ACT recognizes that psychological suffering is often caused by experiential avoidance, which is the attempt to avoid unwanted thoughts, feelings, memories, and sensations. ACT aims to break this cycle.
Creative Hopelessness: ACT challenges the client’s past attempts to control anxiety, often through creative hopelessness exercises, to help them see the futility of these efforts.
It’s important to be compassionate with yourself during this process. Choose one or two techniques that resonate with you and begin to implement them. If you find self-help approaches difficult, reach out to a professional for support, recognising that seeking help is an act of compassion.
Trauma can significantly contribute to depression by disrupting the brain’s ability to regulate emotions. Addressing trauma, whether through self-help methods, or with a professional, allows for emotional regulation and a reduction in depressive symptoms. New approaches such as Havening and ACT can offer specific techniques and philosophies which help clients resolve trauma. Self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotional regulation are also helpful strategies in dealing with the impact of trauma.
Nervousness is a natural human response triggered by the body’s stress response to perceived threats and future-oriented anxieties. Negative thought patterns and a lack of control can contribute to feelings of nervousness. Several strategies can help to manage nervousness, such as mindfulness, reframing negative thoughts, focusing on solutions and self-compassion. Other techniques that are helpful are physical activity, sleep and gradually exposing oneself to feared situations.
While traditional counselling can provide a base for managing anxiety, more modern approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and mindfulness-based approaches, offer different perspectives, practical tools and a new approach to managing and reducing anxiety. These methods focus on accepting difficult thoughts and feelings, living in alignment with one’s values and using specific techniques to make new changes and choices. These approaches are often chosen for their focus on present and future experiences, an emphasis on personal values and their empowering, practical tools.
Organisations employ workplace anxiety therapists for their unique ability to address work-related stress and anxiety, moving beyond traditional therapeutic approaches. The benefits to both the organisation and individuals include improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, a more positive workplace culture, and enhanced staff wellbeing. These specialised therapists possess a range of skills including solution-focused strategies, stress management, assertiveness training, mindfulness techniques, performance coaching, and a thorough understanding of workplace dynamics. They offer accessible, tailored, and effective support for employees, fostering a more resilient and productive work environment. By focusing on present moment awareness, practical solutions and communication skills, workplace anxiety therapists help staff thrive in their careers, while promoting a healthy, supportive and productive workplace.
Anxiety coaches can make a real difference in the workplace. By offering targeted techniques, coaches help employees manage their anxiety, increase their well-being and build important skills. The emphasis is on improving performance and enhancing employee’s strengths, while providing practical solutions. The work of a coach is adaptable to the individual needs of employees and helps to create a more supportive and effective work environment. By focusing on the positive and teaching adaptive responses to anxiety, coaches can help employees to thrive in their roles and achieve better job satisfaction.
Rewiring an anxious brain involves using a combination of techniques that target both the amygdala and cortex pathways. These exercises range from calming the amygdala through distraction and relaxation, to modifying cortex-based thoughts through cognitive restructuring, mindfulness, and values clarification. The key to success is understanding the different sources of anxiety and applying the appropriate strategies, while embracing the brain’s capacity for change through consistent practice and effort.
an anxiety management coach focuses on empowering individuals to live full and meaningful lives by teaching them to change their relationship with anxiety. The emphasis is on managing responses to anxiety, rather than attempting to control or eliminate it, by building skills and confidence in the clients own ability to manage their experience.
Havening uses touch, focus, and visualization to promote healing from stress, anxiety and trauma. It can be used in a range of circumstances and is flexible to suit the specific needs of individuals. It is based on neuroscientific principles which demonstrate that this approach can create real and lasting change in the mind and body. Self-Havening can be used for day-to-day stresses and emotional regulation, while a practitioner can provide guidance for those dealing with deeper trauma or those who would benefit from more support in the process of healing. Havening is a powerful tool that can be integrated into an existing life to enhance both mental and physical well-being.
Beating social anxiety involves a combination of understanding what causes it, managing reactions, accepting discomfort, and changing the thought patterns and behaviours associated with social anxiety. Key strategies include practising mindfulness, gradually exposing yourself to feared situations, challenging negative thoughts, showing yourself compassion, shifting your focus and setting boundaries. Practicing positive behaviours and relaxation techniques and taking care of yourself are all crucial steps to take towards overcoming social anxiety.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a unique approach to anxiety, primarily focused on enhancing a client’s quality of life and meaning by moving towards values, rather than symptom reduction or control. Key components include acceptance of unpleasant emotions and thoughts, defusion from thoughts, and mindfulness, all to encourage clients to take action aligned with their chosen values. ACT uses experiential exercises to change the client’s relationship with anxiety, encouraging a willingness to experience a full range of emotions. Ultimately, ACT aims to help clients live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Work-based anxiety is a significant issue that can affect individuals and organisations. This document explores the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for work-related anxiety, providing a comprehensive guide for both employees and employers. Understanding Work-Based Anxiety Definition: Anxiety is a feeling of worry, unease, or nervousness, often about an upcoming event or something with an… Read More »Managing and Understanding Work-Based Anxiety: A Guide for Individuals and Organisations
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the hippocampus is a part of your brain that is involved in learning, memory, emotional control, and stress arousal. When we talk about ‘hippocampus anxiety‘, we’re referring to the role of this structure in the experience of anxiety. The hippocampus can be affected by stress, which in turn impacts… Read More »What is hippocampus anxiety
To build habits that help you beat stress, you can use a variety of techniques that focus on understanding your stress triggers and creating new, healthier responses. Here’s how you can approach building those habits: 1. Understand Your Stress and Anxiety Habits Recognise that anxiety is a habit: Your anxious tendencies are often learned behaviours… Read More »How to build stress busting habits