Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Gig Harbor, WA.

Anxiety can run your life, but it doesn't have to. Together, we'll work on ways to tap into the security and strength of your body. We'll understand the anxious stories and find ways to bring supportive, soothing energy to calm those parts down. We'll listen to your body for any signs of unresolved trauma or relational wounding and work gently with the body to heal.

Anxiety and stress are so common they seem like an unavoidable part of the modern lifestyle. However excessive anxiety, stress, and worry can start to destroy your peace of mind, lessen your confidence, and impact your physical health. I provide a therapy process where the pattern of how anxiety is created in your life is understood and new tools to stop the physical and emotional patterns of anxiety are made habitual. The end result is having your peace of mind back so you can focus on the things that matter most to you.

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point, but for some the anxiety is so frequent or intense that it interferes with their lives or even triggers panic attacks. I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help my clients get a sense of control over their own anxiety. We collaborate to learn skills to reduce the frequency or intensity of the anxious feelings, to tolerate the anxiety when it does occur so they can still function through it, and to practice habits that reduce stress and improve general mental health.

In today's fast-moving world it's hard not to be stressed out. It can be even harder to determine if the stress and anxiety is "normal" or should be treated. If it's causing you impairments in your daily life, or if you're stressing about your stress, it's worth talking about in therapy. I help client identify what their stress/anxiety looks like and how to better manage it. Stress doesn't have to be bad, in fact it can be channeled in ways that will make you more a more productive person and help you reach your goals... with the added bonus feeling less stressed and more relaxed.

We look together at the areas of your life that are causing you stress and anxiety. For most people, this is a huge aspect of living. Finding ways to reduce such stress and anxiety becomes a major focus of our work. We will examine your work, your family life, your relationships, your ability to function day to day, and the kinds of things you already do to cope with anxiety and stress. Developing strategies to deal more effectively with anxiety and stress is a major goal in counseling.

There are many different types of anxiety and stress. You may be having an adverse reaction to a specific incident or you may be coming to me with a lifelong struggle around generalized anxiety. I work with many clients who have experienced work life stress and trauma and help them make sense of their situations so they can make informed decisions around a course of action. I help many clients uncover lifelong anxiety that has become so normalized that it may not register as anxiety. Ways of coping with anxiety may be also be causing problems. The goal would be to discover better tools to deal with both the underlying issue and the problems that outdated coping skills may be causing.

Anxiety is rough- you likely know this. You might think "why is this happening to me? Why does this phase me like it does? This isn't anything big." You also may be under intense stress and perhaps even intensely traumatic situations and just now starting to feel the impact. I offer helpful practical tools to deal with anxiety in how you think and how you breath. But I don't stop there as those things are often un-effective, as you may have already found, if not partnered with a deep understanding of how to work with, on an emotional level, messy feelings.

Anxiety and stress can have a crippling effect on our lives. The panic and the fear can leave us in a state of immobility. If that feels like your experience, I am equipped to help. I address anxiety and stress from a relational model that includes making short-term adjustments for immediate relief while also addressing the origins that cause anxiety and stress. The results are a revived way of being in this world where you get to make decisions that are best for both you and those you come in contact with.

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@kevinflemingphd.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.

Anxiety and stress take a hold on you and never let go, leaving you trapped and frozen. I help my clients to learn all about the magic of mindfulness practice. It's one of the most effective ways to put you in control of your emotions, rather than them controlling you. Imagine how great it would be to have an internal place of peace and serenity that you can use at any time to relax and become grounded. Mindfulness is an ancient practice that is also supported by scientific empirical studies. It's one of the best ways to change your life.