Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Thorold, ON.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with stress or if are feelings of anxiousness getting in the way of you fully participating in life? If so, help is available to you. I will work with you to develop strategies to manage stress and to establish balance in your lifestyle. I am experienced in working with people with various types of anxiousness including: generalized anxiety social anxiety panic attacks obsessive compulsive disorder Together we can work to gradually develop skills that will help you manage difficult and anxious, thoughts and feelings so you may feel more relaxed as you participate more fully in life.

Anxiety and stress are common elements in most people's life. It is a necessary element to keeping us alive and safe; however there are points in our life's journey where stress can increase and change how we choose to move through our life's journey. Connect with Nicole to explore how stress and anxiety could be impacting you; why it maybe happening and how you can use various strategies, body based methods (Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, somatic methods) and/or therapy methods such as CBT, mindfulness and meditation to move continue on your life's journey.

Stress and anxiety is a part of everyone's day to day lives. However, when it becomes difficult to function due to loss of sleep, change in appetite, panic attacks, upset stomach, aches & pains, etc. therapy can be most beneficial. I use various relaxation techniques, deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, as well as talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques (addressing self defeating automatic thinking patterns which effect our mood and behavior). I can teach you how to manage unpleasant symptoms related to stress and anxiety.

Stress and anxiety when present within healthy limits can stimulate, motivate, challenge, warn and activate our bodies to react accordingly to the situation. When it's too much, too intense and for too long, stress and anxiety lead to poor functioning, impairment and exhaustion resulting in stress and anxiety overload, contributing heavily to triggering anxiety disorders. In my therapy, I use therapeutic approaches and techniques that help reduce stress and anxiety and enhance the quality of your life and build your emotional resilience. You develop skills to minimize distress and maximize efficacy in many areas of your living and live life in a happier and healthier manner

Stress can motivate you, but anxiety can dominate your life. I want to help bring your life back into balance. There are many ways we can address habitual anxiety because each person perceives and analyzes his or her world differently. Each person has his own history, habits, and ingrained viewpoints. Each person has certain prejudices and automatic reactions which he may not recognize. To gain a clearer view we need to get to know ourselves. Then we may decide to practice changing. The idea behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the best known group of anxiety treatments, is that mind, body and emotions are all connected in the brain. Change one, and you can effect the others.

While anxiety and stress in small amounts can be a helpful source of information, too much can become overwhelming and even interfere with our daily lives. Therapy can be a space to explore the impacts of anxiety and how it may have become engrained into your self-narrative. You and I can work together to co-create coping strategies that are unique to your specific situation. Contact me to book a free consultation so we can decide together if we would be a good fit.

Disappointments in life, conflict in relationships, challenges in the workplace, debt or health issues or any combination of things can contribute to stress and anxiety. When you feel overwhelmed, life becomes confusing and solutions are hard to see. Many day to day problems are easier to resolve, manage and avoid when you have the tools and support you need. Through counselling I help you understand your fears, frustrations, disappointments and experiences, while equipping you with effective skills and tools to cope with challenges from a position of inner peace and strength.

In my work with people with anxiety, I take a two-fold approach. First, we work on developing set of strategies that help manage anxiety, including mindfulness techniques, distraction and self-soothing. At the same time, I work on acceptance of anxiety with a focus on moving towards valued goals in spite of the discomfort of anxiety. In my experience, the struggle that often accompanies anxiety can be as debilitating as the anxiety itself.

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!

When working with anxiety and stress, I focus on helping clients understand how their nervous system responds to perceived threat and overload. Therapy includes both emotional insight and practical regulation strategies that support calm and grounding. Clients learn to identify patterns of worry, reduce avoidance behaviours, and build tolerance for uncertainty. Over time, many experience improved emotional regulation, greater resilience in stressful situations, and a stronger sense of internal safety and stability in daily life.

Fear is a situational-based, positive emotion that prepares us for a sudden and unexpected external event. Since fear is such a common emotion, its presence can often go from being connected to a specific experience (a baby crying, a car horn blowing) to something omnipresent and an overwhelming sense of anxiousness. Anxiety can cause us to feel shame, guilt, and worry because we do not believe we can stand up to the concerns that have brought it into our lives. Psychotherapy is a safe place to explore the causes of shame, guilt, worry, and anxiety. If you are ready to unpack your worry bag, I am here to help! Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

It is normal to worry and feel stressed about life's problems and pressures. But when compounded symptoms begin to overwhelm us to the point where we are getting headaches, heart palpitations, a churning stomach, cold sweats, sleepless nights, weight loss, obsessive thoughts, a distressed GI tract - then we need help to break the adrenaline-fear cycle. Anxiety feeds on fear and needs to be confronted, appropriately and safely, with relaxation techniques, new perceptions and constructive thinking patterns. A counsellor can help you do this.

Some degree of anxiety and stress is normal. However, persistent and chronic anxiety and stress can interfere with the ability to cope with adverse situations. It can damage an individual’s health, mood, productivity, relationships, and quality of life. Mastora works with individual to find a more effective ways to deal with anxiety and stress through various therapeutic techniques and take back control of your life.