Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Kenora, ON.

Anxiety and stress can disrupt your life and affect your overall well-being. My approach combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness techniques to help you manage and reduce these feelings. Together, we’ll explore the root causes of your anxiety and stress, develop practical coping strategies, and work on building resilience. I aim to provide a supportive environment where you can gain control over your stressors and cultivate a more balanced and calm life. Contact me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to start taking steps towards greater peace of mind.

Anxiety and stress, sometimes they're manageable... sometimes they aren't. If you are having difficulty managing the anxiety and stress, I strive to work with people to navigate and explore their stressors to understand them and gain insight and perspective into those stress patterns so we can collaboratively devise empowering ways to manage them.

Low levels of anxiety can motivate us to accomplish goals and perform at our best. As the level of experienced anxiety creeps higher, it robs us of our joy and can make us feel overwhelmed resulting in either inactivity or a compulsion to be overactive yet not experiencing any lasting relief. Our sense of internal peace and calm is replaced by perpetual overthinking and fear. Let's work together to gain insight into the root cause of your anxiety so that we are able to empower you to reclaim your experience of joy and a sense of internal calm.

Anxiety and stress have become all too common in our lives, often going unnoticed or even normalized and dismissed. My goal is to support you as you explore the various aspects of your life that are contributing to such anxiety and stress as well as uncovering the factors that influence your ‘window of tolerance’—the space where you can manage stress effectively. Together, we’ll identify your strengths and resources that will help you expand your ability to cope. Book a free 15-minute consultation with me to see if I’m the right fit for you.

Stress and anxiety when present within healthy limits can stimulate, motivate, challenge, warn and activate our bodies to react accordingly to the situation. When it's too much, too intense and for too long, stress and anxiety lead to poor functioning, impairment and exhaustion resulting in stress and anxiety overload, contributing heavily to triggering anxiety disorders. In my therapy, I use therapeutic approaches and techniques that help reduce stress and anxiety and enhance the quality of your life and build your emotional resilience. You develop skills to minimize distress and maximize efficacy in many areas of your living and live life in a happier and healthier manner

Dealing with stress and anxiety can be a challenge for many and navigating GAD, SAD and OCD can feel like anxiety has the upper hand. There are many coping strategies available to help with anxiety. Research has shown that CBT can be as effective as medication (Source: APA Div. 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology). I use a blend of CBT and ACT to help with anxiety both of which are research-based and proven to be effective for many people.

As a Somatic (SE) therapist- mental & emotional health follows the state of the nervous system. If it is flowing seamlessly between sympathetic and parasympathetic; arousal and settling, within a “manageable range” there’s a deep, internal sense of well-being, emotional stability, confidence, clear thinking, aliveness, trust in self and others, and mastery. With SE we will focus on: Your experiences... in the body Learn to track, observe, describe what is going on for you Regulate internal arousal states, shift locked patterns into action, increase body awareness. Encourage emotional engagement with attention to: mindfulness, sensations, movements and impulses. Here & Now find YOU!

The experience of stress and anxiety can be a challenging one to navigate alone. Throughout sessions, we will work to understand activators of stress and anxiety, develop management tools that serve you best, and explore the various meanings and purposes that stress and anxiety serve in your life. Contact me for a free consultation to learn more about my approach and to see if we would be a good fit.

While anxiety and stress in small amounts can be a helpful source of information, too much can become overwhelming and even interfere with our daily lives. Therapy can be a space to explore the impacts of anxiety and how it may have become engrained into your self-narrative. You and I can work together to co-create coping strategies that are unique to your specific situation. Contact me to book a free consultation so we can decide together if we would be a good fit.

Anxiety is like a constant churning of worry and self-doubt. It may push us away from social activities, isolate us in our homes, identify fearful objects and preoccupy us with order and routine. It may even leave us terrified and thinking we are losing our minds. These and other presentations of anxiety require attention and care. The earlier we attend to the demands of anxiety, the sooner we can begin to become free of it. Stress is different, although it feels the same at times. Your care needs to be tailored to the specifics of what you are experiencing. I practice Integrated Therapy, which offers a selective approach to using all the tools and forms of counselling available to help you.

Every emotion has a purpose, including anxiety. For some, anxiety can be too much for some, and it can manifest in many different ways. From Generalized Anxiety disorder or Social Anxiety disorder to Trichotillomania, it is treatable through talk therapy using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. If you have been struggling with anxiety lately, book a free consultation today.

Anxiety can be a pretty consuming, stressful, and overwhelming feeling. In therapy, we will explore the roots of your feelings of anxiety in order to understand where they originated. Additionally, depending on the type of anxiety you are experiencing, whether it be worrying, panic, nervousness, etc., we will: 1. Create a plan for dealing with the anxiety and stress 2. Work on overcoming the anxiety and stress. Interventions that we may use to accomplish these goals are mindfulness, relaxation and breathing, behavioural, cognitive, as well as insight oriented. I will also, collaboratively, draw on other therapeutic approaches to work towards your whole health, well-being, and freedom.

I offer a compassionate environment to help you explore ways to regain a sense of balance, control, and inner peace. We will work together to develop practical stress management tools, improve emotional regulation, and focus on lifestyle adjustments for long-term resilience. If you're ready for relief, please contact me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Anxiety falls along a continuum from acceptable to crippling, debilitating anxiety requiring professional intervention. The major forms that anxiety takes are: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Phobic Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD). A variety of proven therapeutic interventions are well established now, eg., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Yoga, Tai Chi, Breathwork. By diving into therapy clients regain a sense of optimism, courage and confidence in relationships, workplace and career, driving, aging, life transitions and more.

In working with clients on their anxiety and stress I primarily aim to promote understanding: understanding of why we are feeling so anxious and stressed, what factors contribute, what can be done to better manage or eliminate anxiety and stress from our lives, and most importantly, how to eliminate ambiguity from our lives. I specialize in working with clients on their stress and anxiety, whether it stems from work, relationships, family, trauma, lifestyle, or beliefs. It is only through understanding that we can promote comprehensive and meaningful change in our lives. I utilize principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused work, and psychodynamics in my work.

This is a difficult time that we're living in. Human connection is not as readily accessible as it used to be, and we now find ourselves having to go out of our way in order to find friends and have meaningful conversation. Life wasn't meant to be this way, and we have to get creative in finding ways to navigating life healthfully. If anxiety and stress are limiting your life, please reach out.

Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but can become debilitating when the stress is ongoing, overwhelming and inescapable. Learning how to manage anxiety is a critical life skill because it affects both the mind and the body. Dwelling on the future prevents us from living in the moment, and psychotherapy can offer tools and coping skills to help re-regulate our body and find relief from overthinking and relentless mental chatter.

Anxiety is generally understood as worry about something that hasn't happened yet. For example, we have anxiety about an upcoming job interview. We worry we won't perform well, or that we'll make a fool of ourselves. This worry can be helpful in pushing us to prepare, but can also be harmful in causing us undue stress and overwhelm. In therapy for anxiety, we'll work to identify where our anxiety surfaces, how it impacts our function, and pragmatic ways to help ourselves when we're feeling anxious.

If you're struggling with anxious thoughts, you may find it hard to focus. The fight or flight alarm is going off in your brain, constantly sending you messages starting with "what if...." If worrying is keeping you trapped in a hamster wheel, tired, but unable to rest, you may find yourself turning to addictive substances or behaviours to cope. As an addiction counsellor, I help clients cope with the anxious thoughts keeping them trapped in addictive behaviours. By uncovering these underlying thoughts, I help you develop coping skills so you can gain a sense of focus, clarity, confidence, and freedom from constantly overthinking. Send me a message and I'll guide you through the next steps.

Is anxiety or stress overwhelming your life? You don't have to face it alone. I’m Simona Ilieva, a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and stress management. Together, we’ll explore the root causes of your stress, learn techniques to reduce anxiety, and create personalized strategies to regain control. Whether you're facing daily pressures or chronic anxiety, I’m here to support you in finding balance and inner calm. With the right tools and guidance, you can break free from the cycle of stress and start living a more peaceful, fulfilling life. Let's take that step together. Book a free consultation today.

Anxiety prevents you from being present and puts you in a position where you are either ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. In the moment, it can feel impossible to get out of it, and one cannot simply snap out of it. Similarly, stress can permeate multiple aspects of your life. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as mindfulness exercises to help you manage your anxiety. Eventually, we would also work together to understand why the anxiety shows up and how we can address the original source. Reach out today to book a free consultation.

Anxiety is our body’s way of getting us ready for action, getting us ready to fight or flee in a given situation which, while helpful in keeping us alive, can be very unhelpful when it negatively impacts our ability to live our daily lives. I work collaboratively with clients to explore how anxiety and stress show up in their lives, and to strengthen and develop strategies to minimize the impact they have on living the life you want to live. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

Accepting new clients! Stress is an inevitable part of life that affects us all at some point. It can stem from various sources, such as work, relationships, or financial concerns. If left unmanaged, it can have detrimental effects on one’s physical and mental well-being and lead to anxiety. Therefore, developing effective stress management techniques is crucial to navigating life's challenges. For some people, their anxiety could be genetic or due to other factors. I help my clients explore their anxiety/stress and come up with the appropriate treatment. Take the first step: contact me today!

If life were a video game, anxiety would be the boss at the end of each level. We might hide from it, or run from it, but sooner or later we're gonna have to face it. Like any heroic tale, we seldom start at the beginning and jump right to the end. Along the way we'll make sure you're equipped with the tools needed to confront even the most intimidating and powerful adversaries. Plus, what journey would be complete without help from trusted advisors and friends. No hero does it alone, and I look forward to joining you on your worthy quest.

Anxiety and stress affect us all to varying degrees. There are numerous physical and emotional symptoms that are associated with anxiety and stress such as an increased heart rate, sweating, rumination and worry, to name a few. Anxiety can feel consuming and can keep us from engaging fully in our everyday life. Therapy can help you work with your feelings of anxiety and stress so that you feel empowered. Please contact me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.