Talk Therapy and Counselling
Ringwood - Poole - Online

How counselling with Forwards Therapy can help you with your anxiety
Anxiety is a common theme for people coming to Forwards Therapy, partly due to todays fast paced world and huge expectations on performance, the cost of living crisis, climate change fears as well as the lasting effects of the pandemic. Traumatic past and present experiences can also cause anxiety which can affect how we live day to day. We can be triggered without even realizing and anxiety is a common symptom of the modern day world, but we don’t have to suffer in silence. Fortunately, counselling can help you to regain control of your symptoms, find some peace and a way to move forwards.
Anxiety is more than just a feeling of worry or stress. Its more of a persistent and overwhelming sense of fear and apprehension, often without a clear reason or cause. Symptoms can include physical tension, racing thoughts, sleep disturbances, physical and mental exhaustion, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations and panic attacks. Some mild anxiety is a normal response to stress but chronic anxiety can impact our physical and mental causing difficulties on a daily basis, which counselling can help with.
How can counselling help anxiety?
This is a question you’ve probably asked if you are thinking of seeking counselling. At Forwards Therapy, we provide a safe, supportive, non-judgmental space where you can explore your anxiety, fears and concerns, making connections and discovering more about yourself and your current situation. Counselling can help your anxiety by:
· Identifying triggers – you can discover what triggers your anxiety, whether that’s work related, relationship issues, past trauma or current emotional difficulties. Working with Forwards Therapy can help you to recognize patterns and identify the root cause of your anxiety which is often the first step towards being able to manage your anxiety and recognize the triggers. We will work at a pace that suits you and our sessions will always be guided by you and your needs.
· Challenge negative thoughts – anxiety is often fuelled by negative thought patterns and counselling can identify and challenge these thoughts in order to change them. We can work to reframe these thoughts and by being able to identify and work with your thinking, you can reduce the intensity of your anxiety as you develop a more balanced way of thinking.
· Introducing coping strategies – we may work on introducing coping strategies to help you deal with your anxiety as it happens. This may include some relaxation and grounding techniques, mindfulness or problem solving exercises or worksheets. This will be dependent on what you feel comfortable with and sessions can be adapted according to what you need to help you cope with the work and your anxiety. As you develop some coping strategies and tools, you can use them outside the sessions making your anxiety more manageable.
· Exploring underlying issues – in our sessions you can become more aware of any deeper unresolved issues which may be contributing to your anxiety. Counselling can help to explore these past experiences, traumas or conflicts which leads to greater understanding and self-awareness which creates healing and movement forwards.
· Building resilience – building emotional resilience is helpful in managing anxiety and counselling can help you to build up that resilience. Learning how to handle stress and becoming more in touch with yourself and your triggers means that you can become better equipped to deal with daily challenges without becoming overwhelmed by your anxiety.
· Support and validation - having someone to talk to about your feelings and fears can help to heal you as having that understanding non-judgmental ear means that you feel heard and it can provide the validation you need. A place where you can be yourself, sharing your concerns and worries without criticism and judgement can help to alleviate the loneliness and isolation anxiety can bring as your counsellor is there for you and ready to work with you and your anxiety.
· Setting realistic goals – the work in counselling is set at your pace and your counsellor will help you to set realistic achievable goals in manageable steps, when you feel ready. This can help you to regain control and work towards coping with your anxiety at a pace that suits you.
There are countless benefits to working with a counsellor and these go beyond just helping to reduce your anxiety symptoms. It can lead to improved relationship with self and others, better understanding of self and greater self-awareness, improved well-being, establishing long term coping skills and developing resilience and confidence. If anxiety is affecting your life, think about reaching out to Forwards Therapy today and take that first step to healing and moving forwards.