Therapy for Anxiety

With specific training and experience in delivering cognitive behavioural-based therapies, mindfulness and acceptance approaches, psychodynamic theory and EMDR, I can offer you proven strategies to work with anxiety and trauma. Here's a little bit of what these are about

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a more recent development of cognitive behavioural therapies. In ACT, we learn a new way of working with the unhelpful thoughts and emotions which threaten to derail us, letting go of our efforts to change them. After all, it’s not realistic to expect that you can make a thought go away or not feel a certain way. And it can be exhausting trying to control how you feel and think. Fortunately, there are ways we can train ourselves to respond to the stress in our lives that are productive and grow confidence in our ability to deal with stress and anxiety. ACT relies on mindfulness to develop greater awareness and engagement in the present moment, so we are able to choose to do those things that align with our values. 

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Psychodynamic - Attachment theory

Our early relationships with our primary caregivers set the stage for how we function in our current relationships with ourselves and others. We are likely unaware of the unhelpful patterns that we fall into that sabatoge our efforts to get what we need. Coming to an understanding of these patterns and how they developed is not just enlightening. It can open up the capacity for us to have compassion for ourselves - which paves the way for change that is truly transformative. 

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EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing

Perhaps past experiences fuel your ability to deal with stress, and anxiety or trauma keeps you from leading the life you want. If so, you may benefit from EMDR.

EMDR is:

• Widely recognized by mental health professionals as the leading treatment for trauma

• Proven to be effective in treating anxiety

• Typically not as time-intensive as psychoanalysis

EMDR does not require extensive retelling of traumatic experiences. By using simple bilateral stimulation (usually tapping or eye movement), it

• Stimulates the brain’s natural processing capabilities, and

• Facilitates the integration of traumatic memories so they no longer trigger unhelpful responses.

Working through traumatic events that may be still impacting you today can bring you to a place where you are empowered to move forward. (And FYI, trauma does not have to be “major” to impact you negatively).