top of page

Counseling for Anxiety

Connecting mind, body and spirit...where the healing begins!

Counseling for Anxiety, Panic, Trauma, and PTSD with Sherry Lehmann in Melbourne, Florida

Counseling for Anxiety, Panic, Trauma, PTSD

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety can be paralyzing. It can affect every aspect of your life, including work, personal relationships, and physical health.  

At work you may be having trouble concentrating, feeling overwhelmed, or have low productivity on the job. In you personal life and within relationships, you could experience feelings of emotional turmoil, low self-esteem and which may cause you to avoid interacting with those you love. These feelings and experiences can affect your physical health. Your symptoms can include anything from shortness of breath, stomach aches, or increased heart rate. Ultimately, you may be left feeling that your life is off balance and out of control.

Clinically, anxiety can be described as a state of psychological and physical symptoms brought about by a sense of apprehension of perceived threat. Anxiety is the fight, flight, or freeze response to a non-threatening situation. There are several types of anxiety disorders including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety is normal and everyone experiences it at times (e.g. before making a speech, before making an important decision,etc.). It is when it interferes with your daily functioning that you need to seek help.

Due to the abundant amount of physical symptoms that anxiety causes, many people primarily seek medical attention from their physician or the emergency room. However, the recommendation in treating anxiety is mental health counseling, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy.  

The good news is you are not alone. Anxiety disorders affect millions of adults. Most anxiety disorders begin in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. They occur slightly more often in women than in men.

General symptoms include (depending on the type of anxiety disorder):

  • Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness
  • Problems sleeping
  • Cold or sweaty hands and/or feet
  • Shortness of breath
  • Heart Palpitations
  • An inability to be still and calm
  • Dry mouth
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
  • Nausea
  • Muscle tension
  • Dizziness

While these symptoms can be scary, they are not life threatening. Anxiety disorders are common and affect about one in five people.

Individual Therapy

Therapy can be beneficial in decreasing or eliminating symptoms of anxiety. Counseling can assist in sorting out problems and provide a safe environment in which to explore and express feelings. It can assist in the development of better methods to address issues.

For example, you may be operating your adult life with methods you learned as a child, and they simply are not working for you. Working with an experienced therapist can help you identify what is not working for you, or even, what it is that is working against you. Together we can create new behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that help you regain control of your life.   

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-established, highly effective, and lasting treatment. It focuses on identifying, understanding, and changing thought and behavioral patterns.

Harmful self-defeating thoughts and behaviors can be changed and replaced with self-protecting and self-affirming thoughts and behaviors. Therapy is a collaborative effort between client and therapist.

While working with a therapist that specializes in anxiety, one can:

  • Learn stress management and self-care techniques
  • Be supported while facing and mastering emotions
  • Resume normal activities and gain a sense of empowerment

Counseling is not about advice giving but discovering who you really are and who you are capable of becoming. Counseling can assist by accessing your inner strength to reconstruct thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Anxiety is treatable.  

It takes courage to face fears. Call or email for an appointment today.

Be empowered by connecting mind, body, and spirit.....where healing begins.

bottom of page