Anxiety: How to Find Support
Anxiety and stress can have an effect on the whole person: mind, body and soul. One of the many symptoms we experience with anxiety is the feeling of being isolated. When you are in an anxious state, feeling alone can be more detrimental to your health than you may realize. If you or someone you love is struggling with anxiety, you can find some resources for support, as well as questions to ask a potential therapist below.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Finding others that are experiencing the same feelings as you can bring relief. Finding a support group in your area can feel challenging, but thankfully there are several websites and services that can assist. If there is not a support group near you, or maybe the one available is not a good fit, consider an online support group as another great resource.
LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP RESOURCE
ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP RESOURCE
ONLINE THERAPY
Always on the move? Life can get busy and the thought of having to meet a therapist at their office feels like it may take up too much time. Online therapy is a great resource for those who need access to speak with someone at their finger tips. Talk Space is a website that has over 5000 therapists available to you via text, phone, or video calls.
LOW COST THERAPY
One of the most popular reasons people hesitate to start therapy is because we are told it can come at a high cost. Thankfully there are many options to help alleviate that added stress. Websites like Open Counseling can help you find free and low cost counseling in your area. By simply searching your city, a list of counselors can be found below with bios and reviews. If you find a therapist you connect with but is not found on a free and low cost counseling site, you also have the option to ask if they have any slots for pro bono clients, or if they offer sliding scale pay that reduces your cost based on your situation.
GRADUATE TRAINEE
A resource that most of us don’t think of is our local graduate school programs. Each graduate student needs to clock a number of supervised therapy hours in order to complete their degree. These students are well trained and their services can come at a very low price point!
PLACE OF WORSHIP
Your place of worship can be another wonderful resource to you, especially in the beginning of your search. Most houses of faith have great resources, support groups, or can assist with pointing you in the right direction. Starting this process can be overwhelming, and having the support of people who can relate to you spiritually can be a great relief.
QUESTIONS TO ASK A POTENTIAL THERAPIST
How long have you worked in this field? What is your expertise or specialty?
Therapists typically have specialities or focuses. If you are struggling with anxiety (or something else specific), make sure that they have worked with clients on this before. If they do not specialize in something you are working on, ask if they have any referrals.
I would like to work on ____. How would you go about treating that?
Giving them a very summarized version of why you are seeking a therapist gives you a great opportunity to see how they respond and if you feel you would make a good fit. Based on your personality and what type of help you are seeking, it may give you a good idea how your sessions may go with that particular therapist.How does the treatment you offer work?
There are many forms of treatment out there. Be sure that the way they usually treat their clients lines up with what you are looking for.How will we assess my progress?
Discussing steps on assessing progress is important because it allows you to know what to expect out of your time together.What is your stance on medication?
Making sure that your therapists stance on medication aligns with your own is very important. Wether you are for or against medication, this can greatly affect your relationship if this were to come up in future sessions.
How much will treatment cost? How often would you recommend I see you in the beginning?
As discussed above, cost of treatment is certainly something that needs to be discussed early on. Taking into account how often you will be seeing each other is important in order to see the full cost of seeing that particular therapist.Do you lead the sessions? Or do you follow my lead?
Some therapists allow you to do most of the talking, interjecting when asked or necessary. Others take more of a lead and ask questions to get the conversation going. Ask them what their typical practice is and see if your ideas align.
programs ISH has coming up this semester that would offer great tools to those who suffer from anxiety
Tai Chi Classes - Tuesday Evenings Learn More
Tending the Flower Garden - Thursday, September 12
Yoga Nidra: 3 Week Series - Wednesdays, October 16-30
Meditation 101 - Saturday, October 26 Learn More
YogaMass - Learn More
Midweek Meditation - Every Wednesday at Noon Learn More
Goddesses of Yoga: 7 Week Series - Fridays, starting August 16 Learn More
Yoga for Self-Acceptance: 5 Week Series - Thursdays, starting September 19 Learn More
Yoga & the Five Elements: 5 Week Series: Fridays, starting October 25 Learn More
Integrative Yoga & Qi Gong Workshop: Friday, December 13 Learn More Here