Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Halifax, NS.

We all experience anxiety and stress from time to time. Stress from life cannot be eliminated but it can be ameliorated. Through psychoeducation I can teach you how stress and anxiety are adaptive and life saving. You can learn how to get out of your caveman brain and move into pre-frontal cortex brain to relieve symptoms of anxiety. I can teach you about anxiety responses: fight, flight, freeze and fawning, and how not to fear these anymore. Don't forget to breathe!

If depression is the common cold of mental health then anxiety and stress must be the flue. Most of my clients have some level of anxiety or stress. Often debilitating anxiety has its roots in trauma or abuse. I teach a wide range of meditation and relaxation techniques developed over my 30+ years of counselling experience that I use myself on a daily basis - with variations that my clients over the years have come up with on their own. Even if you have tried to relax or meditate before this and found it difficult or impossible, there are techniques that can help you learn to be still and have peace even in the face of danger, anxiety, or fear.

While our bodies are perfectly designed to adapt and react to stress, modern problems mean that we tend to detect life threatening dangers in very ordinary places. Conflicts at work, arguments in our relationships and uncertainties such as the post-Covid world activate old survival mechanisms. We may be stuck in the buzzing, fear states of ‘fight-flight’ or the numb and paralyzed states of ‘freeze and shut down.’ The good news is that I have a long history of safely and successfully helping individuals and couples to reduce and release stress using a variety of CBT and mindfulness techniques, as well as trauma-informed therapy. You have my commitment to compassionate and educated care.

Anxiety is a response to stress. Counselling provides a safe space to identify, manage and overcome stress and anxiety. Part of this self-discovery process involves supporting individuals as they come to recognize their unique manifestations (physically, mentally and emotionally). Clients benefit by exploring their personal thoughts, feelings, behaviors that contribute to their anxiety and applying healthy interventions to alleviate negative responses. A solution-focused approach encourages the exploration of individual strengths and assets, development of healthy coping strategies, and identification of goals and habits to enhance mental health and well-being.

Are anxiety and stress controlling your life, limiting your daily activities, and causing you to have persistent anxious thoughts? Are you experiencing stress and anxiety as a result of moving to a new country, starting a new job/career or a new relationship? Through counselling, I can help you can gain tools to identify your triggers and to develop coping skills to manage overwhelming emotions and challenges.

Stress and anxiety is a common mental health concern and something that every person will experience from time to time to varing degrees. In therapy, I will help you decrease anxious distress and find better functioning. I use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques aimed at identifying the underlying thought, beliefs, and feelings that lead to distress. I will also help you establish coping skills to help you manage anxiety such as challenging unhelpful thought patterns, grounding, mindfulness, deep breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, positive imagery, and much more.

You feel breathless. On edge. Like your stomach is tied in knots. You struggle hard to quiet your mind. Which is tough because it often feels like it is going in a million different directions all at once. You’ve tried everything you can think of to get free from the grip of the anxiety that seems to be running your life, but nothing has worked. Counselling for anxiety can help you get back to doing the things that are important to you by giving you the practical strategies you need to cope with anxiety and panic when you feel overwhelmed. You will increase your ability to tolerate uncertainty so you can continue to enjoy your life even in the moments that feel less under your control.

Anxiety and stress often create overwhelming feeling of being "stuck" and undermines one's sense of confidence. If you feel you are suffering from anxiety and stress, I recommend you seek out the support of your Doctor in addition to seeking psychotherapy. You can expect me to support you as you safely determine the triggers for your anxiety. I will provide you with grounding and self soothing exercises so that you can manage the stress better as we work together to process and understand the specific anxiety and stress in your life. My approach is focused on being gentle, nurturing and safe. Give me a call for a free consultation.