Our therapists provide anxiety therapy in Midlothian, VA

Patty: I use box breathing exercises. Clients like it because they can do it anywhere.

Barbara: My main approach is CBT. I use CBT skills to teach cognitive restructuring.

Anna: My go-to approach is psychoeducation/cognitive behavior therapy. I find the best benefit in educating the client on anxiety and the use of evidence-based tools and strategies proven to be effective because it helps change clients' thoughts about themselves and the world around them to help change their behaviors.

Sakura: My go-to approach for treating anxiety is acceptance and commitment therapy. I find the best benefit in being able to accept your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories because it helps to bring more vitality and meaning to life.

Patty: I teach clients to identify triggers.

Barbara: I teach the following formats:

• Rational vs. irrational thinking
• Mindfulness skills
• Emotional vs. wise mind

Anna: I teach:

• Breathing techniques: I teach the client breathing exercises designed to calm the client to reduce and manage stress.
• Negative self-talk: I help the client identify negative self-talk, challenge the truth of thoughts, and reframe negative thoughts to positive thoughts.
• Strength-based plan and core beliefs: I help the client identify strengths and weaknesses to increase self-esteem and identify negative core beliefs to create a plan for positive change.
• Guided imagery: I teach the client to relax by visualizing peaceful images such as the beach or mountains to manage stress.
• Mindfulness techniques: I teach the client centering and grounded to bring the client to the present moment to find peace.

Sakura: I teach the following tools in anxiety therapy:

• Acceptance and commitment- I teach clients to allow themselves to accept their thoughts, feelings, and sensations to increase their psychological flexibility.
• Mindfulness- I teach clients to accept their reactions and be present in the moment.
• Committed action- I help clients set goals and be committed to them despite contrary thoughts or emotions that might arise.

Patty: I see progress when the client is making progress on their goals.

Barbara: I know a client is making meaningful progress through self-reports of reduced frequency or intensity of their anxious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Anna: I know a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety therapy when they can verbalize the use of coping strategies that have helped reduce anxious tendencies, evident by a reduced GAD-7 assessment score.

Sakura: I know a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety therapy when they are able to become aware of and differentiate between unpleasant internal experiences and psychological problems.

Patty: Clients can supplement therapy by using coping skills.

Barbara: I encourage clients to practice mindfulness skills and to utilize rational thinking skills on a daily basis.

Anna: Clients can supplement their time in anxiety therapy by using coping techniques, i.e. breathing exercises, mindfulness, journaling, and completing home work assignments.

Sakura: Clients can supplement their time in anxiety therapy by completing workbooks for anxiety and practicing mindfulness exercises at home.

Patty: Clients can identify the information needed for intake.

Barbara: To prepare for anxiety therapy, keep a daily log of the frequency of anxious thoughts, feelings, and behavior, as well as any instances of panic attacks, past or current.

Anna: I encourage the client to identify symptoms and coping mechanisms they may have used to prepare for the first therapy session.

Sakura: To prepare for your first anxiety therapy session, you can write down your goals for therapy. Focus on how you want to feel, act, and think after therapy.