Anxiety Therapist in Arlington Virginia
Find the best anxiety therapist in Arlington Virginia.
Finding the right mental health provider for an anxiety disorder can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start. If you live in Arlington, Virginia and are looking for help with your anxiety disorder, this article is here to provide guidance.
Anxiety symptoms can make you feel scared or worried. It might seem like your thoughts are racing and it is hard to stop them. Your heart might beat faster, and you may even shake or sweat or experience other physical symptoms. You may have a hard time sleeping and concentrating on things, or feel moments of panic.
For those that experience mild anxiety, or severe anxiety, therapists that specialize in counseling services for anxiety disorders can use talk therapy in a safe space to help you regain control from negative feelings and help you feel relief from panic, worry, and stress in your personal life.
Research shows that online therapy can provide effective anxiety counseling and anxiety treatment for those with an anxiety disorder. Working with a therapist can improve your well being, give you better control of yourself in challenging environments, and help you reduce stress and worry so you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Tips for Choosing the Right Mental Health Provider
When selecting a mental health provider to help treat your anxiety, it is important to consider several factors in order to make sure you are choosing the right therapist for you. The first step is to ask yourself what type of services you need and if any particular therapeutic approaches are preferable. Some common forms of anxiety therapy include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT) and psychodynamic therapy. Consider what your goals are, any specific needs and preferences you have, and the type of atmosphere or setting you’d like to work in.
Ask yourself questions such as “Do I need an individual therapist or would a group setting be more beneficial?”
It is also important to do research on potential clinicians before committing to one. Look into their credentials, training and experience related to treating anxiety. Make sure they are licensed with the Virginia Board of Psychology or other professional body, if applicable. Additionally, look into their reviews online or ask for references from friends who may have had experience with them before making a decision to begin healing.
Most therapists will meet with you on an initial call to discuss anxiety therapy options, how they accept new clients, how they help treat mood disorders, and how they approach anxiety therapy. The right therapist can help you learn healthy coping mechanisms to reduce situations where you feel anxious and self-doubt so you can enjoy your day to day life.
Services Offered to Help Treat Anxiety
When it comes to treating anxiety, there are many different types of services that can help. Mental health providers offer a variety of therapies and treatments for anxiety including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, exposure therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and more.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety. CBT focuses on identifying, understanding and changing unhelpful and negative thought patterns in order to reduce symptoms of anxiety. It involves weekly individual sessions with a therapist who will help you identify how your thoughts influence your feelings, behaviors and emotions. In addition to this, the therapist will provide strategies such as problem solving and relaxation techniques that can be used to manage your symptoms of anxiety.
Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is another form of treatment designed to help individuals cope with intense emotions associated with various mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. DBT combines traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practice in order to help manage difficult emotions by increasing skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance and acceptance. It involves weekly group or individual therapy sessions that involve goal setting, skill building exercises and problem solving activities.
Psychodynamic Therapy is an approach focused on exploring unresolved conflicts from childhood that may be contributing to current psychological issues such as anxiety disorders. This type of therapy is based on the belief that unconscious processes drive our behaviors and feelings instead of conscious thought alone. Sessions typically involve talking about early life experiences in order to gain insight into present day anxieties or fears.
The humanistic treatment approach is a type of anxiety therapy that helps people cope with their emotions. It involves talking to a therapist who will help you understand why you might be feeling anxious or scared. The therapist will also teach you skills like how to solve problems and relax.
Motivational interviewing is a type of anxiety therapy that helps people become motivated to make changes in their life. The therapist will talk with you about the goals you want to achieve and why those are important to you. They will also help you understand what might be stopping you from reaching your goals and help create strategies for overcoming any barriers.
Person-centered therapy uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client’s experience without moving the conversation in another direction. In these sessions the therapist will talk with you about why you might be feeling anxious or scared and help you learn skills to manage your feelings. They will also help you set goals and create strategies for reaching them.
Commitment therapy is an evidence-based approach to mental health treatment that combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with interpersonal psychotherapy. This type of anxiety therapy focuses on helping individuals develop a sense of purpose and commitment to their values, goals, and beliefs in order to reduce symptoms of anxiety or fear. In these sessions the therapist will explore how you are making decisions, talk through obstacles preventing a commitment to your values, and help you identify strategies for developing self-efficacy. Additionally, this type of anxiety therapy can involve exploring relationships as well as working on goal setting skills and problem solving techniques.
Medication and anxiety
Medication can be a helpful tool for those struggling with anxiety and other mental health issues. While medication alone is not enough to treat anxiety, it can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Medications that are prescribed for anxiety are typically classified as anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, or beta-blockers. The type of medication prescribed will depend on the severity and cause of the individual’s symptoms.
Anti-anxiety medications, commonly referred to as benzodiazepines or “benzos”, are often used to address short-term symptoms of anxiety. These medications work by enhancing the effects of natural calming chemicals found in the brain known as GABA receptors. They include drugs such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan which help by slowing down brain activity to reduce feelings of fear and panic.
Antidepressants are another class of medication used to treat more severe forms of anxiety. These drugs act on different neurotransmitter systems in the brain to control mood and behavior. Commonly prescribed antidepressants include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Prozac and Zoloft; SNRIs (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) like Cymbalta or Effexor; and TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) like Elavil or Pamelor. Antidepressants can take several weeks before they reach their full effect, so it is important to remain patient when starting a new prescription.
Beta blockers are also sometimes used for treating physical symptoms associated with anxiety such as rapid heartbeat or trembling hands. These medications work by blocking the action of adrenaline in the body which helps reduce physical signs of stress and anxiety such as racing heart rate and trembling hands. Beta blockers that have been approved for use include Inderal, Tenormin and Lopressor among others.
When taking any form of medication for treating anxiety, it is important to talk with your doctor about any potential risks or side effects before beginning a new regimen. Additionally, it is essential that you combine any form of medication with therapy in order to get lasting results from treatment – no single approach works best for everyone when managing their mental health issues but a combination approach can offer many positive benefits such as improved emotional regulation skills, increased self-awareness and better understanding how past events may shape current emotions and behaviors.
Questions to ask when interviewing therapists
It is important to ask questions when you are looking for a therapist to help with your mental health issues. This way, you can make sure the therapist is the right fit for you and has the services that will help you work on managing your anxiety. Asking questions will also help you understand what types of therapy they offer as anxiety treatment and if they have any special skills or experience that could be helpful.
Here are some questions to help you get started:
- What type of anxiety counseling do you specialize in?
- How many years of experience do you have treating anxiety?
- Do you offer online or telephone sessions as well as in-person meetings?
- How long are your typical sessions and how often would I need to attend?
- Are there any techniques or strategies that you utilize for helping individuals suffering from symptoms of anxiety?
- What is the cost associated with anxiety treatment services, and does insurance cover them?
- Will progress be measured throughout treatment to ensure therapeutic goals are being met appropriately?
- Do you involve family members in treatment if necessary/requested by the client?
- What counseling services can I expect from a typical session with you, and how will it help me reduce my symptoms of anxiety over time?
- Does your practice provide emergency support outside of our scheduled appointments if needed during times when having difficulty with my symptoms, or if they become severe or unmanageable?
Get Started Today
If you’re looking for a therapist to help with anxiety in Arlington, VA, start your search today. Taking the first step towards finding a mental health provider can be daunting but it is an important part of managing and reducing symptoms of anxiety.
Once you decide to begin working with an anxiety therapist and focusing on your inner self can help you manage your fear, find new pathways to healing and healthy relationships so you can make the positive changes necessary to focus on fully enjoying your life.
If after reading this article you feel that beginning the process of speaking to a professional might be beneficial, don’t hesitate – take the first step now.