Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Oshawa, ON.

Stress is normal and useful. When we experience too much it is like a gas tank over-filling. This can be dangerous as even just a little stress ("spark") can trigger an anxiety attack or angry outburst. Managing stress and stress levels is very important. Remember, deep breathing... three to five 15-20 second breaths can calm and balance out body and emotion. Then, and only then, can we utilize the many other strategies available to lower stress, resolve problems and improve the relationships valuable to us. Email or contact us at www.jeffpacker.com for more helpful tips.

As a Somatic (SE) therapist- mental & emotional health follows the state of the nervous system. If it is flowing seamlessly between sympathetic and parasympathetic; arousal and settling, within a “manageable range” there’s a deep, internal sense of well-being, emotional stability, confidence, clear thinking, aliveness, trust in self and others, and mastery. With SE we will focus on: Your experiences... in the body Learn to track, observe, describe what is going on for you Regulate internal arousal states, shift locked patterns into action, increase body awareness. Encourage emotional engagement with attention to: mindfulness, sensations, movements and impulses. Here & Now find YOU!

I love working with people who wrestle with anxiety and stress, I love it because of the difference I witness in the lives and experiences of my clients. Employing a blend of mindfulness, somatic experiencing and neuroscience (polyvagal) techniques, the felt experience of anxiety can be managed in an entirely new way for you, and can lead to profound change in your life. I can not make it so that you never feel anxious again, but we can work to help you learn what to do when you experience the familiar sensations of anxiety, so that it doesn't take over your thoughts, body and life.

If you're feeling worried, stressed, anxious, and afraid to be your true self, let's talk about what you'd rather be feeling. Have you ever felt like you needed to hold a piece of yourself back, fearing that people won't accept you? Instead of holding yourself back, wouldn't you rather feel a sense of calm and ease. That feeling you get in your stomach or the vibrating feeling you have in your body are signs anxiety and worry. Let's talk about what you want to be different.

Anxiety can come in many forms, such as: panic and anxiety attacks; extreme fear; worrying thoughts from which one rarely gets a break; sleeplessness either due to going over and over how one behaved during the day, and judging oneself, or, from dreading what the following day might bring; fear and avoidance of one's own intense emotions; fear of rejection of others, leading to intense social anxiety or avoidance of close relationships; performance anxiety, such as worries about exams, job interviews, or performance appraisals at one's place of work. I like to get a sense of the frequency, intensity, and duration of somebody's anxiety, and then to help them to reduce all 3.

Anxiety and stress can be all encompassing and an obstacle to focusing on completing daily tasks. Individual psychotherapy for anxiety and stress will first discuss the thoughts, moods, physical symptoms, and possible triggers you are experiencing to collaboratively make coping tools. Sessions will then focus on investigating thoughts and situations that cause your stress and anxiety to explore how to create a more balanced perspective.

Anxiety and stress often result from people feeling that they are out of control in their lives, they have too much to do and not enough time, or there are excessive demands being made on them. They often have a need to simplify and streamline their lives to make things more manageable. I will give you the tools to help you de-stress and regain a sense of inner balance.

In my experience, the combination of schema therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective approach to dealing with anxiety. This method digs deeper than CBT alone and brings forth insights that guide us to specific stress and anxiety management priorities tailored to your needs. This is an amplified form of CBT that will open a new door to your recovery.

Psychodynamic support for anxiety and stress involves exploring past experiences and unconscious processes that may be influencing your current struggles. By examining how early relationships and life events have shaped your patterns of thinking and behaving, we can gain insight into the root causes of your anxiety and stress. Through this deeper understanding, we aim to help you develop healthier coping mechanisms and build resilience to manage these overwhelming feelings. The therapeutic process may involve delving into unresolved conflicts, addressing defense mechanisms, and fostering self-awareness to promote lasting emotional healing and growth.

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.