It is Summer Time! Why Do I Still Feel Stress and Anxiety?
For many people summer ushers in a surge of positive energy and carefree emotions. There is more sunlight which can positively impact our mood. Often there is more opportunity to take time away from work and enjoy vacations.
So, why might you still feel stress and anxiety? Shouldn’t our stress levels decrease, and our anxiety dissipate during this time? Not necessarily. Stress and anxiety, while often triggered by external factors such as work or difficult relationships, often has roots in our past.
The Causes of Anxiety and Stress
Difficult family dynamics growing up can set the stage for anxiety later in life. A lack of support around how to manage stress as a child can leave you without the skills and tools you need as an adult to manage life’s stressors.
It can be frustrating when you feel you cannot be fully present for the joyful times in life because your anxiety or stress is waying on you.
What Can I Do About My Anxiety and Stress?
One of the most important first steps to managing your anxiety and stress is awareness. Examining your past experiences often gives clues to how you respond to life today. When you understand your own triggers to external stressors you can begin to learn new ways of responding.
What Therapies Can Help With Anxiety and Stress?
When coupled with more traditional forms of talk therapy that help people gain awareness of the root causes of their distress, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the most effective, evidence-based therapies for dealing with distress. While EMDR is best known as a trauma therapy, it is also equally effective as a strategy to address stress and anxiety.
EMDR therapy works with your body’s nervous system to effectively change the way you respond to stressful life events and challenges. Your distress will be decreased and often eliminated.
Andrea Harbeck, MA, LCSW uses EMDR while incorporating Mindfulness and Insight Oriented Therapy to help people manage their stress and anxiety.
What people are saying about working with Andrea:
“After several month's of doing a combination of virtual and in person EMDR treatment, my daily anxiety was significantly reduced and I have been able to rid myself of it almost completely.”
“Over the last 6 months, Andrea has been tremendously supportive in helping me cope with and find solutions to living with depression and anxiety, which I have struggled with for more than a decade. Together we have used the EMDR technique to get to the root cause of many of my negative thoughts and feelings that stemmed from past trauma. As a mother, wife, daughter and sister, I am so glad I sought help with these issues that were manifesting themselves in other areas of my personal and professional life. With Andrea's help, I have found more happiness in my day-to-day life.”
Reach out today for a free 15 minute consultation with Andrea to see if she can help you.
Andrea@AndreaHarbeckTherapy.com
720-336-9454