“How wild it was, to let it be.” — Cheryl Strayed
Anxiety disorders can rob you of your quality of life and your ability to function. They can leave you feeling nervous, tense, and excessively worried. You may have trouble concentrating, suffer from racing thoughts, and feel exhausted. Furthermore, anxiety disorders often go hand-in-hand with depressive disorders. Although it might seem difficult to overcome your symptoms and calm your mind, it is indeed possible with the mental health counseling at Let All Thrive. The best therapy for anxiety is the one that works for you, and we’ll figure it out together.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Due to the nature of anxiety, you may find yourself obsessing over past events and perceived mistakes, and feeling excessive worry or even fear for the future. Rather than being stuck in a cloud of “what-ifs,” you can learn to live in the present moment with mindfulness-based therapy.
Mindfulness-based therapy strives to build greater self-awareness. You’ll learn to pay more attention to the present moment. When you catch your mind wandering, you’ll observe your thoughts without getting overwhelmed by them or judging them, and then you’ll gently nudge yourself back to the present. This isn’t easy; in fact, it requires consistent practice. Over time, however, as you continue to do the exercises, you’re likely to find that it gets easier to stay in the present.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
If you scroll through Facebook or Instagram, it might seem as though everyone but you is living an ideal life. This can make it seem as if you’re the only one who is struggling with anxiety or other problems. Yet, everyone suffers from problems, including difficult thoughts and emotions. This forms the premise of acceptance and commitment therapy.
ACT suggests that, since difficult emotions and thoughts are a natural part of the human experience, trying to control or suppress them will only cause greater problems. Instead, you can learn to observe your thoughts and feelings in a neutral or nonjudgmental way (this is the “acceptance” part of ACT), and you can learn strategies to tolerate them better. You can also make a commitment (the second part of ACT) to live in a way that best reflects your life values.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most widely used therapeutic modalities, and it’s helpful for a wide range of mental health disorders, including anxiety disorders. It can be helpful for treating panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, and others.
CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts are the primary driver of how you feel, and subsequently, how you behave. Your life circumstances aren’t as relevant. CBT works by helping you to identify and understand your negative thought and behavioral patterns. The next step is to replace those unhelpful patterns with more realistic thoughts, thoughtful behaviors, and coping skills.
Find the Best Therapy for Anxiety Today
The mental health counselors at Let All Thrive will develop a personalized treatment approach for you based on your unique issues and concerns. We know that the best therapy for anxiety is the one that works best for you, and we’ll work together to identify it. Contact us today for an in-person or telehealth visit.
