Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common reason for therapy in the United States today with nearly 40 million Americans (one out of every 8 people) every year suffering from clinical anxiety.

The numbers are likely much greater when one considers that anxiety is something that people don’t like to speak about. The most common response to the question “how are you?” is simply “fine” or “good”. We lead increasingly busy and stressful lives, yet feel the need to appear to others as calm, cool and collected. In the age of social media, the pressure to be some idealized version of ourselves can be even more magnified.

This leads to one of the most powerful concepts in all of therapy – the ability to love and accept our authentic selves. Each word has particular meaning and power in that sentence – love, accept and authentic. A beautiful saying that we believe in deeply at June Health is: “It is life’s greatest tragedy, for one to never find your authentic self.” When we are removed from our authentic selves and are walking around wearing masks (like actors in a play), our levels of anxiety, depression and addiction rise – often leading to destructive behaviors.

Working with a skilled therapist may help clients:

• Develop a greater ability to regulate emotions, including how to respond to stress
• Understand the personal root causes of anxiety, as often the answers are not as obvious as they might seem
• Learn specific techniques for managing and dealing with stress and anxiety
• Understand common triggers in specific settings such as relationships, work, or family situations
• Build overall greater confidence, self-esteem and self-care

The roots of anxiety can be complex, and “figuring it out” or “managing it” on your own can be extremely difficult. Whether here in New York with a June Health therapist or with another trained professional, we highly recommend seeking the help and guidance of a skilled therapist.