Therapy for Anxious Moms in Charlotte, NC.
Find Freedom from fear
Choose Clarity, Peace, and HopeAre Your Feelings Keeping you From Really living?
You're Feeling Stressed and Overwhelmed
You feel like you want to hide under the covers. Sometimes you can rally and sometimes you feel like you just….. can’t.
Your plate FEELS so full of things to take care of each day and you can’t stay on top of things. Yet, you wake up the next day and there are just as many things to do.
You’re constantly feeling stressed and your “tried and true” things that used to help are no longer working.
You didn’t plan to be a witch but you feel like one sometimes. You are grumpy and often angry, with your partner, your children, and the ones you love the most.
You wake up at night and your mind is going “round and round,” with the things you need to do and the bad things the future holds.
You used to enjoy going out and spending time with friends, but now you have trouble getting yourself to go. If you go, sometimes you feel better and, sometimes you just want to go home.
You feel restless, convinced you will feel better if you do this, go here, get this done. Maybe you do for a minute, then the feelings are back……
You keep replaying things you said or did in your head. You fear being judged and making mistakes. Worst of all, you are your own worst critic.
You just can’t make it stop.
I can help you findinspiration, peace, and empowerment. |
You can feel like you are in control again. You can regain the energy you need to pursue your dreams and follow your passion. I will help you find the confidence you need to do the things that you have been afraid of. No more avoiding things because you are afraid of failing or looking dumb, we will take things on together.
Therapy will give you the space and the breath to consider what is important to you and how you want to live your life. I will help you honor who you are and the season of life you are in so you don’t miss out. You can make the changes you need to create long-lasting happiness and fulfillment.
Most importantly, you won’t do any of this alone. I am your guide, your cheerleader, and your teammate. I am here to help. I can help you get unstuck.
I will help you balance focusing on your needs and focusing on the people in your life that you care for. You will learn to treat yourself as important and how to drop behaviors that hold you back, fear, perfectionism, and self-doubt.
You will develop the friendships, the relationships, and the support you need. Together, we will work on making the relationships you have better and the number of people in your life that you enjoy and feel supported by. You need to feel connected and nurtured by others.
You will learn new ways of thinking that bring serenity. You can learn how to respond when your mind tells you to be fearful and not to do what you would like to be able to do. You will learn how to be the author of your story.
I will help you learn how to manage your emotions so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Your feelings won’t throw you off track of where you want to go and who you want to be.
You will increase your self-compassion and a positive sense of who you are and what you are capable of.
You CAN learn how to stay in the present where the thing you are fearing isn’t happening. I will help you learn how to focus on the here and now, instead of constantly worrying about the past or the future.
Finally, I will help you discover new ways to approach anxiety-triggering situations so you gain confidence in your ability to tackle them. You will learn how to create the life YOU want.
Therapy for Anxiety Will Help You:
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You can break free from anxiety
I have Great News!
- Research has shown that therapy for anxiety is 3x more effective than medication alone.
- With treatment, approximately 70-90% of individuals with anxiety experience relief (e.g. a significant reduction in symptoms).
- According to the American Psychological Association, many people experience significant improvement within just 8 to 10 therapy sessions.
My approach focuses on compassion and equipping you with effective tools and strategies to conquer anxiety. I won’t stop until I understand YOU and I will tailor my approach to your unique challenges. I will be with you, guiding you, in every step of your journey.
Postpartum Anxiety- See New Moms Page
Parenting a Child with Anxiety
The only thing more challenging than having anxiety is parenting a child with anxiety. You feel overwhelmed, unsure, and worried about their future. I understand the complexities of raising an anxious child. I have parented anxious children myself, and I saw children and their parents together for years in my practice. I am here to provide you with the guidance, support, and tools you need to navigate this journey with confidence and compassion.
Tips to help you get started
You might know your child is anxious because they worry excessively. They might fear situations (like school or sleepovers) or they might have physical symptoms like stomachaches and headaches. It’s normal for children to experience anxiety sometimes, but when it interferes with their daily life and happiness, it’s time to address it. Understanding your child’s signs of anxiety and their triggers is the first step in helping your child feel safe and secure.
Knowing their triggers doesn’t mean you should help them avoid things they fear. But I don’t want you to “throw them in the pool” either. You need to support facing their fear in a way they can take ownership of successfully overcoming it, and without overwhelming them. In therapy, we call this keeping someone in their window of tolerance. If done right, facing these fears and having success will empower them to be better able to do it again in other areas of their life.
Avoidance makes sense to anyone (and everyone) when they are afraid, but in the long run, it makes anxiety worse. It too easily becomes a cycle where the relief of avoiding something leads to more and more avoidance. This leads to feelings of isolation, helplessness, and depression because your world becomes smaller each time you avoid something that could have made your life bigger and better.
Every anxious child is unique, and so are the strategies that work best for them. Together, we will develop personalized parenting techniques that align with your child’s specific needs and strengths. This includes creating a supportive and structured environment, teaching relaxation techniques (if they are open to using them), and using positive reinforcement to build your child’s confidence. I will guide you in implementing these strategies effectively, making your home a safe haven for your child.
Raising an anxious child also takes an emotional toll on you. You are probably feeling frustrated, guilty, and helpless. With me, you can have a safe space to express your feelings and work through them without judgment. We will explore ways to build your emotional resilience, helping you to stay calm and patient even during the hardest of times.
Effective communication is crucial in fostering a positive relationship with your anxious child. Children with anxiety often need extra reassurance and understanding and often they make it hard to provide it to them. I will help you develop clear and empathetic communication techniques that will help your child feel heard and understood. These skills will not only ease your child’s anxiety, but it will also strengthen your relationship with them.
Your child’s education and social interactions are vital parts of their development. Working closely with teachers, school counselors, and other professionals will ensure that your child receives the support they need both at home and in school. I can help you in navigating these relationships, advocating for your child’s needs, and creating a consistent approach across school, camp, and hopefully even grandma’s house.
Caring for an anxious child requires significant energy and dedication. It’s essential to also take care of yourself. We will explore practical self-care strategies that fit into your busy life, ensuring you have the physical and emotional resources to support your child effectively. I will also help you work through your issues that are keeping you from showing up for your child in the way that you want. Taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s a necessity for both you and your child. If you don’t take care of yourself emotionally, it will be harder to take care of your child
Connecting with other mothers who are having similar experiences can be incredibly empowering. I can help you find communities where you can share your journey, gain insights, and feel understood. These connections can provide you with additional resources and a sense of solidarity.
Attachment-related anxiety
Attachment anxiety is a type of anxiety that centers around relationships and the fear of losing those close to you. As a mother, you might experience this anxiety in various ways, affecting your relationships with your partner, children, family, and friends.
Common Worries When You Have Attachment Anxiety:
Relationship with Your Partner: You might worry that your partner doesn’t love you as much as you love them or fear that they might leave you. You could find yourself needing constant reassurance and feeling insecure about your relationship.
Relationship with Your Children: As a mother, you might worry excessively about whether you’re a good enough parent. You may feel anxious about your children’s well-being and whether they feel loved and secure. These worries might make you overly protective or fearful of being away from them. Children can sense these feelings and it can make them feel anxious too or feel like they need to take care of you.
Relationships with Family and Friends: You might feel anxious about your relationships with other family members and friends. This can include fears of being misunderstood, rejected, or not valued. You could worry that people you care about will abandon you or not support you when you need them.
Symptoms of Attachment Anxiety:
Constant Need for Reassurance: You might frequently seek validation from your loved ones, asking if everything is okay or if they still care about you.
Fear of Rejection: You could be highly sensitive to any signs of disinterest or rejection from others, even if these signs are minor or imagined.
Overthinking Relationships: You might spend a lot of time analyzing your interactions with others, trying to figure out if you’ve done something wrong or if someone is upset with you.
Difficulty Trusting: Trusting others might be hard for you, and you might fear being let down or betrayed.
What You Can Do:
Seek Professional Help (AHEM – See Me!): A therapist can help you understand and manage your anxiety. Therapy can provide strategies to feel more secure and trusting in your relationships.
Self-Care: Take time for yourself to relax and engage in activities that make you feel good. This can help reduce overall anxiety.
Build Trust Gradually: Work on trusting your loved ones slowly. Recognize and challenge negative thoughts that contribute to your anxiety.
Remember, attachment anxiety is a common issue and CAN be managed with the right support and strategies. You’re not alone, and seeking help is a positive step toward improving your relationships and your overall well-being.
Understanding Generalized Anxiety
Generalized anxiety involves excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life. As a mother, you might find that this anxiety impacts many areas of your life, including your relationships, family, and work. It may affect you every day, most days, or it may hit you hard for several hours, or several days at a time.
Common Worries:
Relationship with Your Partner: You might worry about your partner’s well-being, your relationship’s stability, and whether you’re being a good partner. These worries can lead to seeking reassurance and feeling tense or irritable.
Relationship with Your Children: Concerns about your children’s health, safety, and future can become overwhelming. You might worry about their development and their future, their school performance, and whether you’re meeting their needs as a parent.
Family and Friends: You might feel anxious about your relationships with your extended family and friends. This might include worries about conflicts, being judged, or something bad happening in your relationship with them.
Work and Daily Life: You might worry about your job performance, financial stability, and everyday tasks. Even small things like household chores or errands can feel daunting and stress-inducing.
Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder:
Persistent Worry: You might feel anxious or stressed most of the time, even when there’s no specific reason. Your mind may jump from one concern to another or you might get “stuck” on one worry and then later a different one.
Physical Symptoms: Anxiety can cause physical issues like muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and stomach problems.
Difficulty Concentrating: You might find it hard to focus or complete tasks because your mind is preoccupied with worry.
Restlessness and Irritability: Feeling on edge and easily irritable or angry can be common when dealing with generalized anxiety.
What You Can Do:
Practice Self-Care: Engage in activities that help you relax and recharge, such as exercise, meditation, hobbies, or spending time in nature.
Develop Healthy Routines: Establishing a daily routine can provide structure and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. Prioritize sleep, fun, spending time with others, healthy eating, and regular physical activity.
Seek Professional Help: A therapist (Yes, Me) is the best person to help you develop strategies to manage your anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective for treating GAD.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one type of CBT that can be very helpful because it teaches you how to “unhook” from thoughts and feelings that are not helpful. It also emphasizes continuing to do things that are important to you so you keep things in your life that are fulfilling. Anxiety can rob us of opportunities and possibilities if we aren’t mindful.
Generalized anxiety is also a common and treatable condition. Get help so it gets better!
Frequently Asked Questions
What anxiety disorders do you treat?
I treat all types of anxiety. Most often my clients have an adjustment disorder (difficulty adjusting to a stressor), generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, separation anxiety, obsessive thinking and compulsions.
What types of therapy do you use to treat anxiety?
I only use evidence-based therapies that have research showing they are effective. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the gold standard therapy for Anxiety. This can include exposure therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). I also use trauma (such as somatic therapies) and attachment-oriented therapies including (EFIT) Emotionally Focused Therapy.
How does anxiety typically present itself in Moms?
Mothers often come to therapy with worry about the future and intrusive thoughts that are upsetting and/or scary. Anxiety, obsessive thinking, and compulsive behavior often happen together. This is because you are desperate to find relief from the worry and so if something helps you to feel better once, it is natural to try it again, and again, and again. Often people are really worried about what these symptoms mean and don’t seek help. But most “crazy” people aren’t worried about something being wrong with them. They are not the ones coming to therapy. Most often, these intrusive thoughts are a symptom of anxiety.