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Narcissistic Abuse Recovery

Therapy for Anxiety

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

​Anxiety symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and can often include:

  • Feeling nervous, restless, tense, or on edge

  • Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom and heightened alertness

  • Having difficulty controlling worry 

  • Racing thoughts or uncontrollable overthinking

  • Concentration difficulties or thinking about anything other than the present worry

  • Feeling weak or tired

  • Having trouble sleeping, falling, or staying asleep

  • Changes in appetite

  • Heavy and fast breathing (hyperventilation), hot flashes or blushing, sweating, fast heartbeat, dry mouth, shaking, dizziness, and fainting

  • Unexplained hair loss

  • Extreme tiredness or lack of energy

  • Trembling

  • Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety or wanting to escape from your situation

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Anxiety can have devastating effects on your mental health. It can cause you to overthink about the future, feel terrified by the worst possibilities, and worry about small issues. This harmful thought process can be overwhelming and interfere with your daily life, work, and relationships. Your worries may not go away on their own; over time, you can miss out on life and find that your symptoms get worse if you don't seek help. Relationships can be a significant source of anxiety for many reasons. Therefore, relationship therapy can help.

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anxiety therapy bucks county

Anxiety in relationships

Here are some common ways relationships contribute to anxiety:

  • Fear of rejection and abandonment

  • Attachment styles (anxious or avoidant)

  • Unresolved conflicts

  • Difficulty managing conflicts

  • Lack of communication

  • Negative communication patterns

  • Infidelity and trust issues

  • Differences in commitment levels

  • Past trauma and childhood wounds

  • Difficulty compromising

  • Lack of support

  • Struggles with external stressors

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How to cope with anxiety

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In order to cope with anxiety, you can take initiative and begin changing your lifestyle to reduce your stress. Making healthy lifestyle adjustments provides your mind a refreshing, beneficial chance to find peace. 

 

A healthy lifestyle includes: 

  • Exercising: Partaking in physical activities at least 3 times a week can help reduce the level of stress hormones in your body. Exercise also produces a helpful endorphin that is regarded as a natural pain killer.  

  • Eating healthy: Consuming nutritious foods, vegetables, and fruits can organically reduce your overall stress. Minimizing caffeine and sugar from your diet is also highly important.

  • Staying hydrated: Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for your body to feel stressed. Drinking water can reduce your stress level and cleanse toxins from your body.

  • Sleep: Getting enough sleep—usually 7 to 8 hours a night—helps reduce stress while keeping both your mind and body healthy. 

  • Finding a hobby: Partaking in activities that spark joy is a great way to combat stress.

  • Social support: Calling a friend and seeking support from your social circle can help you cope with a stressful situation.

  • Taking breaks: Going on vacation, taking breaks from work, or temporarily removing yourself from stressful life conditions are integral in preventing burn out. 

  • Effective time management: Sometimes, scheduling weekly or daily tasks can help prevent stress. Stress often leads to procrastination, making it difficult to manage everyday life.

  • Staying Organized: Keeping your living space, desk, and closet tidy can help prevent mental clutter, creating a sense of clarity and calm.

  • Getting sunlight

  • Walking in nature 

  • Deep breathing and relaxation exercises

  • Practicing mindfulness

  • Journaling

  • Getting a massage

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Effective Therapy for Anxiety

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Therapy can help uncover the root causes of anxiety, whether they stem from past trauma, family conflicts, emotional or narcissistic abuse, loss, or negative experiences. Together, we can explore these underlying factors and develop strategies for healing.

Drawing from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Relational Life Therapy (RLT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), I tailor my approach to each individual’s needs. CBT is particularly effective for anxiety, helping clients recognize and reframe distorted thinking patterns. By addressing these thoughts, I provide tools to face challenges with greater confidence.

I create a safe, supportive space where clients can share their experiences. Using inner child work, grounding techniques, mindfulness, and psychoeducation, I help reframe negative core beliefs and transform destructive thought patterns.

Brainspotting is another powerful tool for processing overwhelming anxiety. This technique works on the principle that "where you look affects how you feel." By guiding your gaze to specific points, Brainspotting helps access, process, and release deeply held emotions and trauma. Because it engages the brain’s deeper emotional centers, it can often be more effective and faster than traditional talk therapy.

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