Anxiety Therapist in Denver
Think of anxiety as being like the “Check Engine” light on the dashboard of your car. It’s a signal that something is out of alignment in your life, or that stress is surpassing tolerable levels. Anxiety can also be a signal that something is challenging you, that you’re uncomfortable in a given situation, or be an indication that genuine danger is present.
Anxiety, believe it or not, can be a positive thing because it can help keep us safe, or help to intensely focus attention, and to perform more optimally when the stakes are high. However, when experienced chronically or when it becomes a dominant emotional state, it may significantly alter our ability to function in even the most routine tasks.
Anxiety can spring from many places in life and can take many forms. From generalized anxiety disorder, to panic disorder, to social anxiety disorder, to specific phobias, the condition can take a heavy toll on the individual suffering from it. Closely related to these anxiety disorders are well-known conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
By the way, it’s incredibly common to experience anxiety. When viewed as a whole, the collective condition we call ‘anxiety’ affects approximately 40 million Americans a year. Experiencing anxiety can be extraordinarily mentally, emotionally, and physically uncomfortable. When it begins interfering with your daily enjoyment of life, or feels insurmountable, then it’s time to start thinking about getting help.
I’m Mike Garrison, and I’m a anxiety therapist in Denver, Colorado. At my practice, Headway Counseling, I help people just like you overcome anxiety.
My Approach to Anxiety Therapy in Denver
Anxiety can show up in many ways including racing thoughts, nervousness, restlessness, avoidance, or even through the manifestation of physical symptoms like an increased heart rate, hyperventilation, sleeplessness, sweating, or GI issues. Anxiety can have a significant negative impact on things like work, relationships, and forward progress on goals. Whether you experience it as nervousness, hypervigilance, panic, or avoidance, anxiety is one of the most common conditions that brings a client to a therapist. The good news is that there are ways to overcome and move past this condition.
Whenever a client is suffering from anxiety, I first work to take a thorough look at what may be contributing to the condition. Whether it be unresolved issues from childhood, past trauma, or present-day struggles, it is critical to bring awareness, understanding, and healing to these areas. Therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for anxiety because it is a deliberate, thoughtful process by which one can move forward with understanding and encouragement.
As an anxiety therapist in Denver, my approach typically starts by identifying specific triggers, and then working to neutralize those triggers through de-sensitization practices and mindfulness exercises. I have found Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective, evidenced-based modality that helps us to examine your thought process around your anxiety, and to identify and eliminate unhelpful approaches by replacing them with a reshaped perspective. While often effective by itself, I’ll often augment our work with CBT by introducing other treatments as well. For example, Solutions-Focused Therapy allows us tackle specific triggers with an action-oriented approach that works to change situations for the better. Narrative Therapy can help us to make space between you and your problem so that it can be reframed in a helpful way. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be used to increase emotional flexibility around those situations that are creating anxiety. If we find that past trauma is likely contributing to the anxiety, I may introduce you to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help you move past these troubling memories. Together, we will build a custom treatment plan that is focused on your healing and begin working toward a brighter tomorrow in anxiety counseling.
Put succinctly, there are many ways you can work with a therapist for anxiety. Together, we will build a custom treatment plan that is focused on your healing and begin working toward a calmer state of mind.
If you’re ready to start feeling better, schedule a complimentary consultation with me today.
Anxiety Therapy FAQs
When should I seek out therapy for anxiety?
A good rule of thumb is that if anxiety is interfering with your daily life, then that's a good reason to seek out help. Since anxiety can sometimes stem from specific medical conditions, it is a good idea to rule this out with your doctor. To seek anxiety treatment at a mental and emotional level, reach out to a mental health practitioner for evaluation. Anxiety can sometimes be a condition that people think they have to live with or “push through” and the reality is that it takes a toll on you in so many ways: work, relationships, sleep, health, and the ability to make plans and achieve goals.
Is depression ever accompanied by anxiety?
Yes. Depression and anxiety frequently are found hand-in-hand. Fortunately, by addressing the underlying causes in anxiety therapy, we can often make progress on both fronts at the same time. I specialize in treating both depression and anxiety in adults.
Work with Anxiety Therapist in Denver
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