Anxiety is such a horrible state of mind to deal with, but that is exactly what it is… a state of mind.
The aim of anxiety counselling is to break the negative thought patterns and habits which may have been around since childhood or have arrived more recently. Due to stress or trauma, if your negative interpretation of situations goes unchallenged, then these patterns in your thoughts, determine your feelings and behaviours which can become part of a continuous cycle which leaves you feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
I am sure you already know the symptoms, however, I have listed a few just in case you are not aware that you may be courting anxiety, as it often wears a disguise.
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Catastrophizing your thoughts
- Restlessness feeling on edge
- Muscle tension
- Difficulty concentrating
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Excessive sweating
- Irritable
- Tearful
It’s worth remembering:
You weren’t born to be anxious; it does not define you therefore, with the help of therapy, you can learn to take back control.
There is a way through — this is the first step.
Our approach to Anxiety Counselling
You can expect to be working with your counsellor for 4 – 6 sessions depending on your individual challenges. You’ll start with a comprehensive 15-minute initial assessment phone call with our senior counselling consultant, Florence Gray, who will then match you with the specialist counsellor best suited to your individual needs. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an important element of our counselling toolbox, but it’s not the only therapeutic model we use. At Nightingale, we use CBT therapy in conjunction will other models of counselling to effect change.
The approach we use ensures we are able to help you to break patterns from the past, recognise and control the symptoms in the present, which are causing you to feel anxious and teach you how to use the tools to enable you to not only take back control, but more importantly, stay on track in the future.
We will also use homework, worksheets, and directed reading.
Understanding your thoughts, how they affect your behaviours, feelings and emotions will also help you to understand why you feel the way you do. When you break the cycle and change the way you are relating to yourself you will change the way you feel, think and behave.
Our approach is also very useful with:
- Panic Attacks
- OCD
- Compulsive behaviours
- Phobias
- Stress
- Trauma
Don’t wait!
Don’t wait due to the current circumstances do it now. We are able to offer telephone, Skype, Facetime and Zoom sessions which work very well with regard to anxiety and the other related issues.
Remember we are only a phone call away.
Stay safe and well.
I approached Nightingale after trying to work with other counsellors. At last I found my situation was properly assessed and Peter then adapted the work to my personal circumstances. Peter is a very warm, empathic knowledgeable counsellor with a great ability to communicate effectively. I was comfortable discussing my negative thought patterns and found a positive way to put them in perspective. I have a great deal of gratitude for the progress I made with Peter.”
Individual Counselling