For those who experience persistent, disabling, or overwhelming anxiety it is normal to wonder if it will ever fully go away. However, while there are excellent, evidence-based treatments available to help manage anxiety, it wouldn’t be right to say that we could absolutely ‘cure’ it.
Anxiety is a normal human emotion which serves a purpose.
Anxiety is part of our normal human emotional repertoire; experienced alongside all other emotions we feel, like sadness, happiness, anger, and love. Like all emotions, anxiety comes and goes.
As an emotion, anxiety is not inherently bad. Far from it. Anxiety provides some useful functions for humans by acting as a warning for things we need to be aware of, helping to motivate us, helping to determine how to act or maintain our physical health and achieve our goals.
Understanding that anxiety is a natural part of the human experience and recognising that in some situations it can be crucial to our survival is helpful when we are tempted to wish it away completely.
The role of treatment for anxiety.
Sometimes our levels of anxiety get out of balance and start interfering with our ability to live our lives. This is when getting some support can be beneficial.
The role of treatment for those experiencing anxiety is to provide understanding, techniques, and strategies to help manage it, not eliminate it completely. Anxiety may still appear but it won’t have as great a hold. Therapy provides an opportunity to build skills, confidence, and resilience to help cope with challenges in life that may make anxiety re-occur so that it doesn’t interfere with how we want to live.
All the psychologists at The Centre for Effective Living are experienced in providing evidence-based treatments for anxiety. Please contact us if you feel we can help you.
Katelyn (M Clin Psych, BA (Hons – First Class), MAPS) has experience working at a leading university research clinic in the area of anxiety disorders, as a school counsellor and in private practice work for adult mental health in the the North Shore area of Sydney. Katelyn is committed to establishing a strong therapeutic relationship with her clients by providing them with a safe and secure space to share their story. As a mother of school aged children with a busy load herself, she is well positioned to understand the challenges faced in doing life, school and work.
Katelyn’s approach takes an evidence-based focus, while maintaining a flexible and collaborative manner, to ensure that treatment is in line with her clients’ needs. She uses a range of evidence-based interventions, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and supportive counselling with the overall aim of helping people of all ages utilise their strengths to achieve their desired outcomes and enhance their quality of life.
Katelyn is the wife of an Anglican Minister and has a particular interest in supporting clergy wives and families cope with the challenges that ministry can present.