We all experience anxiety at times – that persistent worry, the racing thoughts, the physical tension that can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. As a therapist, I’ve worked with many people who struggle with anxiety, and what I’ve found to be incredibly important is treating anxiety not just as something to overcome, but as a potential teacher that can help us grow stronger and more resilient. But first, let’s have a little reminder of the purpose and effects of anxiety.
Anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress and uncertainty – think of it as your internal alarm system. Sometimes this system works perfectly, helping us prepare for important events or meet deadlines. But when anxiety becomes overwhelming, it can feel like that alarm is constantly blaring, even when there’s no immediate danger.
Anxiety can affect us through disrupted sleep, avoidance of social situations, physical symptoms like headaches, strained relationships, and decreased performance at work or school.
Resilience isn’t about being unshakeable or never feeling anxious – it’s about your ability to adapt and bounce back from challenges. Think of resilience like a muscle that gets stronger with exercise. Every time you face anxiety and work through it, you’re building that muscle.
Key aspects of resilience include:
Start by simply noticing your anxiety without judgment. When does it appear? What triggers it? Keep a journal if it helps. This awareness alone can reduce anxiety’s power over you.
Think of these as your personal anxiety management tools:
Anxiety often involves catastrophic thinking – assuming the worst will happen. Learn to question these thoughts: “Is this really likely to happen? What evidence do I have? What would I tell a friend in this situation?”
One thing I always remind my clients is that anxiety can be incredibly informative – often it is merely a misguided friend trying to tell us something important about our inner world and how we relate the external environment.
There are many ways a therapist can help you work understand and work through the anxiety that plagues your life and I’ll mention some of my favorites here.
IFS helps us understand that anxiety is often a protective part of ourselves trying to keep us safe. Through IFS, you can learn to communicate with anxious parts while accessing your calm, centered Self. When working with anxiety through IFS, we often discover that the anxious part has been working overtime – perhaps by constantly scanning for danger or pushing us to over-prepare. By approaching this part with curiosity and compassion, we can understand its positive intent and help it find new, less overwhelming ways to contribute to our wellbeing. Often, these parts relax when they trust that your Self can lead in a way that keeps you both safe and engaged with life.
Our bodies hold onto anxiety in physical ways. Somatic therapy helps you recognize how anxiety manifests in your body, release physical tension, and develop a stronger mind-body connection. Through mindful movement and awareness, you can create a felt sense of safety and calm.
CBT provides practical tools for managing anxious thoughts and behaviors. This approach helps you identify and challenge anxiety-provoking thoughts, break cycles of avoidance, and develop concrete coping strategies.
Anxiety may always be part of your life to some degree, but it doesn’t have to control your life. By building resilience and understanding your anxiety better, you can create a more balanced, fulfilling life – one where anxiety becomes not just manageable, but perhaps even useful in your personal growth journey.
If you’d like to learn more and are needing support in dealing with anxiety, we invite to you visit our anxiety specialty page:
If you’d like to connect with us, we welcome you to do so here.
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