What to Expect from the Clinicians at Great South Bay Therapy, LCSW PC

Anxiety and worry are natural ways our mind and body respond to stressful, uncertain, or potentially dangerous situations. In many cases, some anxiety & stress can actually provide benefits for us by heightening our senses, boosting alertness, productivity, and safety. On the other hand, chronic anxiety and stress become problematic and detrimental to our wellbeing when symptoms are persistent, pervasive, and impairing.

If you’re struggling with elevated levels of anxiety, you don’t need to accept these overwhelming emotions or just live with the constantly heightened sense of worry or fear. Without intervention, anxiety can quickly take control of your life and leave you feeling helpless and constantly afraid. When anxiety makes your life feel limited and your daily challenges seem insurmountable, there is help and hope waiting for you at Great South Bay Therapy.

Our trained clinicians offer evidenced based therapy for anxiety for local Long Islanders who want to visit us in the office or for any residents of New York State who are interested in online counseling. Our therapists offer counseling services for adults, teens, and children who are struggling with anxiety.

Facts About Anxiety

• Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the United States.
• Anxiety and chronic stress wreak havoc on our physical & emotional health, overall happiness, relationships, and become obstacles to our education and career goals.
• The good news is that anxiety disorders are treatable. Anxiety disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both.

Do I really Have Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety can be a helpful emotion. It protects us from potential harm and motivates us to perform at our best. When we talk about “having anxiety,”, it is important to consider if it is temporary and situation specific or more chronic and pervasive. When people struggle with anxiety disorder, they may feel that their anxious feelings and thoughts are in charge, and they can start feeling limited by their anxiety. If you’re wondering whether or not your anxiety is worth seeking support around,  consider your answers to the following questions:

• Do you often have racing thoughts and worries about seemingly ordinary events?
• Do you make excuses and cancel plans often because you’re worried about what to wear, what the traffic will be like, or how to act?
• Do you avoid your friends and loved ones because you’re concerned about a conflict, overthinking what to say to them, or worried they don’t want you around?
• Have you stopped engaging in activities you once found enjoyable because you’re too stressed to relax?
• Have you missed work because self-doubt or overthinking leaves you feeling frozen?
• Have you experienced physical symptoms of stress or experienced a panic attack?

Does Counseling Help with Anxiety?

If you answered yes to one or more of the questions above or you’re experiencing any other cognitive, emotional, and physical side effects that you think may be related to anxiety disorder, therapy can help. When you experience disordered levels of anxiety, your mind has turned on your alert system for some reason, and now, you can’t figure out how to turn it off again. Anxiety disorders are treatable. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the most widely used evidenced based approaches known to reduce symptoms of Anxiety Disorders.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is designed to help you identify and challenge negative thinking and behavior patterns. We explore the cognitive patterns and processes that you use to cope with stress and explore new ways to approach anxiety inducing situations. Therapy can help you understand why you’re experiencing anxiety and give you the skills you need to manage anxious feelings and restore your sense of calm.

What Happens During Therapy for Anxiety?

During counseling sessions, your therapist will use a variety of therapy approaches to help you process disordered anxiety. Everyone is different, so your counselor will work with you to determine the best therapy technique to address your situation.

Although treatment is unique to each client, our approach almost always is shaped by the following CBT framework:

• Establishing connection, safety, and confidentiality.
• Completing thorough client histories and assessment of presenting concerns.
• Sharing our clinical impressions with clients to identify a shared plan of action.
• Education around mood disorders and treatment approaches.
• Shared development of treatment plan and client goals.
• Collaboration with relevant family members and/or other professionals (only at client request of course).
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction & other calming techniques.
• Exploration of lifestyle factors (i.e sleep, nutrition, exercise, etc)
• Complementary and alternative approaches explored (Integrative health strategie)
• CBT specific skills and interventions.
• Frequent assessment of progress and plan.

We’re Here When You’re Ready

We understand that asking for help can feel like a big step, but we are so happy that you’re considering reaching out to us. When you’re ready, the Great South Bay Therapy team is here to help. We offer therapy services to help you achieve your individual goals, build better relationships, and increase your self-esteem and self-compassion. When you’re ready, we’re here for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out.