Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Markdale, ON.

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 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.

While a certain amount of stress and anxiety is normal, and can actually be beneficial when it warns us that something is 'off' or helps to keep us motivated; it becomes problematic when the worries never shut off, or when fear or panic prevent us from fully engaging in life. If anxiety is negatively interfering in your day-to-day life, if you are losing sleep or often feeling overwhelmed, if you are avoiding certain situations, or if it is contributing to physical symptoms - reach out. With a combination of cognitive and behavioural strategies, I can help you to manage the overwhelm, so that you can 'stand up' to anxiety and face life with greater confidence and ease.

I’ve been helping people lead more intentional lives for over 20 years. Anxiety can cause thoughts to be out of proportion to reality, stop you from doing what you want to do, and make you feel out of control. I’m trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, developmental models,and anxiety and depression management. I will support you in creating a set of tools to help you manage your anxiety. Most importantly, you're a distinctive person, with distinctive needs. My goal is to work with you as a unique individual, and focus on YOUR goals.

Anxiety and stress are common responses to life stressors and signal that we require rest. Our therapists help uncover the potential causes and provide coping skills to help reduce symptoms. Decision making is difficult when feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or stress. If you decide to access counselling for anxiety and stress, we will assist you to find tools to help.

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.

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.

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.