Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in St Catharines, ON.

Disappointments in life, conflict in relationships, challenges in the workplace, debt or health issues or any combination of things can contribute to stress and anxiety. When you feel overwhelmed, life becomes confusing and solutions are hard to see. Many day to day problems are easier to resolve, manage and avoid when you have the tools and support you need. Through counselling I help you understand your fears, frustrations, disappointments and experiences, while equipping you with effective skills and tools to cope with challenges from a position of inner peace and strength.

Anxiety and stress are two common experiences that can make us feel hopeless during difficult periods of our life. Anxiety can increase our stress and stress can make us feel worse. My approach is to explore triggers and building coping strategies to help manage symptoms and increase resilience to overcome personal challenges and build cognitive flexibility.

Some degree of anxiety and stress is normal. However, persistent and chronic anxiety and stress can interfere with the ability to cope with adverse situations. It can damage an individual’s health, mood, productivity, relationships, and quality of life. Mastora works with individual to find a more effective ways to deal with anxiety and stress through various therapeutic techniques and take back control of your life.

In my approach to anxiety and stress treatment and counseling, I prioritize creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel empowered to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By employing evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and relaxation techniques, I work collaboratively with clients to develop personalized strategies for managing their symptoms. By addressing the underlying causes of anxiety and stress, clients can gain insight, build resilience, and develop coping skills to navigate life's challenges more effectively. Through therapy, clients not only learn to alleviate distressing symptoms but also cultivate a deeper understanding of themselves, leading to enhanced well-being and improved quality of life.

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.

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.

Dealing with anxiety is difficult as it is the body's natural response to a perceived threat and that response, is unique to each individual and can often present itself as a sense of discomfort, emotional reactions, physical sensations, and unhelpful behavioural patterns. Your anxiety can be triggered through situational or environmental events and can often feel chronic. Schedule a free consultation to me to see if I am the right fit to help you manage your anxiety.

It's critical to understand that, even if you suffer from panic attacks, compulsive thoughts, ongoing worry, or a phobia, you don't have to live in fear and anxiety. In many cases, therapy is the most effective strategy to handle anxiety-related problems. Therapy gives you the skills and teaches you how to use them to overcome anxiety. If stress is not managed, it can become chronic stress and ultimately lead to burnout. While burnout leaves people feeling completely exhausted and unmotivated to keep going, stress often results in people feeling overwhelmed. Therapy provides coping mechanisms for stress symptoms, which may help to avoid burnout.

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.

In my work with people with anxiety, I take a two-fold approach. First, we work on developing set of strategies that help manage anxiety, including mindfulness techniques, distraction and self-soothing. At the same time, I work on acceptance of anxiety with a focus on moving towards valued goals in spite of the discomfort of anxiety. In my experience, the struggle that often accompanies anxiety can be as debilitating as the anxiety itself.

It is normal to worry and feel stressed about life's problems and pressures. But when compounded symptoms begin to overwhelm us to the point where we are getting headaches, heart palpitations, a churning stomach, cold sweats, sleepless nights, weight loss, obsessive thoughts, a distressed GI tract - then we need help to break the adrenaline-fear cycle. Anxiety feeds on fear and needs to be confronted, appropriately and safely, with relaxation techniques, new perceptions and constructive thinking patterns. A counsellor can help you do this.

Anxiety and stress are common elements in most people's life. It is a necessary element to keeping us alive and safe; however there are points in our life's journey where stress can increase and change how we choose to move through our life's journey. Connect with Nicole to explore how stress and anxiety could be impacting you; why it maybe happening and how you can use various strategies, body based methods (Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, somatic methods) and/or therapy methods such as CBT, mindfulness and meditation to move continue on your life's journey.

Struggling with anxiety? Take a step towards peace of mind with compassionate support. As a dedicated psychotherapist, I specialize in guiding individuals through anxiety with evidence-based techniques tailored to your unique needs. Together, we'll cultivate resilience and empower you to manage stress effectively. Begin your journey towards calm and confidence today.

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.