How do I get rid of my anxiety?
Simply put, this would be impossible! Anxiety is a normal, human reaction to a perceived threat situation. When we notice we are anxious it is usually accompanied by a myriad of physical sensations: wobbly legs, raised heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, to name but a few.
This classic ‘Fight, Flight or Freeze’ response is really important when there is an ACTUAL threat, like being cornered by an aggressive dog. However, it is common for this adrenaline reaction to be triggered when it is not really necessary because we have become so good at looking for threat. Over time, this anxiety is going to build up and cause us distress unless we can establish some strategies to tame it.
Does CBT work?
This is a frequently asked question! In a nutshell, you reap what you sow.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an evidence-based treatment for anxiety issues and depression. It’s been shown to be an effective way of treating a range of mental health conditions.
CBT work can be challenging. If you have been avoiding certain situations or emotions this might be providing short-term relief from anxiety. Long-term, avoidance is only going to maintain and exacerbate the situation.
If you can develop new, healthy behaviours and ways of thinking, then you will start to feel better. It is not for everyone and like any other form of psychotherapy, it’s not a ‘quick fix’.
My job is to provide support and help clients to develop and practise strategies to reduce their anxiety. I work in a graded way so clients don’t feel thrown in at the deep end.
How many sessions am I going to need and how much will therapy cost?
There is no hard and fast rule to the number of sessions anyone should have, but treatment blocks tend to be between 8 and 20 sessions, depending on the complexity of your personal needs.
You are always welcome to come back for top-up sessions.
I charge £60 for a 55 minute session.
It’s important to understand that any psychotherapy is an investment in your mental health. When we add up the cost of all the other things that make us feel good – going to the hairdresser, shopping, beauty treatments, new clothes, holidays, nights out, meals out – it helps to put the cost of psychotherapy into perspective.
How effective is CBT for anxiety?
CBT can be really effective for a range of anxiety issues. In the short term, it can help challenge unhelpful thinking styles and behaviours, but it can also provide long-term skills and strategies to defend against anxiety. You don’t unlearn the good work you have done, you can draw upon it over a lifetime. One of the most helpful things to do is to learn to accept that we all feel anxious at times. It’s very human and very normal!
How can I help reduce my anxiety at home?
There are many small yet significant changes that can help reduce anxiety:
Reduce your intake of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine.
Start regular exercising, if you don’t already. Even a daily, 10- minute walk will make a difference.
Practise deep breathing techniques throughout the day. There are plenty of apps out there to help with this.
If sleep is a problem, focus on establishing a routine. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and put away tablets, phones, laptops etc. at least two hours before bed. No text, email or internet shop is more important than getting a good night’s sleep!
Write it down! Get a journal and log some of your thoughts and feelings. It’s a simple enough thing to do and just putting things down on paper can be a useful way to offload and make more sense of what’s going on.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation. In the 1970s, Jon Kabat-Zinn adapted Mindfulness to help with the reduction of stress. Being Mindful is about attending to our thoughts, feelings and sensations, without judging them. It’s about being in the present, not the future or the past. Mindfulness encourages us to see our thoughts as simply thoughts and nothing more, without judgement.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) promotes a way of living in line with values that are dear to us. For example: compassion, non-judgement, kindness, authenticity, adventure…the list is pretty long!
If we shift our behaviours and thinking to be more in line with our values, we may well find that we experience far less psychological distress. We practise acceptance of ‘bad’ thoughts, feelings and memories, by taking a different perspective on them.
“The aim of ACT is to maximise human potential for a rich, full and meaningful life; to cultivate health, vitality and well-being through mindful values-based living.” ~ Dr. Russ Harris
Although I am not an accredited ACT practitioner, I have completed Level 2 ACT training. I love to dip into my ACT toolkit to help my clients and many of them have found it has helped.