Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Brighton, ON.

Anxiety often hits us unexpectedly. We might manage stress well enough until at some point the body's resources seem to get diminished and the body starts to talk back. Some symptoms of Anxiety & Stress might be: difficulty breathing, sleeping and/or eating; restless mind; negative thoughts and tumultuous emotions. The work I find most helpful to improve your skills for dealing with these fear-based emotions; includes cultivating a better relationship with your body and your emotions. As you become more aware of your actual limitations and pay greater attention to your needs, your body can achieve a more balanced state.

As a Somatic (SE) therapist- mental & emotional health follows the state of the nervous system. If it is flowing seamlessly between sympathetic and parasympathetic; arousal and settling, within a “manageable range” there’s a deep, internal sense of well-being, emotional stability, confidence, clear thinking, aliveness, trust in self and others, and mastery. With SE we will focus on: Your experiences... in the body Learn to track, observe, describe what is going on for you Regulate internal arousal states, shift locked patterns into action, increase body awareness. Encourage emotional engagement with attention to: mindfulness, sensations, movements and impulses. Here & Now find YOU!

The experience of stress and anxiety can be a challenging one to navigate alone. Throughout sessions, we will work to understand activators of stress and anxiety, develop management tools that serve you best, and explore the various meanings and purposes that stress and anxiety serve in your life. Contact me for a free consultation to learn more about my approach and to see if we would be a good fit.

Is anxiety or stress overwhelming your life? You don't have to face it alone. I’m Simona Ilieva, a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and stress management. Together, we’ll explore the root causes of your stress, learn techniques to reduce anxiety, and create personalized strategies to regain control. Whether you're facing daily pressures or chronic anxiety, I’m here to support you in finding balance and inner calm. With the right tools and guidance, you can break free from the cycle of stress and start living a more peaceful, fulfilling life. Let's take that step together. Book a free consultation today.

Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but can become debilitating when the stress is ongoing, overwhelming and inescapable. Learning how to manage anxiety is a critical life skill because it affects both the mind and the body. Dwelling on the future prevents us from living in the moment, and psychotherapy can offer tools and coping skills to help re-regulate our body and find relief from overthinking and relentless mental chatter.

If you're struggling with anxious thoughts, you may find it hard to focus. The fight or flight alarm is going off in your brain, constantly sending you messages starting with "what if...." If worrying is keeping you trapped in a hamster wheel, tired, but unable to rest, you may find yourself turning to addictive substances or behaviours to cope. As an addiction counsellor, I help clients cope with the anxious thoughts keeping them trapped in addictive behaviours. By uncovering these underlying thoughts, I help you develop coping skills so you can gain a sense of focus, clarity, confidence, and freedom from constantly overthinking. Send me a message and I'll guide you through the next steps.

Depending on the source (if it can be identified) most anxiety can be effectively treated with various forms of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Behavioural experiments and exposures, combined with thought analysis and restructuring can bring about swift positive improvements. However, CBT for anxiety is hard work and involves willingness to experience discomfort as one learns to tolerate their fears and then experiences the powerful safety feedback which counters them. With practice, anxiety can be nearly completely extinguished. If panic is related to trauma, a longer and involved process may be needed using EMDR, imagery re-scripting or dialectical behavioural interventions.