The only way to make sense of change is to Plunge into it, move with it and dance with it. ~Alan Watts
Is Anxiety Keeping You From Enjoying Life?
Do you feel trapped by fear, worry, and self-doubt? Are you constantly on edge, to the point that you can’t focus on daily tasks or stay present in the moment? You may be overwhelmed by stress, sadness, or feelings of shame. Perhaps you second guess every decision you make. Or maybe you have trouble relaxing or falling asleep at night as your mind keeps replaying the day’s events or ruminating on what tomorrow will bring.
Making things more stressful, you might also experience uncomfortable physical symptoms, like numbness, heaviness, racing heartbeat, and chronic tension. You may recognize that you have become increasingly irritable, critical, or frustrated following a health scare, new diagnosis, or midlife crisis, and the stress has started to affect your relationships with your friends, coworkers, your partner, or children. In an effort to avoid anxiety triggers and regain a sense of control, you may withdraw from relationships and activities you used to enjoy, but that has only left you feeling more disconnected.
If you are a caregiver—either for your family or in your career—anxiety can be especially difficult to manage. Who can you reach out to for support when so many people look to you as a source of strength? And how can you commit to self-care when it feels like you’re doing all you can just to keep up with daily responsibilities? You might know that life is good, or that you are capable of handling things on your own, but you just can’t seem to kick the distracting symptoms and persistent sense of dread.
Do you wish you knew why you feel so anxious? Are you ready to learn new skills and strategies to improve communication and foster a greater sense of calm and confidence in your life?
Everyone Experiences Some Degree Of Anxiety
When anxiety is kept in check it can be a good thing in our lives: it warns us of danger and lets us know when we need to make a change. However, when stress, fear, and doubt become overwhelming, it can have long-term consequences in our lives, relationships, and careers.
If you knew what steps you could take to find relief, things would be easier. But anxiety affects everyone in different ways and for different reasons, and you may not be sure if you’re really dealing with anxiety or if it’s just a period of extreme stress. Unfortunately, anxiety rarely goes away on its own and can lead to serious complications if left untreated, including increased blood pressure and depression. And trying to numb anxious thoughts with drugs or alcohol can end up leaving you feeling more isolated.
Our constantly on-the-go culture and the pace of life here in Hawaii create an intensity of living that can be hard to manage on your own. The cost of living, worries about your family or career, and rapid changes in the community can all become overwhelming and get in the way of living your life. Even when things seem to be going well, the time and energy required to raise children, care for elderly parents, start your career as a young professional, or start a new life in Hawaii without family or friends can all leave you too exhausted to focus on self-care.
Alternately, you may remember fears and worries from your childhood that are impacting your confidence and well-being as an adult. For example, maybe your needs or fears weren’t heard and validated when you were younger, so you held onto anxiety as a way to protect yourself when others wouldn’t or couldn’t. Or you might have been told that you need to handle problems on your own, so you grew up with the belief that asking for support or seeking therapy means something is wrong with you. And without help alleviating these worries, you learned to hold them in.
Making things more difficult, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased feelings of fear and uncertainty. And if you were already dealing with anxiety, the added pressure and forced isolation can seem like too much to handle.
The truth is that any person who is willing to try something different can learn to manage anxiety. With the help of an anxiety therapist, you can find the guidance, support, and practical resources you need to understand why you feel overwhelmed and what you can do to live with greater peace and self-confidence.
Anxiety Treatment Can Help You Find Relief
We all go through periods where it seems like our life is out of balance. And when we don’t feel comfortable sharing our needs and goals with loved ones, we can end up feeling disconnected from our own story.
Anxiety therapy gives you a safe place and a neutral third party where you can explore thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or criticism. And when you are able to share your fears and still feel validated and respected, it opens the door to meaningful and lasting healing.
Together, we will explore habits of the mind, body, and heart to understand how anxiety is affecting your choices and different parts of your life. How are your thoughts shaping the way you see yourself, your relationships, and the world as a whole? What impact do physical habits—what you eat, how much or little you move, and how you breathe—have on your thoughts and emotions? How do you connect with others? And what do you need to feel like you belong and are loved?
My goal isn’t to tell you what to do, but to help you understand how daily choices and habits are affecting your well-being and what you can do to find relief ng. Rather than focusing on a diagnosis, we’ll center our work on recognizing and embracing your strengths. I’ll help you explore what is and isn’t working in your life so you can make guided, productive changes—like learning new communication skills or introducing yoga into your routine—that work for you. Instead of only treating anxiety symptoms, you can learn to identify unmet needs and take concrete steps to address the reasons you feel anxious in the first place.
Our first session will be about establishing trust, answering your questions, and getting to know your story. Anxiety has a way of affecting every aspect of your life, and my holistic treatment approach allows me to provide more complete healing by tailoring each session to your specific needs. At the same time, I recognize that core issues may not emerge in our first session, so I meet you where you’re at and based on what you’re ready to speak about. As a compassionate and intuitive therapist, I respond to your needs and goals every week with flexibility and a collaborative attitude so you can feel safe and comfortable sharing your story when you’re ready.
Throughout our work together, I’ll adapt to your goals for each session. If distressing symptoms are keeping you from keeping up with daily obligations, we’ll practice concrete skills and resources you can use to find fast relief. And if you are struggling to open up, I’ll take the lead and slow the pace of our work so your story can emerge naturally, instead of pushing you out of your comfort zone too quickly.
As an intuitive and holistic therapist, I draw from a range of approaches to help you connect with your emotions and find lasting relief. It starts with psychoeducation so you can better understand the factors and triggers that are contributing to your experience and learn how to communicate your needs confidently and clearly. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you recognize how distressing thoughts are affecting your emotions and behaviors. Practicing meditation, mindfulness skills, and breathing techniques will allow you to reduce stress before it becomes overwhelming. And by incorporating visualization and imagery techniques, you can see your situation from a neutral perspective and acknowledge improvements you’re making that you may have been minimizing in the past.
Throughout my more than 20 years as a social worker, as a hospice worker, Group Support Facilitator and Stress Management Specialist in the Ornish Cardiac Reversal Program, I’ve supported individuals with heart disease or related symptoms, like high blood pressure and diabetes, and cancer. I’ve seen how physical symptoms interact with our emotions. Whether we work together online or in my office, my holistic, intuitive approach has given countless clients—including many healthcare workers, parents, and other caregivers—the concrete tools, skills, and strategies they need to regain a sense of calm and confidence.
But you may still have questions or concerns about anxiety treatment…
I’m worried talking about my anxiety will only make me feel worse.
It always feels like a risk to move toward the unknown. As distressing as anxiety is, there is comfort in the predictable. And if you feel like you have “adjusted” to anxiety, it can be scary to try something different.
I won’t force you to make changes before you’re ready. Rather, I will validate your experience and concerns, and we’ll move at a pace that works for you. If you believe you need help but are hesitant to commit to anxiety treatment, I invite you to schedule a free consultation call so we can discuss your needs and determine if I am the right therapist for you.
How much will anxiety therapy cost?
Therapy can represent an unexpected expense, but it is also an investment in your well-being. Like going to the doctor when you’re sick or injured, seeking anxiety treatment can help you heal and get back to living your ideal life. To ensure my clients get the right help at the right time, I accept insurance and will consider a sliding scale on a case by case basis.
How can I make time for anxiety counseling when it’s all I can do to keep up with daily responsibilities?
I know how busy life can get, and I offer flexible hours as well as online therapy/telehealth to accommodate your schedule. Additionally, consider how much time you spend every day worrying or second-guessing your decisions. By taking time to understand and manage your anxiety now, you can reduce roadblocks that are keeping you stuck in place and actually enhance your productivity.
You Can Feel In Control Again
If you are ready to live with greater peace and confidence, I invite you to contact me at 808-351-5311 to set up an initial session or a free consultation call.
We live in a fast-paced society, trying to juggle family, work, social gatherings, and other commitments. Staying on top of all of these responsibilities can be stressful. Plus, we may experience frustration and fear in other areas of our lives, too, such as unexpected and uncertain situations that crop up.