Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. Feelings of anxiety are common and everyone experiences them at times e.g. feeling anxious before taking an exam or job interview is perfectly normal. However, for some people those anxious emotions are more constant. The fearful feelings and thoughts are accompanied by additional symptoms such as restlessness, muscular tension, sympathetic autonomic over-activity, difficulty in concentrating, irritability and disturbed sleep patterns. Panic attacks and anxiety attacks can be particularly distressing and disrupting to daily lives. Anxiety can also be a symptom of other conditions e.g. panic disorder, social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder or PTSD. Treatment for anxiety may include prescription medication, brain-based/talking therapy or both
10 ways therapy with Lisbon Counselling can help clients who experience anxiety
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Creating a supportive and non-judgemental environment for the client to talk about their fears and worries.
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Offering empathic understanding of the client, the counsellor wants to fully grasp what anxiety means for the other person. Holding a 'dual attunement' frame for the client, with both relational and neurological attunement present.
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Making space for processing in the brain the anxious feelings, acknowledging them in a safe space and with containment techniques in place. Brainspotting is a powerful brain-based psychotherapy method for accessing unprocessed material.
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Internalising the counsellor’s unconditional positive regard can free client’s inner resources tied up in their pain and struggle. Receiving acceptance and validation can promote the healing process.
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Incongruence is linked to feelings of anxiety. Perceived self-discrepancy is a source of distress , therefore working with a counsellor to become more attuned to one's needs can benefit the client’s overall wellbeing.
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Clients who experience anxiety often engage in critical inner narrative, which can further exacerbate their symptoms. A counsellor can help the client find ways to minimise harsh self-criticism and discover more positive ways of self-talk.
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Together with the therapist, the client can develop new ways of coping in challenging situations e.g. when they become overwhelmed with worries or fear.
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The counsellor can support the client by modelling positive accepting and compassionate attitudes and nurturing behaviours.
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The counsellor provides structure with weekly sessions, which can help the client prioritise their own healing process by committing to self-care on a regular basis.
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The therapist can offer psychoeducation to enhance the client’s understanding of anxiety and to normalise what they go through.
Please feel free to call/WhatsApp, email me or use the form.
I will aim to respond within 24hrs Monday - Friday. For mental health emergencies please contact your local health centre.
In-person sessions are available by prior arrangement at:
Rua Alexandre Herculano 19, 1250-008 Lisboa
Nearest Metro stations: Avenida and Marquês de Pombal.
