One might reframe anxious thoughts positively through several techniques outlined in the sources. Reframing involves choosing what meaning to ascribe to an event or situation, looking for the positive aspects, and focusing on potential benefits or lessons instead of negative outcomes. From a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) perspective, reframing aims to change the meaning of a… Read More »How reframing could reduce your anxiety.
consciously questioning anxiety offers several key benefits:
Distinguishes feelings from facts, creating psychological space.
Identifies triggers and underlying causes of anxiety.
Facilitates cognitive reframing of negative thoughts.
Shifts focus from problems to solution-finding.
Promotes cognitive defusion by observing thoughts.
Helps organise anxiety’s information for action.
Develops self-awareness of anxiety responses and unhelpful patterns.
By actively engaging with your anxiety through conscious questioning, you can move from feeling overwhelmed by it to becoming an active agent in managing it.
Somatic flashbacks are the re-experiencing of physical sensations linked to past trauma, often occurring without a full narrative memory. Neurologically, they involve heightened activity in the right brain hemisphere and limbic areas, while areas responsible for logical processing, verbalisation, and sensory integration may be deactivated. Flashbacks can arise due to the way traumatic memories are encoded and stored in the brain, particularly in the amygdala and hippocampus, and can be triggered by sensory reminders. They impact the brain by reinforcing trauma-related neural pathways and disrupting normal cognitive and emotional processing. Strategies to reduce their severity and frequency include grounding techniques, mindfulness, various psychotherapies like SFBT, ACT, Havening, and EMDR, as well as somatic approaches and self-compassion practices.
Havening Techniques® is a psychosensory method using touch, attention, and imagination to create electrochemical changes in the brain, primarily leading to the depotentiation of traumatically encoded memories in the amygdala. This approach differs from traditional anxiety treatments that often focus on cognitive restructuring and symptom management by directly addressing the neurological encoding of emotional distress. Havening enhances traditional therapies by acting as an integrative and rapid tool that can break through resistance, provide content-free processing, and create a sense of safety, thereby accelerating therapeutic progress. It positively impacts mental processes such as memory processing, emotional regulation, the sense of safety, and resilience. Self-Havening empowers individuals with a tool for self-care and stress management.
A competent therapist for anxiety will have specialised training in treating anxiety disorders and will prioritise the establishment of a good therapeutic connection with their clients. They recognise that seeking help for anxiety is a sign of courage, not weakness.
Modern therapists often use a multidisciplinary approach to identify the best therapy for anxiety, assessing client needs and matching therapies to specific mental processes. Techniques like CBT, exposure therapy, ACT, mindfulness-based therapies, and trauma-focused therapies address cognitive distortions, avoidance behaviours, emotional dysregulation, and traumatic memories. Relaxation techniques help manage physiological arousal.
Psychosensory therapy uses sensory input to alter moods, sensations, thinking and behaviour. Unlike talk and drug therapies, psychosensory therapy employs sensory input to generate an extrasensory response, affecting beneficial change in the brain. Techniques like Havening use touch to create delta waves, depotentiate traumatic experiences, and provide a healing haven for the amygdala. By addressing both the mind and body, psychosensory therapy offers an alternative or complementary approach to overcoming anxiety, phobias, stress and panic attacks, with potential advantages over traditional methods like CBT, especially in treating trauma.
A stress and anxiety coach uses varied techniques to help people manage stress and anxiety, build resilience, and improve performance by teaching coping mechanisms and encouraging proactive approaches to life’s challenges.
Havening for anxiety is becoming increasingly popular due to its speed, gentleness, and effectiveness. It works by depotentiating traumatically encoded experiences in the amygdala and can be easily integrated with other modalities like hypnotherapy, NLP, mindfulness, anxiety coaching and HeartMath to provide a comprehensive solution. The ability to teach self-havening techniques also empowers clients to manage their anxiety independently.
To determine the best treatment for anxiety, consider the following:
ACT is ideal for those caught in experiential avoidance, helping them accept inner experiences and commit to valued actions.
SFBT suits individuals preferring a future-focused, strengths-based approach to build positive emotions and solutions.
Psychodynamic Therapy Aims to address possibly unrecognised reasons for anxiety
NLP offers tools for reprogramming the mind and managing thought patterns, but requires active engagement and may not address root causes.
Seeking private anxiety therapy can be beneficial for individuals significantly affected by anxiety due to the limitations of public healthcare, the opportunity for personalised care, and the expertise and experience of private therapists. Therapy can help address the root causes of anxiety, increase self-awareness, and provide individuals with the skills and resources to manage their anxiety more effectively.
Anxiousness coaching includes understanding anxiety, identifying triggers, developing coping strategies, and implementing lifestyle changes to manage anxiety and improve overall well-being.
Psycho sensory techniques use sensory input to alter mood and behaviour. Techniques like Havening, EFT, EMDR, and mindfulness can be used by conventional therapists as adjuncts to talk therapy to treat trauma and reduce anxiety. Benefits include emotional regulation, stress reduction, self-awareness, and improved coping skills. Anxiety coaches use these techniques to reduce stress, build resilience, address trauma, and clarify values, enabling clients to manage overwhelm, burnout, and anxiety effectively.
A havening techniques practitioner offers a unique approach to anxiety treatment, particularly for those with trauma, phobias, or treatment resistance. Havening’s strength lies in its rapid, gentle, and content-free method, which directly targets the neurological roots of anxiety and promotes lasting change. By creating a safe electrochemical environment and integrating with other therapeutic modalities, Havening empowers clients to heal from past traumas, manage present-day anxiety, and build resilience for the future.
Anxiety treatment therapy encompasses various approaches, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT). These therapies aim to help individuals understand anxiety, manage symptoms, and improve their overall well-being. Changes expected from anxiety treatment therapy include increased self-awareness, development of coping strategies, reduced avoidance behaviours, and a more flexible and balanced emotional state. Finding a qualified anxiety therapist is crucial for effective treatment.