Anxiety Counseling in Woodstock, Canton, Holly Springs, Adairsville, and Cartersville Georgia.

• Does your mind race constantly with worries and concerns?
• Are you fatigued from the many burdens you carry and tasks you attempt?
• Do you lie awake at night instead of resting peacefully?
• Are you so nervous or on edge that it’s hard to sit still?
• Do you find yourself irritable or easily agitated?
• Do you spend too much time trying to make sure something worse won’t happen?
• Do you have difficulty relaxing or taking time off?
• Has your anxiety increased since Covid?

Have you tried relaxing or letting things go without success? Are you wondering if anxiety counseling is appropriate?

For example, it’s normal to be uneasy when you have a big project on a tight schedule, or to experience apprehension ahead of a public speaking engagement. And who doesn’t get agitated in Atlanta traffic when they are in a hurry but the roadways seem like a parking lot?

However, when normal bouts of tension are prolonged, or when they become the default routine for most of your days, you may be experiencing something more than simple nervousness. It may be anxiety.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, up to 30% of the population will experience anxiety at some point in their lives. Sometimes there are biological causes, sometimes medical, and sometimes environmental or situational. Regardless of the cause, anxiety can greatly impact our relationships and our ability to function both at work and at home.

Anxiety can even affect our health. Symptoms of anxiety can include chest pain, nausea, muscle tension, insomnia, and an increase in blood pressure, just to name a few. Anxiety—and the shame associated with it—can often lead to isolation. This further increases your anxiety, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Fortunately, anxiety counseling can help.

Just as there are different types of anxiety—including social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and panic disorders—there are also a variety of treatments. Sometimes anxiety can be treated with “talk therapy,” a therapeutic approach focused on open conversations with a therapist. Sometimes medication is in order. Other times, the combination of both will be most effective.

Anxiety can originate in childhood, in adolescence, or any other time during one’s life. Trauma can be a precursor to anxiety, as well. The good news is that anxiety can be addressed at any time. Therapy for anxiety may also include identifying resources  for support that you didn’t realize you had, whether those are in yourself, your spouse, or your community of friends.

Occasionally, medical conditions may underlie anxiety symptoms. If we suspect this may be true for you, we will offer to refer you to a physician to address this possibility and provide an appropriate medical intervention to supplement your treatment with us.

Does Anxiety Counseling really work?

Treatment for anxiety has a high effectiveness rate. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is considered the first line of treatment for anxiety. The Department of Psychology Community Clinic at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill notes that according to research, those who participate in CBT show a 60% improvement in symptoms. Therapy for anxiety may include facing the very fears we wish to avoid in order to conquer them, making therapy an ideal option for overcoming anxiety.

Will you prescribe medication or supplementation?

The short answer to that is no. Only your physician or psychiatrist can prescribe medication. However, if it becomes clear that medication or supplementation would be a viable option for you, your therapist will talk to you about that possibility and, if you desire, connect you with a qualified medical provider who can assess and treat you.

If anxiety runs in my family, am I more susceptible?

Many biological predispositions can be inherited. Unhealthy patterns in our relationships and environments can contribute to anxiety as well. You will complete a personal and family history assessment to help narrow down any origins or triggering events (as well as to determine how anxiety is impacting your relationships and daily functioning).

What if my pre-teen or teen has anxiety? Do you treat teens as well?

Some studies show that anxiety is rapidly increasing in the teen population. Our therapists are trained to work with families, adults, and teens. If a teen or pre-teen in your family is experiencing anxiety, we can help. All minors must have parental consent for treatment by both parents or guardians and may require attendance by at least one parent for the first session. Children under the age of 13 cannot be left alone in the building by the parent. You can discuss this with your therapist for further clarification.

To make an appointment for anxiety counseling or discuss any questions you may have, please feel free to call us at 678-631-7639. If we are in session and unable to answer, we will call you back during the week within 24–48 hours.