Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Wheeling, IL.

Anxiety is an intruder! It interferes in an individual's daily life and interpersonal relationships. My approach to anxiety is straightforward: "Either you manage anxiety or it will manage you." The good news is that with knowledge about anxiety and the right tools you can manage this intruder. I teach my clients about the two primary responses to anxiety (one good and the other not good) and give them the strategies and management tools they need to keep this intruder from ruling their thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

I have worked with many clients experiencing anxiety and stress in relationships with family, friends and colleagues or as a result of addiction and relapse, or health issues. Mindfulness practices are incorporated directly into my therapy sessions from the very beginning to allow my clients to begin to calm their overactive stress response systems and feel a reduction in their anxiety immediately. Over the long term, clients see the benefits of taking a moment to pause and reflect that they have a choice in how they respond in the moment to challenging interactions.

Everyone feels anxiety at some point in their lives but when it starts to interfere with your life, counseling can help. Although anxiety can feel debilitating, it is treatable. People with anxiety don’t always share the same symptoms, they vary from person to person. Therapy will help you to reclaim your life and function in a chronically stressful world.

Very few things are as paralyzing as anxiety and stress. They can ruin your life and take over. Anxiety and stress can be managed. You can lead a healthier, happier, more peaceful life. We will not only help you with here and now techniques to deal with your anxiety in the moment. We also want to get to the deeper issues that keep the anxiety coming back so you can find true healing.

Anxiety feels terrible - locking away our natural gifts - interfering with our ability to live a joyful life. There are many interventions which can help us gain control over anxiety. Visualization and imagery, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, thought changing, exercise, energy therapies, music and research-based writing techniques - even good nutrition - are all effective methods for reducing anxiety. You can learn more about some of these interventions by logging on to the website www.mypainmanagement.net. The website contains interactive modules for managing a variety of emotions, including anxiety. I was the content author for these modules and use all of these methods in my practice.

I help my clients identify where their anxiety and stress is stemming from. Not what triggers it, but what ideas about themselves and the world causes them to respond to triggers with anxiety and stress. After identifying the causes of these uncomfortable feelings, we can find ways to be present and aware of when this comes up and learn to accept and manage it in the moment.

Together we can explore how anxiety and stress manifest for you, and then address these symptoms head on. By incorporating tools from CBT, DBT and mindfulness-based intervention we will find what works best for you to better manage the physical, emotional, and relational difficulties of you may face. Through this direct approach, you will begin to feel more confident in yourself and your ability to face daily challenges.

I teach clients tools they can use to deal with their anxiety and stress. Some of these tools are from Dialetical Behavioral Therapy(DBT). I also offer tools I've gotten from other sources. In addition, I do relaxation exercises with clients, mainly guided imagery. Clients will often find meditation, which I can teach them, helpful as well. Sometimes, the cause of clients' anxiety and stress is rooted in past experiences(and, at times, trauma)that continue to run their lives. In this case, EMDR(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)is quite effective and clients notice a great improvement in their symptoms.

To help people reduce & manage their stress I utilize clinically proven psychological concepts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) & Mindfulness. CBT helps to address the way we process information because what we think & how we process that information leads to how we will feel which leads to how we will or will not behave. DBT concepts help us to regulate our emotions in a healthier way & Mindfulness is a very particular way of living in the present moment of life, leaning to notice things vs judge & respond vs react.

Talk therapy for anxiety and stress management can be extremely beneficial. In sessions, you have a space to share your most extreme anxieties without any judgment and you will be given tools to change your behaviors and thoughts to calm your anxiety, as well as tools for relieving panic attacks. Together we will figure out the root of your anxiety and how to take control of your life again with stress and tension relieving techniques and discussions.

Anxiety and stress are correlated with depression and frequently they co-occur. I can help people relax and lower their anxiety with EMDR and supportive counseling. I can also refer them for medications. Many times anxiety is a symptom of deeper unresolved issues which can be addressed psychotherapeuticly.Again EMDR can be used to help create a "safe place" to go too. It can also be teated with cognitive behavioral psychology as sometimes "distorted thinking" is involved.

Research shows that during high stress seasons in life individuals are more likely to suffer physical, emotional and relational distress. Thankfully, research also shows that having someone journey with you during these moments of anxiety and stress can greatly reduce the impact in your life. Allow me to walk along side you, carrying the burden with you and resolving the source of the stress and anxiety together. I look forward to working with you, don't go it alone.

Chronic stress and anxiety are so prevalent in our society today. Especially with all of our gadgets and the fast pace of everything. It's difficult, and sometimes even near impossible to slow down. Anxiety can contribute to physical illness, sleep deprivation, and cause you to generally feel miserable. By giving my clients multiple therapeutic techniques, I've helped most of my clients successfully eliminate the need for their anti-anxiety medications. After working with me, my clients have experienced a significant reduction in chronic worrying, physical symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, etc.), and improved the overall quality of their lives.