By Terri A. Ammirati, LCPC
What Happens At Therapy?
You may not know how you got to this point or what steps you can take to feel better. And the more you fight against your anxiety, the more it seems to win.
At Ammirati Counseling, we provide the practical tools, strategies, and support you need to make meaningful and lasting changes. Many of our clients tell us how much better they feel after the first session because they have found a safe place where they can share their story with someone who understands and gets them, and where they can learn a way out of the pain of worry, stress, and fears that have plagued them.
SESSIONS ARE TAILORED FOR YOU
We’ll use our first few sessions to get to know you so we can tailor our treatment approach to your unique goals and needs. We seek to empower you to manage your anxiety by establishing mutual respect, growing trust, and building a safe space where we can help you find ways to feel freer.
By taking the time to discuss your situation, you are allowing yourself to slow down and process why you feel anxious or stressed. And instead of fighting against your anxiety, you can safely explore new avenues that meet your individual needs.
Once you feel secure in the therapeutic relationship, we can move into treatment goals. We want you to see progress during every session, and that means adjusting our approach and pace to your needs.
If you are suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), for example, your therapist will help you recognize triggers and learn new skills to manage obsessive thinking and compulsive behavior.
If you are struggling with anxiety attacks, panic attacks, or generalized anxiety disorder, we’ll take time to explore the root causes and other factors that may be keeping you stuck with anxious thinking and self-doubt.
Manage the anxiety in your life. Anxiety should not manage you.
SAFE STEPS
We’ll start each session by checking in to discuss how the new tools and skills you’ve learned are serving you. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for anxiety, and our extensive experience allows us to draw from a range of scientifically-supported approaches.
Psychoeducation and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you recognize negative thinking before it becomes overwhelming so you can respond to the triggers with greater patience and self-compassion. By incorporating practical exercises, like deep breathing and meditation, you can learn to slow down and relax, taking power away from the anxiety that has kept you feeling tense and on edge. We’ll also introduce concrete steps you can take in your daily life, such as assertiveness training and increasing social activities, in a way that feels safe for you.
The therapists at Ammirati Counseling have been helping clients understand and manage anxiety for over 25 years. And while anxiety can’t be cured (it is triggered through your senses that send a message to your nervous system), we can help you learn tools, skills, and gain new resources which give you the freedom to manage the anxiety in your life, so it does not manage you. With our guidance and support, you can gain a sense of well-being and “normalcy” that allows you to feel truly connected to yourself and the world around you.
READ: Q&A About Anxiety Treatment