Anxiety Therapy
Overview of Anxiety Therapy
Human beings are wired to worry and feel anxiety. Anxiety is natural and keeps us safe. It only becomes a problem when it interferes with us doing what we want or need to do, or if it takes the pleasure out of what we enjoy. I specialize in treating anxiety in children and adolescents using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps kids and teens understand how their thoughts affect their emotions and behavior, particularly when it comes to anxiety.
I works with children, teens, and parents to teach them new skills so they can manage their uncomfortable feelings and cope with uncertainty. Through counseling, patients will start to:
Learn how anxiety shows up in their body and what they can do to feel better or not focus on their physical symptoms so much.
Understand how anxiety influences their thinking and makes them overestimate the likelihood of bad things happening.
Learn that they can challenge these thoughts and handle situations in a more flexible way
Practice strategies for coping so they can change their behavior.
I teach new coping strategies and ways of thinking in sessions, and I give them homework to experiment with these new tool between sessions. Over time they will learn to have a new, positive relationship with anxiety.
Working with Parents
I work with parents also because they need to know how to support their child when confronted with an anxiety-provoking situation. Parents need to know when and how to push their child to try new or hard things. Since many parents of anxious kids may also have their own experiences with overzealous anxiety, they may empathize too much with their child's pain and intense feelings. This leads them to accommodate their child's avoidance behavior, and they may need to learn not to reinforce their child's anxiety. Parents need new skills too, so they can coach their child to be successful. Basically, the whole family will learn to have a new relationship with anxiety.
My Motivation
After working in mental health for many years, I learned I have a passion for working with anxious kids. I love this work because of how rewarding it is to witness the remarkable improvements in my patients' lives. When they learn to handle their anxiety, their confidence grows, resiliency shines, and smiles become more frequent. Relationships with peers and parents improve, and they're no longer held back from learning, growing, or trying new things. If your child's anxiety is disrupting their life or testing your sanity, I'm here to help!
What types of anxiety are there?
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Agoraphobia
Specific Phobias
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Types of Anxiety Counseling
If you’re ready to take the next step to learn whether my services can help you or your child I am excited to get to know you! You can click here to schedule a free phone consultation.
Overcome Your Anxiety Today
Conveniently located in
South Park, Charlotte, NC
Offering Virtual and In-person appointments
Contact
Carolina Anxiety Specialist
5821 Fairview Rd
Suite 214
Charlotte, NC 28209
