Anxiety therapy

All of us are anxious at times, some of more than others.  Some of us don't like heights or bridges or snakes or spiders. Others fear large crowds or heaven forbid, public speaking.  Often folks have free floating general anxiety with no apparent cause. Others will not fly in an airplane but must drive or travel by train or bus.  Phobias and anxieties often go hand in hand. Panic attacks can appear with anxiety.

Some of us are just worried all the time. We can worry about if we will get a good night's sleep, if we will past the test in school tomorrow, if boyfriend will like the new hairdo or if mom will get drunk again tonight. Most of the time we have nothing to worry about, but we don't know that, so we do it anyway.

When anxiety starts to get in the way of our lives, we can usually successfully resolve them with therapy.  We find a good therapist like we find any other service. We can ask a friend, a family member, or even just check the internet for who is a Licensed Clinician in our area.

A good therapist will do an intake interview to assess your anxiety levels. Your honest input is the most important part of the interview.  It starts the process of dealing with your anxiety. It may result in a referral for medication depending on your anxiety levels and how much they are impeding your day to day living. If you are not forthcoming with your therapist, you can waste valuable time before you start resolving your anxieties.

No matter how you feel about what you are revealing to the therapist, remember everything you say is completely confidential and never be revealed unless you give consent. Your case record is protected by law. And also remember, your therapist can never be surprised. She has heard much worse than you can possibly tell her, so be honest, be complete and don’t keep secrets from her.

During the coming weeks, you and the therapist determine your treatment plan and begin your therapy.  You will talk about possible causes, the limits your anxieties place on your life and how you can overcome them. You will identify the triggers that start making your feel anxious. 

Anxiety therapy is not easy.  The therapist will not fix you. This is something the two of you do together and you do most of the work with assistance from the therapist.  But between you, perhaps medication, and the competent therapist you can become free of the distress anxiety causes and live more comfortably.

Online Therapy

Virtual Counseling; An Online Option for Crisis Assistance

Since the internet has become available to most everyone, you can easily start or continue your therapy online with online therapy  Finding a life coach or mental health counselor online is easy. Depending upon your needs, you will look for someone with specific education and experience.

The Life Coach can be someone who can help you identify your life or career goals and give suggestions for reaching your goals.  The Life Coach may or may not have a counseling degree. Check the Life Coach’s references and vita before using his or her services.  There are many great life coaches out there. Finding one who fits you and your needs can easily be done online.

Another type of therapy is done by a person who is licensed, sometimes as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Professional Counselor. These titles can be different in different states, but, in general, are people with a master’s degree from an accredited university who did a supervised internship and had to pass a state licensing examination.  They have been or are planning to be in private practice.

Reasons for availing yourself of online counseling can be varied depending on your needs.  Often distance can be a good reason.  If you live far from a counselor’s office, online therapy can be a lifesaver.  If your problems seem to be physical or organic, see a psychiatrist or your primary care physician for diagnostic work. If you are found to be not in need of medication to manage your condition, then seeing an online counselor can be a great way to get from where you are to where you want to be.

Another reason to do online counseling might be that your long term therapist retired or moved or perhaps you moved. You wish to continue seeing that same therapist, so you arrange to see him or her online. With the increased popularity of Skype, you can continue the relationship online.  

Online therapists are held to the same standards and hold the same licenses as the people you see face to face.  Before setting up any contract with an online counseling service, be sure to interview your counselor to be to assure you are a good fit. A good therapist might not specialize in your particular situation but will refer you to one that will better your needs.  

Donna continues to see some of her clients from South Louisiana even after we have been in Arkansas for over a year. They use either Skype or Facetime. It seems to be working for all of them.

Check it out. Online therapy might work well for you.