Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Irvington, NY.

Anxiety can take many forms, including excessive stress, low self-esteem, panic attacks, phobias and compulsions. When fear or anxiety is experienced on a daily basis it can become so familiar that it goes un-noticed until problems arise that grab our attention. These can include health problems, insomnia or feeling stuck in bad relationships. Addressing anxiety can free up your energy and enjoyment, and give you back your life.

While we all live with some degree of anxiety and stress in our lives, there are times when the anxiety and stress levels overwhelm us and our usual ways of coping no longer work. When overwhelmed by stress an anxiety, it is not uncommon to shut down, engage in poor decision making or partake in destructive escape routes. I help clients gain perspective, problem-solve, and find ways to increase support during times of extreme stress, anxiety, loss and disappointment. Clients with whom I work with on issues of anxiety and stress report feeling more hopeful, more capable, reassured and better able to tackle life's challenges and disappointments.

Anxiety and stress are are essential to a productive life. However, like fuel in a car. Too little or too much can cause you to stall or damage your engine. Often the things we worry about are fantasies (or nightmares) about the future. Therapy for anxiety and stress often begin with developing mindfulness based practices. These practices will help you to non-judgmentally accept the present moment, find compassion for yourself and others, and learn techniques to cope with and tolerate distress and emotional overwhelm.

Anxiety and stress are interrelated. Generally people with anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, tend to internalize conflicts that cause them to always be stressed out, which affects their thinking and behavior. Through an eclectic psychotherapy approach that includes psychodynamic, cognitive and behavioral work, I help them release the fears and angers that underlie the build-up of stress. In time they learn to moderate their feelings, cope better with stressful situations and live a calmer life.