Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in National City, CA.

Anxiety and stress sometimes seem like they are impossible to escape in today’s world. But when they are your constant companions, therapy can help you find ways to put them back in perspective and restore a sense of peace and calm. I work with you not only to manage the symptoms but also to identify underlying reasons for the anxiety. By employing a “top down and bottom up” approach, you can experience long-lasting relief from your anxiety.

A little anxiety or stress can be good for us. It motivates us to get to our work done, to study for an exam, or to help us recognize we are overwhelmed and need to slow down. When anxiety is problematic, it creates an unhealthy sense of well-being and it interferes with daily living. Because there are different forms of anxiety, and because often anxiety can occur with depression, I work with individuals to assess what kind of anxiety they may be experiencing, and then focus holistically on not only managing the symptoms of anxiety, but also gaining a better awareness of the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of anxiety.

I have special expertise in working with anxiety and stress. With anxiety, it is important to find ways to calm and soothe the nervous system. I offer a wide variety of tools to help train your body to relax. Finding activities to decompress, have fun and nurture yourself are important in order to cope with a stressful environment. There is usually a good reason that the anxiety, nervousness, fear, or worry is there. Anxiety can be a result of PTSD, and I use special trauma therapies such as EMDR, EFT, and AIT that process and release the negative events and associated feelings and beliefs. It is possible to be free of your anxiety and cope better with your stress.

Over the course of time, a client may start to experience increased anxiety and find themselves beginning to become more and more tentative as they approach their relationships and personal and professional goals. I provide a comprehensive assessment, that takes into account biopsychosocial (biological, psychological and social) areas of life, and together we are able to develop a holistic and integrative plan that is adjusted to the client's changing life circumstances. When clients redesign their approach to life, they have greater insight, are transformed, and better skilled to attain a higher degree of life satisfaction.

Fear can be debilitating. It can prevent us from doing what we love. All fear is future based; fears about what may happen. Often times we fear the worst. Through identifying the fearful thoughts and learning to replace the scary thoughts with joyful truths, we can see that what may come may just be something worth living for. As we live with fear and anxiety, we tend to activate the sympathetic nervous system which is our fight or flight. I utilize therapeutic relaxation, meditation and mindfulness to help activate the parasympathetic nervous system to produces feelings of peace and rest.

I see anxiety conditions as unproductive responses to stress. While there are predisposing factors, the catalyst for triggering anxiety, fears, even phobias is stress. I focus on 4 basic and proven factors: 1) Psychoeducation - understanding what's happening in your mind and body that causes anxiety and stress; 2) Relaxation training - providing you with a wide range of ways to relax and de-stress, not just deep breathing, but many; 3) Cognitive (thought) changes - learning how to change unproductive thinking to productive - Stopping the What ifs and a dozen others; 4) Lifestyle/behavioral changes - balancing life is vital - sleep, nutrition (stop caffeine), exercise, and assertiveness.

Anxiety as often been referred to as worry gone out of control. When anxiety gets to high levels it can be very debilitating making it very difficult to function at home, work and interpersonal relationships. Anxiety can also result in panic attacks in which a person may feel like they are going to shut down. I assist clients in identifying triggers to their anxiety and developing strategies to successfully cope. I help the client understand how their thought patterns directly influcence their feelings of anxiety. I than assist the client in learning how to better manage thought patterns and adopt thought patterns that lead to increased feelings of calmness and self-control.

While most treatment approaches for anxiety and stress are effective on the surface, they don’t treat the real problem. Mantras, deep breathing, and rational dialogues about your fear being irrational rarely work---for most people don’t believe it or you! Imagine if you can trick the brain into changing without you telling your conscious mind that you are changing it? Problem with anxiety and stress is that the brain in this state knows you want to change it and it resists. Contact Kevin@kevinfleminphd.com for the ultimate stress and anxiety solution that will literally change your brain's autonomic nervous system patterns while you sit on your butt. 877-606-6161.

Anxiety is a very common and devastating condition. As a licensed clinical psychologist, I have successfully treated anxiety for over 20 years. Most people who come to my office report feeling excessive worry and that they can not stop the worry. I educate my clients so they understand their own anxiety and how to manage their stress. I teach various coping skills, using a variety of treatment modalities tailored to my client's unique needs. Feeling anxious and stressed is very difficult. My goal is to have my client's feel more calm and enjoying their life as soon as possible.

Anxiety and stress are part of living in our busy world. When your anxious thoughts and fears seem overwhelming and are impacting your life in negative ways, therapy can help. I create a warm, engaged, and supportive atmosphere where your experiences can be understood and accepted. Using a holistic approach that includes body-based mindfulness and stress reduction strategies, we can work together to help you get back to living a life that brings joy and meaning.

Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Acute Stress, and/or Post Traumatic Stress make it difficult to carry on your life. From relationships, to work, to the daily tasks of living, anxiety can be devastating. Family, friends, and coworkers may have difficulty understanding your situation. If fears, intrusive thoughts, worries, or stress are disrupting your life, come find the compassionate support you need. I utilize multiple treatment methods which can be tailored to your situation. Don’t let anxiety, stress, and trauma continue to have power over you. Contact me today.

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point, but for some the anxiety is so frequent or intense that it interferes with their lives or even triggers panic attacks. I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help my clients get a sense of control over their own anxiety. We collaborate to learn skills to reduce the frequency or intensity of the anxious feelings, to tolerate the anxiety when it does occur so they can still function through it, and to practice habits that reduce stress and improve general mental health.

When circumstances and demands pile up to the point where you feel overwhelmed, your mind can become flooded with anxious and stressful thoughts and emotions making it even more challenging to manage your life. Learning to manage these thoughts and feelings as well as those stressful circumstances can bring relief and enhance your ability to be peaceful and productive. Of course this is easier said than done. My role is to provide guidance in equipping you with the skills to acquire the perspective and insight to regain control over your mind and emotions so you can focus your attention and energy back on managing the challenges of life.