Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Russell, ON.

Anxiety and stress can be situational to an event, loss, disappointment, or fear. Anxiety can also be a baseline hypervigilent state, with a relapsing, remitting quality. It is always parasitic, unpleasant and toxic to those whom it infects. It is also hard on our elationships. Therapy with me seeks to achieve remission or soften the anxiety and then we will focus on preventing relapse. I see anxiety as biological, situational and interpersonal. Therapy will explore precipitating stressors, contributory biological factors, and personal factors and in a Cognitive and narrative model we explore new ways to interact with a goal of remission or at least softenning the distress.

The feeling of anxiety can be defined as a sense of worry, nervousness, or unease. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders in Canada. Typically, problems with anxiety are characterized as being chronic, lasting at least 6 months, and likely to get progressively worse without treatment. There are a number of different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social phobia (SAD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), all with their own characteristics. Fortunately, psychotherapy can significantly improve most if not all symptoms associated with anxiety.

Dealing with anxiety and stress involves some understanding of the situation and what might be causing or contributing to a problem. Often it will be the unique way in which we think about something said to be our automatic thoughts and from there we learn to evaluate them for any sign of distortion. Our thoughts for example, may come across as catastrophizing or seeing only the worst in an event which will naturally lead to anxiety/stress. In counselling we can gain some valuable insight and achieve greater awareness learning to step back examining with a different lens and therefore expanding our perspective. This serves to allow for a more enlightened thought or mood to emerge.

I use my easy and efficient practical course on stress management. It includes proper nutrition as a first line of defence and the application of various coping mechanisms such as self-relaxation, meditation, auto-suggestion, self-hypnosis, breathing exercises, visualization and mind reprogramming techniques. The goal of the program is to utilize and convert the overflow of negative energy brought about by stress into a meaningful life changing experience. I also define to the clients the many aspects of stress and its dangers and the ‘fight or flight phenomena’, the main driving force behind every stress reaction.

Anxiety looks and feels different for everyone. Whether you are struggling with panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobias or social anxiety, therapy can help you both learn to recognize your “triggers” and get to root cause of the anxiety. Working with a trusted therapist can allow you to talk about your fears and break free from them. Imagine living without your anxiety~ freedom.

Anxiety and Stress are both life and living challenges. They are part of the normal obstacles we face in our lifetime, be it in health, in illness, in marriage, in couple and relationship issues, in aging and with our children. The thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with them can often overwhelm and even paralyze us when they occur. In a supportive and empathic environment I help people understand and demystify these feelings and find coping strategies so that they can overcome these crippling experiences in order to live productively again.

Anxiety and excessive worry can present in a variety of forms; however, when these experiences begin to act as roadblocks in our lives, Counselling support can help alleviate these challenging feelings while fostering a sense of mastery over these pesky worries and feelings of anxiety. Using a gentle, understanding, and compassionate approach to Counselling, the client can begin to feel confident in utilizing new and effective coping strategies in the face of anxiety-provoking situations.

Experiencing anxiety can vary from an unfocused sense of concern or worry to performance fears affecting school or work, panic attacks, stress, hypervigilance from trauma, or phobias. Physical and psychological symptoms generally feel out of control and are frustrating and fear-inducing, and can lead people to question themselves and their capabilities as well as limiting their enjoyment of life. I am experienced and specialized in supporting individuals, children and families to find their own strengths to use in regaining control of their life from the influence of anxiety, using a combination of psychotherapy and counselling approaches to fit each unique situation. Serving the Ottawa area

Often we are bombarded by stressful life circumstances that can steal our peace. Many of us have come through very painful and challenging experiences that have shaken our ability to create safety. All of which leave us vulnerable to anxiety and we can easily find ourselves in a constant state of panic. In my approach, I support you to make sense of these feelings and get them to work for you rather than against you. As we make sense of our fears and learn ways to create internal safety, we can create a peace that comes from the inside out. Like the quote says " I am not afraid of the storms, for I know how to sail my ship." Our work is to strengthen your ability to sail the storms.

Learning how to manage anxiety & deal with the irrational thoughts or distressing behaviours associated with anxiety is an essential first step to recovery. Processing the deeper emotions & meanings associated with past & present day difficult life situations is also important to build a more secure, resilient self that is capable of facing the challenges of everyday life without becoming overwhelmed.

At Elim we use a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy approach for treating anxiety and depression. This model of therapy works on indirectly changing a person's feeling by changing their negative thoughts and maladaptive behaviours. As clients learn to identify and change their thoughts and behavior they report feeling less anxious and better able to deal with the stresses of life.

My cross-training in counselling, conflict resolution, mediation and hypnotherapy can be very empowering for clients who come to my practice suffering from anxiety and stress. Unfortunately most people attempt to reduce their stress by choosing a form of pleasure that only leads them into more stress. I remind my clients that they can choose to utilize stress reducing techniques rather than stress increasing choices. Another common symptom is anxiety about becoming anxious again. I teach clients that if they focus on the present moment that this anxiety can be markedly reduced. I teach clients the techniques of getting a good sleep....the most important stress reducing factor.

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.