Our therapists provide anxiety therapy in Wyomissing, PA

Barbara: My go-to approach for treating anxiety is dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. I prefer this approach because of the impact of empowering yourself by acknowledging your anxiety cycle and challenging through active coping skills of desensitization. Additionally, it creates a sense of the capability and promotes self-awareness to challenge anxiety symptoms.

Joseph: My go to approach for treating anxiety is CBT. I find the best benefit in CBT because it helps people become aware of how they can change the way that think about situations in order to decrease anxiety.

Barbara: I teach the following tools in anxiety therapy:

• breathing techniques (square breathing, breath work)
• mindfulness/present focus (meditation, grounding techniques)
• grounding techniques (five senses, physical sensations, fidget/focus object, muscle relaxation)
• journaling (freeform, bullet, prompts, daily success/struggle)
• socratic questioning (cognitive challenging and rationalization of thoughts)

Joseph: I teach the following tools in anxiety therapy:

• Cognitive challenging
• Cognitive reframing
• Cognitive replacement
• Relaxation techniques
• Mindfulness
• Grounding techniques
• Assertive communication
• Exposure therapy techniques

Barbara: I know a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety goals when they have increased awareness of their triggers, active use of their coping skill, and see a change in the anxiety symptoms. Additionally, the goals that we set will have a frequency that we will work towards either with increasing coping skills or decreasing anxiety symptoms. I always like to preface that progress is not linear and will be an ongoing measurement during treatment.

Joseph: I know a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety therapy when they report a consistent decrease in the frequency, intensity, and duration of symptoms.

Barbara: Clients can supplement their time in anxiety therapy with utilizing their network of supports and relationships, seek psycho-education about anxiety, journaling about anxiety cycles and seeking out additional resources such as group therapy.

Joseph: Clients can supplement their time in anxiety therapy with documenting their thoughts, feelings and behaviors resulting in situation that trigger their anxiety and documenting efforts to counter their negative self talk. They can use relaxation techniques and mindfulness skills on a daily basis. They can use grounding techniques, assertive communication, and gradual exposure when they encounter anxiety provoking situations.

Barbara: To prepare for your first anxiety therapy session, you can notice and track the frequency, nature, and duration of symptoms. Also you can talk openly about the anxiety you may be feeling in preparation of the first session during our intake and we can problem solve some coping skills in the moment.

Joseph: To prepare for you first anxiety therapy session, you can reflect upon situations that trigger and anxiety and identify ways in which you currently cope with anxiety.