What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is our body's natural response to a perceived threat. At times, anxiety can be an adaptive response, motivating us to take necessary action. However, sometimes anxiety that is too intense or prolonged can hinder our ability to act or to achieve our goals.
Symptoms of Anxiety:
- Worry
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
- Sleep difficulties
- Panicky feelings
- Obsessions/Compulsions
When to Seek Treatment for Anxiety?
Clients typically seek treatment for anxiety when it is significantly interfering with their life functioning and preventing them from attaining their goals. It is human nature to avoid what makes us feel uncomfortable or anxious. However, often the way to overcome a fear is to face that fear. Exposure therapy is a research-based treatment found to be highly effective for the treatment of many anxiety disorders. An individualized treatment plan is developed for each client and modified as treatment progresses. In some cases, medication may be helpful and referrals to a psychiatrist are made as needed.
For more information about anxiety disorders and their diagnostic criteria, see the National Institutes of Mental Health pages on anxiety.
Exposure Therapy and Programmed Practice
In treating individuals with anxiety disorders, unlike most therapists, Dr. Bricker conducts imaginal and in-vivo exposure therapy, within her office and in real-world settings, providing empirically-supported treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Selective Mutism, and numerous specific phobias (e.g., fear of public speaking, flying, bridges, water, heights, elevators, animals, etc.). Exposure Therapy is a treatment which reduces anxiety by exposing an individual to a feared situation for a prolonged period of time. After repeated contact with the fearful situation, there is a reduction in anxiety and the fear loses its ability to elicit an anxious response.
Relaxation Training
Dr. Bricker provides relaxation training to decrease general physical or cognitive arousal that often co-occurs with stress and anxiety disorders. There are many forms of relaxation training such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and then relaxing various muscle groups such as the face, neck, shoulders, arms and legs).