Anxiety & Stress

Stress is your body’s response to environmental demands or pressures. Stress is often experienced through a variety of emotional and physical symptoms, such as tension headaches, digestive problems, or a general lack of a sense of well-being or balance in life. You might also experience changes in eating and sleeping patterns while under stress.

Anxiety is usually related to fear or apprehension, and is usually the result of circumstances that we feel are out of our control. Situations in life that are outside of our control can cause us to internalize the loss of control and experience anxiety, panic attacks, or the need to maintain excessive order and control in other areas of life. Anxiety and panic can be debilitating and cause severe strain on relationships and make work or school extremely difficult.

There are six major forms of anxiety that affect people: Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, Specific Phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

(Click on the text links above or the menu buttons at left to read more about these types of anxiety)

Counseling for Anxiety & Stress

Counseling for anxiety and stress can teach you relaxation techniques and stress reduction exercises to help you cope with the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Counseling can also help you to address the feelings associated with the symptoms and identify the underlying issues that may be perpetuating the problem, so that, in the future, you will not be overwhelmed by stressful situations and will be able to manage life in a more healthy way.

Counselor Rick A. Combs uses a combination of traditional talk therapy and a Cognitive Behavioral approach to treating Anxiety and Stress. This combined approach will address both the symptoms of your anxiety and the affects your anxiety and stress are having on your life and relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been proven effective for the treatment of a wide range of anxiety related issues. CBT provides the framework to identify and understand the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate your anxiety symptoms.

In your initial counseling session Rick will listen carefully and evaluate the best methods for treating your unique symptoms. With your help, Rick will develop a unique treatment plan that will address your individual needs and concerns in counseling.

While in therapy for anxiety and stress the use of various “homework” assignments can be very helpful in keeping your progress going between counseling sessions. Much of this homework is simple things such as recording your thoughts and feelings at various times during the week or practicing relaxation or breathing techniques. Anxiety counseling will help you to understand your anxiety symptoms and identify the triggers that cause your anxiety or stress to worsen. You will also learn to change those automatic, unhelpful thoughts that often keep you feeling anxious, stressed or at times depressed and hopeless. You can live without anxiety, panic and chronic stress affecting your life and counseling will teach you how.