Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Hackensack, NJ.

We have all had moments of anxiety and we remain anxious due to the beliefs we hold about our reality and the thoughts we have about our situation. An individual becomes anxious when they overestimate the negative aspects of their situation and underestimate their ability to cope and function in problem situations. The anxious individual will imagine and create even more negative consequences than are actually present. I guide my clients to a more rational approach of focusing on the task at hand, not engaging in or imagining negative outcomes, and not engaging in or exaggerating possible negative outcomes. We focus together on ways that enable coping, behavioral change and flourishing in that situation.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) If you feel uncontrollable or excessive anxiety and worry more days than not during any six month period, you may be experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). You may feel constantly on-edge, irritable, tired, unable to concentrate, complain of muscle tenseness or have other physical complaints, or your sleep pattern may be disturbed. If anxiety or worry is creating emotional distress, hindering your life, or causing you a lack of achievement or satisfaction in your life, even if you are not experiencing panic attacks, a psychotherapy consultation for General Anxiety Disorder is recommended and I would welcome your inquiry.

Stress is not only an internal problem but is evoked by environmental impingement such as family, business, and political currents. All individuals have varying levels of stress in their lives. One of the focuses of psychotherapy is to help with increasing a capacity to move through it. An enhanced capacity for imagination and creativity can be a result.

Our individual therapy sessions provide a space where you can explore your inner world and realign with your true values to more effectively manage life’s challenges. We take an engaged, collaborative approach—moving beyond the traditional sterile therapeutic model into a dynamic, interactive dialogue between you and your therapist. With thoughtful insight and gentle encouragement, we’ll help you sit with difficult emotions and examine the core beliefs that shape your life.

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point, but for some the anxiety is so frequent or intense that it interferes with their lives or even triggers panic attacks. I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help my clients get a sense of control over their own anxiety. We collaborate to learn skills to reduce the frequency or intensity of the anxious feelings, to tolerate the anxiety when it does occur so they can still function through it, and to practice habits that reduce stress and improve general mental health.

Everyone feels anxiety at some point in their lives but when it starts to interfere with your life, counseling can help. Although anxiety can feel debilitating, it is treatable. People with anxiety don’t always share the same symptoms, they vary from person to person. Therapy will help you to reclaim your life and function in a chronically stressful world.

Our credentialed music therapists tailor sessions to each individual, utilizing personalized music exercises and interventions to address each person's unique symptoms of anxiety. Our music therapists work with each client using musical elements like songwriting, processing, and guided imagery to help clients find their own voice and learn new coping skills to help manage anxiety of any severity.

While we all live with some degree of anxiety and stress in our lives, there are times when the anxiety and stress levels overwhelm us and our usual ways of coping no longer work. When overwhelmed by stress an anxiety, it is not uncommon to shut down, engage in poor decision making or partake in destructive escape routes. I help clients gain perspective, problem-solve, and find ways to increase support during times of extreme stress, anxiety, loss and disappointment. Clients with whom I work with on issues of anxiety and stress report feeling more hopeful, more capable, reassured and better able to tackle life's challenges and disappointments.

We embrace an expansive view of the individual and collaborate with clients to explore how their sense of self, past experiences, environment, and culture, impacts their current moods, relationships, experiences, and self-beliefs. We will work together in identifying what areas of life you would like to further explore to best reach your goals/growth in this process of self-discovery.

Most people who suffer from excessive anxiety are suffering from a form of stage-fright. Some anxiety is genetically based. Some is culturally based. Hal encourages his clients to verbalize their anxieties so they understand it genesis. Which in turn eventually leads to confidence that they can learn to calm themselves down. Hal gives each client exercises to use to lower levels of anxiety and to find creative ways to modulate areas in their life that foment stress.

Everyone knows what it feels like to be anxious and stressed. I have worked with many clients around anxiety issues. I help people to see that "they are not anxiety" but rather, that "anxiety is a visitor." It comes and it goes. Sitting down and taking a close look at your anxiety is a way to begin to have control over it, rather than anxiety controlling you! Mindfulness offers many tools I share with my clients as I help them with troublesome anxiety and panic issues. I also bring in information from modern neuroscience, as well as offering them some cognitive and behavioral techniques. There are things that can help you to manage your anxiety, so you don't have to struggle with it.

Anxiety is excessive worry about negative events that you expect to happen, but are not necessarily in the cards. The worry is enough to bring on dread, panic, obsessions, compulsions, and phobias. Usually, early life experiences – perhaps forgotten or suppressed -- taught you to anticipate the worst. Together, we will bring these memories into consciousness so you can consider if they still apply to you in your current life as an adult. This will help you stay more grounded in the reality of the here and now, which can significantly reduce anxious symptoms. I will also teach you calming techniques, including mindfulness practices and self-compassion to counter anxiety when it arises.

The world is a demanding place these days and we get pulled in so many different directions—add to that the stress of having, keeping, or finding a job, family and/or relationship pressures—and anxiety and stress can so easily gain the upper hand. My goal as a therapist is to help you talk though your issues and concerns so that I can give you the tools to help you overcome your sources of anxiety and stress.

Anxiety is a signal your mind is sending to alert you of a real or perceived threat. For example, you are stressed about work: perhaps anxiety is a sign that your fear you are not good enough. There are situations in life when you need a signal so that you make the right decision at the right moment; but when anxiety is too intense, you feel paralyzed and cannot make decisions because all options seem to lead to the worst case scenario. I will help you learn from your anxiety so that you can look beyond the discomfort and understand what is the concern or fear underneath it; then we will work directly with that fear or concern.

Anxiety and Stress Treatment and Counseling will incorporate using CBT and DBT as well as other therapies in order lower anxiety and stress. Learning to make SMART goals and bring new changes to the day to day routine will take place. Building on strengths and taking an active part in an individualized treatment plan to achieve healthy goals. Mindfulness practices will be added to the therapy sessions.

Most of us experience anxiety and/or stress at some point. However, when it persists and reaches a heightened level of intensity, therapy may be needed and can have a powerful impact on reducing these symptoms. Talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are two approaches shown to have success in treating anxiety. Talk therapy allows for my clients to open up and unburden themselves from the weight of what they may be carrying and validating their experience and emotions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps address and shift any unhealthy thinking or behaviors associated with the anxiety. This can significantly improve ones ability to manage their anxiety.

There is normal stress and anxiety and then there are levels which are far beyond what you imagine to be on that range. We live high-stress and fast-paced lives and it is understandable why we sometimes feel overwhelmed and highly stressed out. There is help available to assist you in calming your nerves and finding productive and safe methods for dealing with the many painful stressors around us.

Anxiety and stress are are essential to a productive life. However, like fuel in a car. Too little or too much can cause you to stall or damage your engine. Often the things we worry about are fantasies (or nightmares) about the future. Therapy for anxiety and stress often begin with developing mindfulness based practices. These practices will help you to non-judgmentally accept the present moment, find compassion for yourself and others, and learn techniques to cope with and tolerate distress and emotional overwhelm.

University studies and media stories warn us that more youth suffer anxiety- related conditions. Bullying, depression, self-destructive behaviors, and substance use among children incrementally increase every few years, reaching younger and younger children. This is why my focus is on creating a safe fun place for kids to discuss and explore theses uncomfortable areas of concern.

We live in an age of high anxiety and stress. Anxiety symptoms include muscle tension, feelings of restlessness, feeling on edge, irritability, and fatigue. Many people also experience difficulty sleeping. Other symptoms of anxiety can also include constant worry, obsessive thinking or compulsions, that is, uncontrolled behaviors, such as excessive hand washing. Some people also experience fears or phobias, as well as panic attacks. The symptoms of all of the above can be on a continuum from mild to severe. Some of our staff here at the Mars & Venus Counseling Center are experienced in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Our experienced counselors, trained in the techniques of leaders in the field of anxiety disorders, will provide extensive...(view profile to read more)

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a highly effective treatment for anxiety disorders, particularly OCD. It involves gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli or situations while preventing the typical compulsive response. Through repeated exposure to these anxiety-provoking triggers, clients learn to tolerate distress without engaging in compulsive behaviors. ERP therapy is based on the principle of habituation, where anxiety decreases over time with repeated exposure. Therapists work collaboratively with clients to develop personalized exposure hierarchies and teach coping skills to manage anxiety. ERP has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms.

It's hard not to feel stress in today's world. Constant exposure to stress, without tools and practice to manage it begin to affect our physical health as well as emotional and mental well-being. Learning self-hypnosis, mindfulness and breathing techniques and reduce stress and improve how we react to stressful situations. Journaling, doodling, and visioning also reduce the impact of stress. Even if you don't consider yourself an artist, painting and drawing create peace thoughts. Learning a new hobby, such as knitting, whatever your age or gender, is documented to reduce stress. You can learn these techniques, strategies and skills in the comfort and privacy of my office.

Many people have anxiety. Anxiety is the most common problem that clients bring into psychotherapy. Anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness, and dread. Sometimes you can say what it is bothering you. Your job or relationship may be causing you stress and you want to solve the problems. You don’t know how to deal with the mounting pressures. Friends will often say “don’t worry about it” but that doesn’t help. Sometimes you don’t really know what is bothering you it just is. I can show you how spot these feelings before they overwhelm you and what you can do about it. We’ll get clear on what has been difficult for you and how have you been feeling.

If you suffer from anxiety or stress then you know how it impacts upon your life. This is such a large topic. It could include ocd, panic attacks, low self esteem, ...poor relationships to numerous other issues. My approach depends upon who you are and what your issues are. I like to think of myself as being non-judgmental, creating an atmosphere where you are comfortable telling me your story. When that happens we can then identify the issue and choose strategic approaches that will fit with your views and personality so in the end you can have a life without the anxiety and stress that you are feeling presently.

I teach clients tools that they can use to help calm them when they are feeling stressed. I also teach clients specific strategies to keep their stress and anxiety-related thoughts from interfering with their lives. I give clients positive and adaptive responses to stress. I explore with clients the root of their their fears and the importance of not letting those fears keep them from doing the things they want to do.