Anxiety can manifest in all sort of forms in our life. It is natural to feel anxious before an exam, going to the dentist or on a date, however, not everyone experiences situations in the same way. Some people are great public speakers, some can feel anxious just by thinking about it. Furthermore, there might be some days when we feel more anxious and we do not really know why.
When anxiety determines our everyday life and limits us from doing things, it is a sign that a professional intervention is needed.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an evidence based and effective way to reduce anxiety and the related symptoms, such as feeling nervous and worried or sweating, blushing.
I will help you change the thoughts and behaviours that trigger or maintain your anxiety. Thoughts come before feelings, and feelings lead to behaviours and actions. If we change your negative automatic thoughts and distorted beliefs, we can reduce or eliminate your negative emotions and unhealthy behaviours. If you can change your thinking, your feelings and actions will change, as well. I want you to feel good and confident in your everyday life and I truly believe that we can work together to remove your unhelpful thoughts and replace them with constructive, positive ones that lead to a meaningful future.
CBT is excellent when using a three-step process (thought, feeling, behaviour) to break the vicious cycle that causes and maintains anxiety.
How we will work together:
- We have the initial assessment, and we will identify the negative thought(s). Everyone is unique, so my approach is also unique to every individual. I will give my full attention to you and listen to you carefully.
- I will help you question the evidence that supports your thoughts and will look into the beliefs behind it to see how much truth we can find. For example: You feel anxious during team meetings and you do not like sharing your opinion because you think that you are going to say something silly. You believe that you are just not good enough and people will laugh at you. We will find out why you have these thoughts and beliefs and look for evidence that support these. This is only one example, but the negative thought and belief can be anything that makes you feel anxious.
- We will talk about these and will discuss which exercise we can use to replace the old negative thought with a positive and realistic one. Depending on the issue, we can use Tension control, muscle relaxation, mental imagery, combined with hypnotherapy. These are all scientifically proven and safe ways to tackle anxiety, and the related issues, such as low self-esteem.
If anxiety is left untreated, it can cause more harm to our mental health than we think, so it is very important that we take care of ourselves properly.