Simcoe Addiction and Mental Health

Simcoe Addiction & Mental Health

7 Benefits of Anxiety Counselling and Where to Find Anxiety Therapists

Two people sitting facing each other during a counselling session.

7 Benefits of Anxiety Counselling and Where to Find Anxiety Therapists

In a recent survey, more than one in four Canadians reported experiencing moderate to severe anxiety. These reports were highest amongst Canadians in the 18–39 age group. For some people, feeling anxious can turn into a full-blown anxiety disorder. Indeed, a 2022 research study found that one in seven Canadians meets the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. People who struggle with anxious feelings or have an anxiety disorder may feel hopeless and alone. We hope these statistics show that this is not the case. Even more importantly, anxiety counselling or seeing an anxiety therapist can help these individuals feel better.

Many people wonder if therapy for anxiety is right for them. We created this guide to help these individuals learn more about anxiety and how therapy can help.

Is Anxiety an Emotion?

Yes, anxiety is an emotion, according to the American Psychological Association. The emotional state of being anxious can make a person feel worried, restless, tense, and on edge.

Feeling anxious also comes with physical indicators. For example, experiencing anxiety may increase blood pressure in some people.

Anxiety is closely related to another emotion: fear. Fear is an emotion we feel in situations of short-term danger. On the other hand, anxiety features intense worry about future danger and can last much longer than acute fear responses.

When intense and excessive worrying starts to interfere with someone’s life, they may develop an anxiety disorder. Unlike general anxiety, anxiety disorders are not emotions.

Anxiety disorders are diagnosable mental health conditions that include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Separation anxiety disorder
  • Specific phobias, including social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder)
  • Panic disorder
  • Agoraphobia
  • Selective mutism
  • Substance-induced anxiety disorder
  • Anxiety disorders due to medical conditions
  • Other specified anxiety disorders
  • Unspecified anxiety disorders

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) used to be considered anxiety disorders. However, that changed with the release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety vary depending on the condition. Let’s use generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as an example.

GAD’s most common symptom is feeling worried, and that worry is excessive or disproportional to the situation at hand. People with GAD experience excessive and often uncontrollable worry almost daily for at least six months.

Cognitive side effects of the immense worry people with GAD experience include the following:

  • Restlessness
  • Fatigue
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Sleep disturbances

People with GAD may also experience physical symptoms. For example, this disorder’s physical side effects include muscle tension, increased heart rate, trembling, excessive sweating, and feeling short of breath.

What Is Anxiety Counselling?

Anxiety counselling is an effective treatment for people who worry excessively and involves working with a therapist or counsellor to manage symptoms. Along with anti-anxiety medication, therapy is the primary treatment for anxiety.

Many types of therapy can work for anxiety. The most common one is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). We will discuss CBT and how it helps people with anxiety later in this article.

Some therapists can also provide diagnoses. An anxiety diagnosis requires a psychological evaluation. The person must also present with certain symptoms that go along with the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).

If someone gets diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, insurance may help pay for treatment. As mentioned, treatments include therapy (e.g., CBT) and anti-anxiety medications, including the following:

  • Anxiolytics like buspirone
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft
  • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Cymbalta and Effexor
  • Tricyclic antidepressants like Tofranil
  • Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin

For many people, these treatments are enough to decrease symptoms after only a few weeks or months. In other cases, it may take longer. For example, people with co-occurring conditions tend to see longer treatment timelines.

7 Benefits of Anxiety Counselling: How Can Anxiety Counselling Help?

Anxiety counselling can help people suffering from excessive worry manage their symptoms. How? Here are seven things clients learn in therapy that can help them feel less anxious.

1. Share the Load

Therapy sessions are a safe place for clients to talk about their worries. Also, clients can share how they think and feel regarding other life events that could be causing them distress.

A therapist or counsellor can also learn a lot from hearing clients talk. They may pick up on negative speech patterns that could be exacerbating symptoms. Then, they help clients manage these harmful tendencies.

Talking it out can also help with physical symptoms of anxiety. For example, a recent study looked at the benefits of talk therapy for patients with anxiety and cardiovascular conditions.

After six months, patients who went to talk therapy had a significant improvement in quality of life. They also experienced a lower risk of readmission for increased heart rate and other physical symptoms of anxiety.

2. Get a New Perspective

Negative thought patterns are not just a symptom of anxiety. They can also cause anxiety. The more someone relies on these negative thought patterns to interpret the world around them, the more ingrained they may become.

Psychologists call this symptom and cause of anxiety repetitive negative thinking (RNT). These negative thoughts can be hard to control. They are present in people who have not only anxiety but also depression.

In people with anxiety, RNT features excessive worry. The worry primarily pertains to negative thoughts about future problems. For example, an anxious student may persistently worry about failing their upcoming final exam.

A therapist or counsellor can offer a new perspective on the same situation. Clients learn to alter their normal way of thinking to see the world in a new light. Tactics like this can help in triggering or otherwise stressful situations.

3. Identify Potential Causes

Genes are one of the leading causes of anxiety. Yet, people genetically predisposed to anxiety do not always develop this condition. Environmental factors also play a role.

Stress and/or trauma are primary environmental causes of anxiety. Other environmental factors that can interact with genes and lead to anxiety include drug abuse and prescription medication use.

In therapy, a professional helps clients uncover potential causes of their anxiety. Often, adverse childhood experiences contribute to feeling excessively worried.

A counsellor can guide clients through these troublesome memories using exposure therapy. Over time, the client learns not to fear the trigger(s) these memories contain, reducing anxiety symptoms.

4. Learn to Relax

At first, it may be difficult for clients with anxiety to prevent excessive worrying and other symptoms. So, the first line of defence is to learn how to relax when a trigger for anxiety comes up.

A therapist can teach clients relaxation techniques. For example, mindfulness can help clients re-focus attention from negative thoughts to awareness of their surroundings.

Other effective relaxation techniques that are helpful for people with anxiety include the following:

  • Deep breathing (e.g., box breathing)
  • Guided imagery
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
  • Meditation

Biofeedback is another type of relaxation tool that can be used. It focuses on the physical symptoms of anxiety, including heart rate. We will talk more about this relaxation technique in a moment.

5. Lifestyle Changes

In a study of Canadian mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers found a connection between unhealthy lifestyles and anxiety and depression symptoms.

Some of the most important lifestyle factors were diet, substance use, physical activity, stress management, sleep, and social support. Spending time outdoors was also associated with a lower risk for anxiety symptoms.

A counsellor can advise clients on possible lifestyle changes that can help ease symptoms. For example, a counsellor may recommend switching to a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Some of these lifestyle changes can also serve as coping mechanisms. For example, say someone is feeling anxious. Going for a walk with a loved one may be just what they need to combat their symptoms.

6. Improve Relationships

Remember how we said social support was an important lifestyle factor in the study mentioned above? Solid, strong, happy relationships are critical for forming a healthy support system.

Yet, when someone has anxiety, their relationships often suffer. Anxiety can lead to social isolation. Isolating, in turn, can lead to an increase in symptoms of anxiety, creating a vicious cycle.

A therapist can help clients with anxiety to end this hurtful cycle. Clients will learn to lean on their support systems when experiencing excessive worry. Over time, this increased support may help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Clients who have lost significant relationships because of their symptoms can also benefit. A therapist can offer tips to foster healthier connections with the people their clients care about.

7. Regulate Emotions

Emotional regulation is often challenging for people with anxiety. Individuals may feel unable to control their feelings. They may be easily provoked or unable to regulate their emotions when anxious.

Dysregulated emotions can cause a lot of problems in people’s lives, whether at work or at home. Those who struggle to regulate their emotions may lash out at people they love, only to feel deep regret later.

Counselling can help people overcome this challenge. Clients may learn how to cope with overwhelming anxiety. In time, clients can learn how to prevent these feelings in the future.

Also, many people who self-isolate do so out of fear of their overreactions. A therapist can identify this tendency. Clients can ultimately get back to their loved ones and social groups without fear of out-of-control emotional reactions.

What to Look for in an Anxiety Therapist

Before someone with anxiety starts looking for therapists, it is important to understand the difference between therapy and counselling for anxiety.

Anxiety therapy is administered by a psychotherapist. It is also known as psychotherapy. This is more of a long-term treatment for severe anxiety and anxiety disorders.

Counselling, on the other hand, is a short-term solution for mild to moderate forms of anxiety. A counsellor typically focuses on a particular issue, offering tools and coping techniques.

The first step to finding the best anxiety specialist is to determine which type of professional the client needs. Then, they can use the following tips to find the right professional.

Do Research

First, we recommend compiling a list of mental health professionals to consider. People with anxiety can find therapists and counsellors via the links we provide in our counselling resources section below.

Make sure to only shortlist professionals who specialize in anxiety. If there is a particular type of therapy the client wants to try (more on the different types in a moment), make sure the counsellor offers that service.

Verify Credentials

Once the client has a handful of professionals that may be right for them, check the professional’s credentials to narrow down the list. Those who want to work with a psychotherapist should look for MD, Ph.D., or Psy.D. credentials.

Other mental health professionals may have the qualifications to administer psychotherapy. However, most master’s-level professionals are counsellors. They may not be qualified to provide diagnoses or prescribe medication.

Master’s-level credentials to check for include LPC, MSW or LSW, MFT, and MHC or LMHC. LPC stands for “licensed professional counsellor.” This is one of the more common licenses mental health counsellors hold.

Look at Reviews

Reviews can help you understand how much experience a mental health practitioner has. They can also give you an idea of client satisfaction. Therapist reviews are found on Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, and Psychology Today.

Experience may not always be what you’re looking for, though. Say someone want to work with a professional who is trained in the latest anxiety treatment techniques. In that case, consider choosing a professional who recently graduated.

Check Insurance Coverage

The average therapist in Canada charges $200 per hour. The fact that this is an average means some therapists charge less while others charge much more. Therapy is cost-prohibitive for many people.

Luckily, insurance can help reduce the cost of mental health services. If an insurance provider covers therapy, covered individuals can access a list of in-network therapists and counsellors through their benefits manager.

Not all insurance providers cover therapy services, though. Some may cover medically necessary counselling services. Others may require clients to receive a diagnosis before they can cover sessions.

Review Pricing Options

Clients may wonder about their options if their insurer does not cover therapy sessions. In this case, they could seek out free and reduced therapy. Colleges and emergency helplines offer free mental health services.

Otherwise, these individuals can ask a therapist if they offer sliding-scale payment systems. Sliding scale systems charge based on income. The lower the client’s income, the less they pay for mental health care.

Consider Meeting Options

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there are more options than ever for therapy. The majority of counsellors and therapists today offer both in-person and virtual services.

Online therapy sessions can be a more comfortable choice for people with anxiety. In particular, people with social anxiety disorders may prefer to avoid in-person interactions. Virtual sessions can be a major relief for these groups.

In some cases, online therapy can also offer savings. Some virtual therapists charge significantly lower prices for virtual vs. in-person sessions. Virtual sessions may occur over the phone, laptop, or live chat.

Voice Questions and Concerns

By now, choices should have been narrowed down to only a few professionals. At this point, many people prefer to meet with two or three therapists to find the right fit.

Meeting with multiple professionals is especially important for people seeking psychotherapy. These individuals will have a longer-term relationship with their therapists. It is critical to choose someone on the basis of comfort.

During the client’s initial sessions, they should voice any questions or concerns, including the following:

  • Does the therapist hold any specialized certifications or licences in anxiety counselling?
  • What types of anxiety treatments is the therapist trained and certified to administer?
  • How much does the therapist charge per session?

Some therapists even offer initial consultations. These consultations may be free or reduced in cost. Clients can ask questions and get their concerns clarified with little to no risk.

Sometimes, people may end up realizing a certain therapist isn’t right for them. It’s important to be honest with the therapist or counsellor. Then, start this process over to find the best fit.

Types of Therapy for Anxiety at Simcoe

Simcoe Addiction and Mental Health offers treatment for people with anxiety. We customize treatment plans for the individual. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to mental health care.

Our mental health professionals are trained in multiple types of therapy for anxiety. Below, we discuss four of them.

EMDR

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. It is a treatment for people with anxiety and depression. Originally, practitioners started using EMDR to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Here’s how it works. The EMDR practitioner directs the client to move their eyes from side to side or tap their fingers in an alternating pattern. At the same time, the practitioner asks the client to think of a traumatic memory.

The goal of EMDR is to make traumatic or negative memories feel less emotionally charged. Over time, the client learns to no longer associate the memory with negative feelings.

People with anxiety from past trauma can benefit from EMDR. They can learn how to reprocess the event. Over time, thinking about the event may not trigger the person’s anxiety.

Social Anxiety Group Therapy

Social anxiety is an anxiety disorder where people fear group settings. An effective treatment for social anxiety is exposure therapy. Exposure to crowds via group therapy can help reduce symptoms.

More specifically, a study examined the benefits of group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The researchers found that group therapy for social anxiety can decrease symptoms and increase emotional regulation.

In addition to being effective, group therapy is also less expensive. Some individuals may want to consider group therapy even if they do not have social anxiety. Group sessions can significantly lower the cost of mental health services.

CBT

CBT stands for cognitive behavioural therapy. CBT has much scientific evidence to support its benefits for anxiety. Two common techniques CBT therapists use for clients with anxiety are exposure and cognitive therapy.

We’ve discussed exposure therapy already. Here’s a brief refresher. Exposure therapy involves exposing the client to their fears until, over time, the object or situation doesn’t feel as scary.

Cognitive therapy teaches clients self-help. The therapist may help clients learn how to change their thoughts and feelings. The goal is for the client to self-manage anxieties on their own.

CBT is highly effective for anxiety. In one study on youth mental health, nearly 82% of participants experienced significant symptom improvements after receiving CBT treatment.

Biofeedback Therapy

As we mentioned earlier, biofeedback is a type of relaxation technique. CBT may focus on the mental aspects of anxiety. Biofeedback therapy addresses the physical components of the disorder.

Biofeedback teaches clients to pay attention to physical responses as a therapy technique. Responses may include but are not limited to heart rate, muscle tension, and body temperature.

In a recent study, researchers looked at biofeedback’s benefits for participants’ anxiety symptoms. The technique successfully reduced or even eliminated anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety Counselling Resources

People who are searching for help with their anxiety can check out the following resources to find a local therapist. 

Individuals can also browse Canada’s mental health support guide for free mental health services.

Searching for an ‘Anxiety Therapist Near Me’?

Anxiety is a troubling emotion that can turn into a mental health disorder. If anxiety symptoms interfere with someone’s day-to-day life, anxiety counselling is a safe and effective treatment to consider.

Are you or a loved one tired of dealing with symptoms of anxiety? Our licensed psychotherapists and counsellors are here to help. Contact Simcoe today to learn more about our mental health services.

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