Severe anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and trauma
- Stress- related depression
- Relationship difficulties – couple, marital, family or work-related
- Life-transitions
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