We previously had a post about Six Reasons to Start Therapy for Anxiety. This new post will share some ways therapy will help once you’ve made that leap. If you’ve chosen to make the amazing and brave decision to work on your anxiety with a therapist, you can look forward to some of these outcomes. ((happy dance))
Practical Ways Therapy Helps Adults in St. Louis, MO Manage Anxiety
1. You’ll learn how to use new coping tools
The internet is full of suggestions for helping anxiety, so you might wonder why you need to go to therapy to find a cure. The truth is that while Google can suggest a breathing exercise, it won’t tell you how best to use it or why it’s the right exercise for your specific situation. A therapist will have a lot of suggestions for you to try, and because they’ve taken the time to get to know you, they can help you choose the right coping skills and help you get the most out of each tool. It’s the difference between watching a YouTube tutorial and attending a private lesson.
2. Your therapist will help you find the underlying causes for your anxiety
The parts of our anxiety we actually notice are usually just the tip of the iceberg. Your fear of heights might be from looking down off a tall building, or it might be from going on a trip where your parents had a terrible fight in your hotel room on the top floor. So many things can trigger anxiety, and when we find the root of the problem it’s way easier to pick the best coping skill. Your therapist will help you navigate through the symptoms of your anxiety down to its roots, so you can focus on healing and not just maintenance.
3. You will learn your triggers
Certain things bring on our anxieties or make them worse. These are called triggers, and when they get tripped, we know we’re in for a rough time. (Buckle up, baby! And keep all limbs on the inside of the ride.) And it’s sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly what set the anxiety-boulder rolling when it’s happening.
In therapy, you’ll work on sifting through your memories and emotions to locate your triggers and learn how to manage them.
Is this tough? Yes.
Is it also manageable and usually a little less scary because you’re with a therapist you trust? Also yes.
You might be able to disarm some of these triggers entirely, and for others you’ll learn healthy ways to avoid tripping them in the first place. The easiest way to deal with anxiety is to not let it get a foothold, so understanding your triggers will give you more control over your mental health.
4. You’ll have a safe place to talk
It’s hard to talk about anxiety. People might not understand why a grownup is afraid of the dark or why going to the grocery store causes a panic attack. This kind of judgment and stigma is invalidating and keeps so many people silent about their anxiety.
When you start therapy, you will have the freedom to open up about all your fears and worries in a judgment-free space. Your therapist is there to help and support you, not to judge you. Remember they’ve seen it all; you won’t surprise them. Also, it’s confidential. Therapists are bound by a confidentiality pillar in the ethics of their profession, so they aren’t going around and talking to other people about your story or your sessions.
5. You will learn new behaviors and strategies
Treating anxiety means changing the way we think. But our thought patterns run deep. Sometimes we need a neutral person to spot our destructive patterns and help us create new ones.
At Marble Wellness, we use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to teach you how to recognize when thoughts have gone awry and what to do about it. In therapy, you’ll develop new physical and mental behaviors to create new ways of thinking. Creating new thought patterns isn’t a matter of willpower; it’s practice and consistency. And you shouldn’t have to do it alone.
6. Your perspective on anxiety will change
We usually think of anxiety as something negative. It frustrates us and gets in the way of things we want to do. But we’re at our healthiest when we learn to accept all parts of ourselves, even the ones that cause trouble. Therapy can help you accept your anxiety. You will learn to recognize how it’s trying to help you stay safe, even while learning how to regain control in your own life so anxiety isn’t running the show. But if you can do so with self-compassion, you will find greater peace and self-acceptance.
Therapy for Anxiety in Ballwin, MO
Therapy isn’t magic; you’re still going to have anxiety in your life. But it’s not going to control you. You are going to have the tools to get back in the driver’s seat and pick your own road, not the one anxiety dictates for you. Working with a therapist will give you the support you need to make this happen, because you don’t have to do it alone. Working with a therapist also allows you to tap into an expert–the way you would with a physical trainer; or a nutritionist; or a stylist. You’re managing enough on your own–partnering with an expert is a great way to reach the goals you have for yourself and your day-to-day experience of your life.
If you’ve been struggling with anxiety and you want to take the next steps towards healing, please reach out to us at Marble Wellness and let us help you heal.
Start Therapy for Anxiety in St. Louis, MO
If you live in St. Louis and are ready to kick your anxiety to the curb, we are here to help.
Whether it’s low-grade anxiety or the kind of anxiety that is robbing you of thriving in your life, our Marble Wellness therapists can provide in-person or virtual sessions to help you. We also offer park therapy! You can reach out to us on our website, request an appointment online, or give us a call today to get started. Please reach out to us and we will help get you started as quickly as possible.
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Additional Counseling Services at Marble Wellness in St. Louis, MO and Chicago, IL
Counseling services designed to help set you on a path of living a more fulfilled, calm, and happy life.
St. Louis
Our St. Louis team of therapists have a variety of training backgrounds and areas of expertise. We specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, chronic illness, therapy for men, couples, and maternal overwhelm. We can also help new moms with various postpartum concerns, moms in the thick of parenting, and moms with teens. We can also chat from wherever you are in the state with online therapy in Missouri and online therapy in Illinois. No matter where you are in your journey, we would love to support you.
Chicago
Our Chicago team of therapists offer a wide range of mental health services to help our clients through the different challenges and hurdles in their life. In addition to anxiety, depression, grief, therapy for men, and maternal overwhelm, we are specialized in professional burnout, therapy for breakups, and love partnering with working moms.
