Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Oceanside, NY.

At Transformation Counseling Services each member of our clinical team is exceptionally trained in the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness for anxiety disorders. Our goal is to help our patients reduce their symptoms and improve in their daily lives. We help our clients learn concrete skills, and current evidence-based practices tailored to their unique needs with special attention paid to racial , social economic, cultural, and spiritual/religious beliefs. If you are ready to live a stress free life please contact us for a free consultation.

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.

I will show you how you make yourself anxious about the things you find threatening and challenging. Anxiety and stress are largely self-created by the beliefs we tacitly hold about adversity or potential adversity. I will show you your self-defeating beliefs and teach you how to think so you feel sensible concern and do what you can do to avoid danger and threats. I will show you how to philosophically accept what cannot be avoided and thereby minimize the stress you feel about what cannot be changed or avoided. Using the power of your own ability to think in a self-helping way I will help you to change your feelings of anxiety.

If you suffer from anxiety or stress then you know how it impacts upon your life. This is such a large topic. It could include ocd, panic attacks, low self esteem, ...poor relationships to numerous other issues. My approach depends upon who you are and what your issues are. I like to think of myself as being non-judgmental, creating an atmosphere where you are comfortable telling me your story. When that happens we can then identify the issue and choose strategic approaches that will fit with your views and personality so in the end you can have a life without the anxiety and stress that you are feeling presently.

We embrace an expansive view of the individual and collaborate with clients to explore how their sense of self, past experiences, environment, and culture, impacts their current moods, relationships, experiences, and self-beliefs. We will work together in identifying what areas of life you would like to further explore to best reach your goals/growth in this process of self-discovery.

There is normal stress and anxiety and then there are levels which are far beyond what you imagine to be on that range. We live high-stress and fast-paced lives and it is understandable why we sometimes feel overwhelmed and highly stressed out. There is help available to assist you in calming your nerves and finding productive and safe methods for dealing with the many painful stressors around us.

The world is a demanding place these days and we get pulled in so many different directions—add to that the stress of having, keeping, or finding a job, family and/or relationship pressures—and anxiety and stress can so easily gain the upper hand. My goal as a therapist is to help you talk though your issues and concerns so that I can give you the tools to help you overcome your sources of anxiety and stress.

Stress is a normal part of our daily experience. Too much stress can bring devastating consequences including stomach issues, increased blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, increased fatigue, reduced immunity to illness, physical pain and can make us more vulnerable to mood issues like anger and depression. Finding proven ways to cope with stress can provide joy throughout our entire lives. When we stop worrying about our lives and start being present and actively participating in our daily world, we often find the relief and comfort that we have been seeking all along. Together we can find the strategies that work best for you.

Anxiety is a signal your mind is sending to alert you of a real or perceived threat. For example, you are stressed about work: perhaps anxiety is a sign that your fear you are not good enough. There are situations in life when you need a signal so that you make the right decision at the right moment; but when anxiety is too intense, you feel paralyzed and cannot make decisions because all options seem to lead to the worst case scenario. I will help you learn from your anxiety so that you can look beyond the discomfort and understand what is the concern or fear underneath it; then we will work directly with that fear or concern.

We have all had moments of anxiety and we remain anxious due to the beliefs we hold about our reality and the thoughts we have about our situation. An individual becomes anxious when they overestimate the negative aspects of their situation and underestimate their ability to cope and function in problem situations. The anxious individual will imagine and create even more negative consequences than are actually present. I guide my clients to a more rational approach of focusing on the task at hand, not engaging in or imagining negative outcomes, and not engaging in or exaggerating possible negative outcomes. We focus together on ways that enable coping, behavioral change and flourishing in that situation.

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.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a highly effective treatment for anxiety disorders, particularly OCD. It involves gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli or situations while preventing the typical compulsive response. Through repeated exposure to these anxiety-provoking triggers, clients learn to tolerate distress without engaging in compulsive behaviors. ERP therapy is based on the principle of habituation, where anxiety decreases over time with repeated exposure. Therapists work collaboratively with clients to develop personalized exposure hierarchies and teach coping skills to manage anxiety. ERP has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms.

Anxiety arises due to one's own natural energies being turned back on oneself. That is caused by lack of clarity on how to advance in life's many often complex situations. In therapy I help you uncover the root causes of anxiety, and to find the way to transcend specific current issues. This relieves the underlying anxieties that seem to arise from nowhere. I will help you see that the anxiety and circular, repeated thinking are due to deeply-held messages. These restrictive messages make it difficult to see the path forward, and can cause you to feel that authentic self-expression is dangerous, not wanted, and unhealthy.

Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara work supportively and educatively to help you gain a sense of mastery with respect to your anxiety and stress. For over 40 years, we have helped the victims of abusive relationships, work stress, emotional burnout, identity concerns, & perfectionsitic personalities who partake in unhealthy habits. Clients have often reported a sense of relief and appreciation over being well-understood and accepted by Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara. Our practical and reasonable therapeutic approaches build your healthy self-esteem and provide you with the tools for enhanced growth and effectiveness while facing life's challenges. Often within a few sessions, clients feel better.

Anxiety is the way our minds let us know that something is bothering us. A LOT! When helping you work with your anxiety, I invite anxiety to join us on our journey of discovery; understanding what anxiety is trying to communicate with us and the world. By opening that door, we gain control of the anxiety and can begin lowering symptoms by addressing real life issues that may be causing this uncomfortable feeling within. I have helped anxious clients improve emotional balance, increase feelings of calmness, inner peace, as well as learning how to use anxiety as powerful tool and not a stumbling block.

We’ll start by getting on the same page: what is bringing you to therapy, what are our goals for incorporating medication, and what would it look like to truly feel “better?” We’ll discuss your past history with both psychotherapy and medication, the current challenges you’re facing, and what you hope to get out of this process. You and I will collaborate on a treatment plan that maps out how we’re going to get there.

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.

Most of us experience anxiety and/or stress at some point. However, when it persists and reaches a heightened level of intensity, therapy may be needed and can have a powerful impact on reducing these symptoms. Talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are two approaches shown to have success in treating anxiety. Talk therapy allows for my clients to open up and unburden themselves from the weight of what they may be carrying and validating their experience and emotions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps address and shift any unhealthy thinking or behaviors associated with the anxiety. This can significantly improve ones ability to manage their anxiety.

Anxiety and stress are two of the most mind consuming elements people have. They are hard to control and manage. They are emotionally draining and fatiguing. You may be experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress and think that only medication can help you. I believe that people have the power within to be more helpful to themselves than they may believe or know. Having a willingness, desire, and commitment to try new behaviors and feel better prove positive for many people I work with.

Modern life makes finding balance a challenge for all of us. However, I have helped many women, men, and children learn cognitive skills that have enabled them to overcome the stresses in their lives. Additionally, I offer instruction on communication skills to diffuse stressful misunderstandings at home and at work. I am highly trained in a number of techniques designed to help clients to combat stress. These include: • Positive Psychology techniques • Meditation techniques • Breathing techniques • Time Management strategies • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy • Harnessing wisdom from Yoga teachings