Anxiety Treatment
You’re tired of struggling with the feeling of inescapable doom.
At first, it started as a nervous thought. A little worry that morphed into a negative thought cycle. Now, you are held back by that tight knot in your chest telling you “you can’t do this”. You can’t even sleep through the night anymore. If you had a nickel for every time you played the “what if game”, you would be able to pay back your student loans plus interest. You just want three minutes of peace. But, even that seems like asking for too much. Maybe, it’s time to explore options for anxiety treatment.
Anxiety Counseling Can Help Quiet The Noise
A little bit of anxiety or stress can be healthy. This is our body’s response to situations that are perceived as dangerous. So, if you’re in the middle of the woods and see a bear, you want your body to experience anxiety. Why? Because it’s a dangerous situation. And, you probably don’t want to get mulled by a bear. Anxiety would tell us that it’s time to run or to pretend that we’re bigger than the bear. Of course, depending on the bear. However, we’re not always in the woods. Sometimes, we’re in a classroom about to give a presentation. Sure, it’s okay to be nervous in situations like that. But, it becomes a problem when it is starting to impact your ability to live life to its fullest. This is where our anxiety counselors can help. Starting anxiety counseling with an experienced anxiety therapist can help. Whether you’re struggling with social anxiety, feel paralyzed by fear before tests at school, or find yourself avoiding things due to anxiety, anxiety treatment can provide you with support while isolating the source of your anxiety.
Symptoms of Anxiety
We all have different experiences and backgrounds. Because of this, we all react to situations differently. Our anxiety counselors are aware of this, too. Throughout our experience providing anxiety counseling, we’ve worked with people experiencing many different anxiety symptoms. With this in mind, we have seen common themes of anxiety symptoms while providing anxiety treatment. Here are some common anxiety symptoms we’ve seen in anxiety counseling:
Feeling tense. It’s almost as if your body is a giant knot.
Impending sense of doom or panic. You’re not quite sure when it will happen, but so many bad things will happen at any moment.
Increased heart rate, sweating, and rapid breathing. Like you’re constantly running a marathon.
Feeling weak. Regardless of how hydrated or fed you are.
Trouble sleeping. You feel exhausted all day, but you’re wide awake the second you lay down.
Excessive worry. Over nothing and everything at the same time.
These are only a few of the common symptoms of anxiety that we’ve seen. To learn about other symptoms of anxiety, check out a helpful blog one of our clinicians wrote!
Our Anxiety Therapists Can Help
Facing your anxiety can feel really scary. You’re worried you’ll feel overwhelmed. Dealing with your anxiety means admitting that you’re not okay, right? Yes, it’s scary. However, it’s important to know that your anxiety therapist is here to support you. Our anxiety counselors won’t ask you do to something they don’t think you’re capable of. We will individualize our approach based on your unique fears, symptoms, values, and preferences. We believe in providing treatment that helps you find freedom from anxiety quickly. So, all of our anxiety therapists are trained in anxiety counseling interventions that are supported by research. What does this mean? We’ll provide you with anxiety treatment that really works!
Aspire Counseling’s Approach to Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety counseling usually starts with your anxiety therapist asking questions about when you feel anxious. What your anxiety “triggers” are. In addition, what situations you try to avoid because they exacerbate your anxiety symptoms too much. And, what’s helped you cope so far. What’s more, we will also help provide resources for coping with this anxiety. The first real step in anxiety treatment is to find ways you can cope. This includes mindfulness, grounding techniques, and self-care. The next step in anxiety treatment usually involves some form of exposure. In some cases, this means exposure to your anxious thoughts.
Creating Goals in Anxiety Counseling
You might be wondering why goal setting is important in anxiety counseling. Think about a road trip to the Grand Canyon. The goal is to get to the Grand Canyon, right? To do so, we need to create a plan. For this plan, we have to figure out who’s driving, who’s bringing snacks, and who’s creating the playlist. On top of that, we also need to have navigation to get there. Sure, having a goal of getting to the Grand Canyon. But, we won’t be successful unless come up with a step-by-step way of getting there. See the connection? Working with an anxiety therapist in anxiety counseling is no different. Your goal is to alleviate your anxiety. And, to reach this goal, we have to a plan. Your anxiety counselor will work with you to create goals that reflect your values
CBT for Anxiety Treatment
We may use Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to talk about the racing thoughts that feed your anxiety. CBT is helpful because it allows us to see the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Oftentimes, these components interact with each other in the pattern of a triangle. You’ll see that they each have an impact on the other.
Exposure Therapy in Anxiety Counseling
In addition, we often incorporate exposure therapy when it will help our client. Through this approach, we use exposure where we carefully and intentionally have you place yourself in the exact situations where you feel anxious. The purpose of this approach is to teach our mind and body that certain people, places, or events actually aren’t that scary. Because, if you think about it, you used to be able to partake in the things that make you anxious currently. So, we know that you’re capable of doing it. Yes, facing the very things that make you anxious sounds scary. But, when done carefully, it can be the most effective way to treat anxiety.
What is Holding You Back from Beginning Anxiety Treatment?
We know meeting with an anxiety therapist in person may seem overwhelming. So, we also offer online anxiety counseling so you can receive support from the comfort of your own home. In fact, a study from the Journal of Anxiety Disorders proved that online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is just as effective in treating anxiety and depression as in-person counseling. Think about where you see yourself in 6 months. With how things are going right now, will you get there? Don’t let anxiety hold you back any longer. See if anxiety treatment with Aspire Counseling could benefit you!
Begin Anxiety Treatment in Missouri
You’re tired of living with the anxiety. Battling anxiety symptoms is exhausting. Luckily, we can help. Either online or in Columbia based counseling clinic, our anxiety therapists are here to help. Through online anxiety counseling, we can work with anyone in the state of Missouri. We do everything we can to make the process of starting counseling as easy as possible. When you’re ready to begin your journey with anxiety counseling, follow these steps:
1.
Reach out to Aspire Counseling
First, you’ll speak to a member of our Client Care team. They will ask you a few question about who you are and what you’re looking for. And, will take the time to match you with a therapist we think will be a great fit.
2.
Meet with one of our Anxiety Therapists
We know how important it is to find someone you feel comfortable with. So, all of our therapists offer a free 30-minute consultation. This gives you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you’d like.
3.
Begin Overcoming Your Anxiety
You & your therapist will come up with a plan for facing, coping with and reducing your anxiety. This will be based on your needs, you’re therapist’s experience & what we know works best to treat anxiety.
It’s time to feel in control of your life again.
Not ready for therapy yet? Browse these blog posts related to anxiety, fear & stress.
Because anxiety is one of our specialties as Aspire Counseling, our therapists frequently write blog posts related to anxiety, worry & stress. Here are just a few blog posts from our therapists you might find useful!
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Treatment through Counseling at Aspire Counseling in Missouri
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Exposure therapy is a highly effective, evidence-based treatment where you gradually face the situations or thoughts that trigger your anxiety in a safe, controlled way. Instead of avoiding what makes you anxious (which actually makes anxiety stronger over time), exposure therapy helps you build confidence by proving to your nervous system that these situations are manageable. Our therapists use exposure work as part of treatment for social anxiety, panic disorder, specific phobias, and OCD. We always go at your pace—exposure therapy isn't about throwing you into the deep end. It's about taking small, manageable steps while you have support and coping skills.
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It's normal to feel some increased anxiety when you first start therapy, especially if we're doing exposure work or you're talking about things you've been avoiding. However, good anxiety treatment shouldn't leave you feeling overwhelmed or destabilized. Our therapists will teach you coping skills first, and we'll always make sure you feel supported throughout the process. If you're feeling worse for more than a few sessions, that's something we'll address and adjust our approach. The goal is always to help you feel more capable and confident, even when anxiety shows up.
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Both can be very effective! Online therapy actually works particularly well for anxiety treatment because we can help you practice coping skills in your real environment. For example, if you have social anxiety, we might work on techniques while you're at home, then you can practice them throughout your week. If you're doing exposure therapy, sometimes it's helpful to have sessions in different locations. We offer anxiety treatment both online throughout Missouri and in-person at our Lee's Summit and Columbia offices, so you can choose what feels most comfortable and practical for you.
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Anxiety is a broad term that includes worry, nervousness, and physical symptoms like racing heart or muscle tension. Panic attacks are sudden, intense episodes where you might feel like you're having a heart attack, can't breathe, or are going to die—they typically peak within minutes. Panic disorder is when you have recurring panic attacks and develop fear about having more attacks, which often leads to avoiding certain places or situations. All of these respond well to therapy, but the specific treatment approach might vary. Our therapists are trained to work with all types of anxiety and can help you understand what you're experiencing.
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We work with anxiety across the full spectrum, from everyday worry to severe anxiety that's significantly impacting your life. Our therapists have experience with panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and anxiety that co-occurs with depression or trauma. If your anxiety has led to avoiding work, school, or social situations, or if you're having frequent panic attacks, we can definitely help. We use evidence-based treatments like CBT, exposure therapy, and EMDR that are effective even for severe anxiety. During your consultation, we'll assess your needs and make sure you're matched with a therapist who has experience with your specific concerns.
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This is actually pretty common, and it doesn't mean therapy can't help you—it often means you weren't matched with the right approach or therapist. Many people have experienced therapy that was mostly talking about their problems without learning concrete skills or making real changes. Our therapists use specific, evidence-based techniques for anxiety that are quite different from general talk therapy. We focus on giving you practical tools and helping you gradually face your fears rather than just discussing them. If you've had disappointing experiences with therapy before, we'd love to talk about what didn't work and how our approach might be different.
Also, once you are assigned a therapist make sure to talk to them about your previous experience. We know not everyone is a fit for every therapist. Share with your new therapist at Aspire Counseling what you didn’t like about your previous therapist or perhaps what they did that wasn’t very helpful. If there WAS anything in your previous experience that was even a little bit useful, share that too. This will help your new therapist really hone in on what is most likely to help your anxiety in your unique situation.
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Yes! Exposure therapy is one of the most effective treatments for social anxiety. The idea is that by gradually facing social situations that feel scary—starting with smaller, manageable steps—you build confidence and prove to your anxious mind that these situations are actually safe. For example, we might start with making eye contact with a cashier, then progress to asking a question in a store, then eventually giving a presentation. Each step shows your nervous system that social interactions won't harm you. If you're curious about how this works specifically for social anxiety, we have a detailed blog post about exposure therapy for social anxiety that walks through the process.
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While people often use these terms interchangeably, they're actually different experiences. Anxiety attacks tend to build up gradually and are usually triggered by a specific worry or stressful situation—you might feel tense, worried, and have some physical symptoms, but you're still aware of what's happening around you. Panic attacks, on the other hand, come on suddenly and intensely, often without an obvious trigger. During a panic attack, you might feel like you're dying, having a heart attack, or completely losing control. Understanding which one you're experiencing can help guide treatment. We've written a comprehensive guide about the differences between anxiety attacks and panic attacks that explains the symptoms, triggers, and treatment approaches for each.
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Our therapists don't prescribe medication—we're licensed mental health counselors, not psychiatrists. However, we can work collaboratively with your doctor or psychiatrist if you're considering or already taking medication for anxiety. We’re always happy to hop on a call with your prescriber if they’re available. Many people find therapy alone is effective for anxiety, while others benefit from a combination of therapy and medication. We can help you think through these decisions and coordinate care with your medical providers. If you're interested in exploring medication options, we can also provide referrals to trusted psychiatrists in the Columbia, Jefferson City, Lee's Summit and//or Kansas City area.
Other Mental Health Services at Aspire Counseling
Anxiety treatment isn’t the only service we provide in our Columbia, MO counseling practice as well as in our Lee’s Summit office that serves the KC metro area. We know life is complicated and you may be struggling with more than one issue. Our therapist at Aspire Counseling have a variety of specialties. So, we’re able to offer a wide range of mental health services. We can do so in our office in Columbia or online anywhere in Missouri. Some of our specialties include depression counseling, trauma therapy/PTSD treatment, OCD treatment, EMDR, IFS therapy, teen counseling, grief counseling support during chronic illness/pain and more! We’re here to help.