Counseling for Anxiety in Mobile, AL
Do you find yourself getting "stuck in your head?”
Has your overthinking gotten out of control?
Do you constantly worry about what other people think about you?
Is your worry keeping you up at night or causing you to wake up early in the morning?
Living with Anxiety
You wake up in the morning with feelings of fear, dread, panic, and impending doom. The day ahead of you seems overwhelming and you question your ability to tackle everything on your plate. The urge to stay in bed and pull the covers over your head gets stronger the longer you lay there, so you force yourself to get out of bed and start your day. You know that you will feel better if you can just get started and stay busy.
As you move throughout your day, you do everything you can to silence anxious thoughts and feelings. You blare music or listen to an interesting podcast on your way to work in order to keep your mind preoccupied. You scroll through social media every time you get a spare minute. You’ve noticed that you can keep your anxiety at bay if you avoid certain people, places, and things.
But, the moment you sit still or experience silence, those feelings of fear, dread, and panic creep back in.
The Impact of Anxiety
It seems as if your anxiety is controlling almost every aspect of your life, from your ability to perform at work to your ability to engage with your friends and family. You have a difficult time being alone. Your sleep is suffering. You’re irritable. You’re constantly feeling like you need a back and neck massage to relieve muscle tension. You find it difficult to enjoy the present moment because you are too worried about the future. You spend much of your time thinking through all of the worst-case scenarios. You struggle to get things done because you second-guess yourself.
You wish that you could relax, live in the moment, and have more fun.
I am here to help you navigate your experience of anxiety more effectively so that you can feel less stressed, more at peace, and more confident in your ability to live your life to the fullest.
In counseling for anxiety, I will help you:
Gain a better understanding of your anxiety, including where it may have come from and why it continues to exist
Identify and work through anxiety triggers
Explore and practice a variety of coping skills and identify those that work for you so that you feel armed and ready to conquer your anxiety
Identify unhelpful thoughts patterns that are contributing to anxiety and replace with more helpful thought patterns
Identify and explore the connection between thoughts, emotions, sensations, and actions
Learn how to use your anxiety to your advantage
My Approach
I use a combination of techniques that target the mind and body to help you reduce, alleviate, and manage the mental, emotional, and physical symptoms of anxiety.
You will learn to identify and challenge unhelpful/toxic thoughts that are contributing to your anxiety and replace them with thoughts that will put you more at ease. You will also learn to change your relationship with your thoughts so that they do not cause as much distress in your life. Finally, you will learn body-based strategies to help alleviate your physical symptoms.
You have what it takes to overcome your anxiety. You can find freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions About Counseling for Anxiety
How do I know if I have anxiety?
Anxiety feels different and looks different for each person. At your first session, I will ask standard questions that will help me gain a better understanding of your experience. At this point, we will have a better idea of whether you are dealing with anxiety, and if so, the type of anxiety, or whether it is something else altogether.
How long will it take for me to feel better/feel less anxious?
Each person who seeks counseling for anxiety has a unique timeline. Some begin to feel better immediately, while it may take others several sessions before feeling a difference. You may notice that you are starting to feel better after having one session. This is normal because you probably got a lot off of your chest during the first session. You can think of it as a “honeymoon period” where you might even wonder why you ever went to therapy in the first place.
True and lasting relief only occurs when you dedicate yourself to getting to the bottom of your anxiety. You will likely not experience long-term relief if you discontinue therapy after your first session. The true work of therapy begins after the initial session and continues over the course of several sessions. The more dedicated you are to the therapy process and doing the work of therapy, the better your outcome will be. This includes doing important “self-work” on your own time between sessions.
How often will I need to come?
I recommend you start by coming weekly, or at least bi-weekly, so that we can build momentum toward reaching your goals. Once significant progress has been made, we will space sessions out more (once a month/every six weeks) until we come to an agreement that counseling goals have been met and you are ready to terminate counseling.
How long do sessions last?
Sessions are 50 minutes in length; however, should you wish to extend your session time, we can discuss your options and make appropriate arrangements.
Do you take insurance?
I do not take any insurance plans at this time.
How do I start counseling with you?
If you are interested in working with me, you may click the button below to schedule a free phone consultation. You can also email me at rachel@innerharmonycounselingal.com or call me at (251) 272-9073.
Appointments can also be made directly on my website by clicking the button below.