Do You Feel Too Anxious And Overwhelmed To Enjoy Life?
Are you experiencing new life changes that have brought on feelings of anxiety? Do you have panic attacks at work that affect your ability to meet deadlines?
Perhaps you are a newlywed or a new parent, and although this new chapter of your life excites you, you feel too overwhelmed to enjoy it. Or maybe you’re a recent graduate who’s just entered the workforce, and suddenly you have to juggle new responsibilities that you weren’t prepared for. You might even be struggling with your faith—perhaps the beliefs you’ve held all your life seem like they’re on shaky ground now.
You may be finding yourself worrying about things more than you used to. Is constant stress affecting your performance at work or your personal relationships? Have you found yourself withdrawing from your loved ones?
If this sounds like your current state of life, the good news is that you don’t have to maneuver through it alone. An experienced anxiety therapist can help you learn coping methods to deal with life’s more stressful moments.
Anxiety Can Impact You Physically, Emotionally, And Spiritually
If you haven’t been feeling your best lately, there’s a good chance that anxiety is the culprit.
Anxiety can make you hyper-vigilant, on edge, and unable to feel secure in your relationships or your faith. At the same time, it can even cause physical symptoms such as GI issues, nausea, and difficulty sleeping. If you’re in a relationship, the ongoing stress may be affecting things with your romantic partner. You probably wish that you could be more present and enjoy your time with your partner instead of worrying about your relationship.
If you are struggling with any of these issues, you may be desperate to make it through a single day without worry or panic attacks. You want to feel human again and feel safe and loved like anyone else would. And if you’re a Christian, you probably just want to feel more secure in your walk with God instead of wrestling with doubt 24/7.
Anxiety therapy with a trained anxiety counselor could make all of this a reality. Here at the Abundant Life Institute, we want to help you regulate your stress, deepen your faith, and feel more confident in who you are.
Anxiety Has Taken The Top Spot As The Most Prevalent Mental Illness
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2019, 301 million people are affected by anxiety (1). Anxiety has become much more prevalent in recent years, especially due to the global pandemic.
What most people don’t seem to understand is that anxiety usually stems from having to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. It is a normal reaction to feel anxious and worried when things get more challenging. Unfortunately, our modern society frowns upon those who struggle to keep up with all their responsibilities. If you can’t ride it out, many people think you deserve to fall behind.
That kind of thinking is unhealthy and completely false.
There Is No Such Thing As Perfection
If you’re a believer, your local church community may be telling you to just “pray the anxiety away.” Yes, we would like to believe prayer works independently, but God expects us to do some heavy lifting, too. He wants us to get by with just a little help from Him so we can be self-sufficient.
You’re not a bad Christian because prayer isn’t working. God just needs you to help yourself, too. There is no such thing as a “perfect Christian,” and it is human to feel emotions like anxiety, worry, and self-doubt.
It’s when you try to overcome your struggles by “wearing a mask” and stuffing down the worries and fears that you only start hurting yourself. The fears will only come back stronger when you least expect it.
The key is not to “fake it till you make it,” but to learn to be comfortable with yourself exactly as you are.
Anxiety therapy can provide you with a safe space to learn how to do that.
Therapy Can Empower You To Manage Anxiety On Your Own
Therapy at the Abundant Life Institute provides a calm, safe space to explore the root cause of your anxiety in the hope of finding healing. Talking through your worries with a caring anxiety counselor can reduce anxiety’s power. A therapist can help you cope with anxiety every time it rears its ugly head by giving you real-life skills for managing stress.
As therapists, our job is to work ourselves out of a job. What do we mean by that? Our mission is to help YOU improve YOURSELF and YOUR life. That means that the ultimate goal is for us not to be your therapist(s) forever. We are only here for a period of time to help you with that heavy lifting that God needs you to do.
Anxiety Treatment Methods We Use
Here at the Abundant Life Institute, we have different anxiety treatment methods to suit individual client’s needs. You may only feel comfortable with one of these methods, or you may prefer a combination—we will do whatever works best for you.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – an evidence-based therapeutic approach that helps us analyze the thoughts behind your anxiety. This method of treatment will help you challenge negative thoughts and emotions, allowing you to develop a more positive view of yourself and feel more comfortable in your own skin.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a milder therapy treatment for processing anxiety and other mental illnesses. It allows you to overcome past hurt and be present in the moment by having you pay attention to your body. This is most commonly done by moving your eyes back and forth to reprocess painful emotions so that your anxiety does not overwhelm you.
- Visualization: Techniques for anxiety that help drive the worries away by imagining that you are in a place where you can feel safe and calm.
- Mindfulness: Mindfulness for anxiety utilizes breathing techniques, meditation, emotional-focused tapping, and other exercises to help you be present in the moment.
- Value-Based Affirmations: Value-based affirmations are positive mantras that you can repeat to yourself in times of stress. These affirmations need to line up with who you are and what you can do for yourself, such as taking care of your body and practicing self-love and self-compassion.
Those of us at the Abundant Life Institute are glad that you have taken the time to read this page. That means that you are taking your anxiety seriously. Even if you aren’t ready to contact us just yet, keep in mind that healing is a journey. We will work together to help you achieve your goals.
Maybe You’re Thinking Of Trying Anxiety Therapy, But You Still Have Some Concerns…
How long will anxiety therapy take?
There is really no set answer to this question. Treatment length varies from person to person based on how much work they are willing to put in. Most people report that they start feeling relief after 4 sessions. But these people are showing up to appointments, doing their homework, and putting in the effort. Therapy will be as successful as the time you put into it.
Am I crazy?
No. You are not crazy. If someone said that to you, they are probably ignorant of how mental health issues really work. After all, they’re not licensed therapists, are they? Anxiety is common and treatable, despite what anyone says. Our therapists will help you understand that your feelings are valid and anxiety is normal, while teaching you to practice being kind to yourself in the midst of your struggles.
Will I have to take medication?
Medication is not necessary, but some clients find that it helps them improve their mood and do the work of therapy more efficiently. We do not prescribe medication at the Abundant Life Institute, but we can direct you to someone who does if you want medication.
Are You Ready To Live More Abundantly?
If you’re ready to start your journey to healing, getting anxiety treatment at the Abundant Life Institute can be your first step. To start, we invite you to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation. Call (770) 246-2822 or visit our website contact page.
1-https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders
