Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Lamont, AB.

Anxiety and stress can be adaptive in small doses- it can help give us the motivation to study harder for a test, or practice before an important presentation. In large doses, however, anxiety can be paralyzing. It can cause us to miss work, have panic attacks, or feel irritable or moody. This is when treatment becomes necessary. We use evidence-based therapy to help you achieve results. We will help you identify your own triggers, and teach you skills and tools that you can use to help you manage your anxiety.

While our bodies are perfectly designed to adapt and react to stress, modern problems mean that we tend to detect life threatening dangers in very ordinary places. Conflicts at work, arguments in our relationships and uncertainties such as the post-Covid world activate old survival mechanisms. We may be stuck in the buzzing, fear states of ‘fight-flight’ or the numb and paralyzed states of ‘freeze and shut down.’ The good news is that I have a long history of safely and successfully helping individuals and couples to reduce and release stress using a variety of CBT and mindfulness techniques, as well as trauma-informed therapy. You have my commitment to compassionate and educated care.

Anxiety and stress are experienced by most psychotherapy clients who come here. People usually find my approach helpful whether or not they identify anxiety/stress as a primary condition for treatment. I always aim to adjust my treatment approach to the individual characteristics and needs of my client. Sometimes situations and systems can be addressed and improved; sometimes all that a person can change is their own attitude. I am able to use verbal, visusalization, and altered state strategies for helping people grow past fear.

Anxiety and stress are sometimes helpful responses and can carry important information for us about our current lives. However, they can also be overwhelming and come with sensations that are difficult to tolerate. I can help you learn techniques to soothe your body, regain balance, and address the mind chatter that may be perpetuating your anxiety.

Anxiety and stress can negatively impact client's ability to deal with daily challenges and stressors. Anxiety is excess activation in the nervous system so helping clients to release the activation in turn reduces their anxiety and then they can experience a sense of calm and feeling settled. Toxic stress affects the way we think and perceive reality so addressing the anxiety allows us to retrain the brain to manage the stress and perceived threat which reduces fear, worry, and panic.

Anxiety and Stress are the norm in today's world. Our fast-paced society pulls our attention in many directions and often away from ourselves. Being disconnected from our feelings, needs and wants is often a cause of anxiety. Mindfulness-based counselling is a powerful way to have us create an island of sanity for ourselves amidst the speed of our lives. By learning to reconnect with ourselves amidst the busyness of life, we are put back into relationship with our hearts and what is truly meaningful to us.

I have extensive experience providing evidence-based treatment for anxiety and stress, offered exclusively through secure virtual care. My approach centers on teaching practical psychological skills that help you manage worry, reduce tension, and feel more in control of your daily life. Drawing on proven methods such as EMDR, DBT, and stress-focused therapies, I tailor treatment to your unique needs. These tools are just as effective online as in person, allowing you to access support wherever you are.

Anxiety and stress management is my primary specialty. Anxiety takes many different forms - whether it is the constant on edge and I have to fix it feeling, the perpetual what-if and worrying cycle, your mind racing each time you try to relax, or that 'wired' feeling in the body. I draw from a variety of counselling modalities depending on what fits you best - this might include looking at your thoughts and core beliefs, getting to work more on your value system and knowing what matters, or bringing more compassion to yourself. You can expect to learn strategies you can use between sessions, so you can spend less time in therapy and more time connecting to what matters.