Anxiety Therapy Edmonton

Mental health counselling for anxiety disorders

What is anxiety

Anxiety is a very common condition experienced by adults. Approximately 1 in 4 Canadians will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime. Anxiety consists of the thoughts, sensations, emotions, and behaviours in response to a perceived threat. Anxiety tends to focus on outcomes in the future and overestimates the potential risk. For example, anxiety and worry thoughts can sound like “what if I get in a car accident” or “what if I fail that exam”.

Signs and symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety disorder symptoms can include feelings of anxiety such as worry thoughts or beliefs, physical body sensations, emotional experiences, and behaviours. Examples of symptoms of anxiety can include:

excessive worries or racing thoughts
intrusive or obsessive thoughts
racing heart rate
shortness of breath
chest pain or heaviness
heart pounding or palpitations
dizziness and upset stomach
panic, fear, dread or nervousness
avoidance of places or situations
compulsions
repetitive checking
perfectionism and reassurance seeking
people-pleasing
difficulty with communication
sleep difficulties

Experiencing an ongoing untreated anxiety disorder can negatively impact your quality of life. In fact, people with untreated anxiety disorders often miss out on meaningful events and experiences or tolerate them with much distress.

Types of anxiety disorders

There are several different types of anxiety disorders that adults may experience, each with certain unique features. Some anxiety disordered commonly experienced by adults include:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by worry thoughts and feeling anxious across a range of concerns. In particular, people with generalized anxiety are often self-described ‘worriers’ and tend to over-estimate the possibility of a worst case scenario occurring.
Social Anxiety Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is specific to anxiety or fear within social settings. Individuals with social anxiety experience significant distress when in the feared social setting or interaction or efforts to avoid these situations due to the distress.
Panic disorder is a diagnosis for when a panic attack develop into fear of having future panic attacks. A panic attack is a brief but extremely intense cluster of anxiety symptoms. Panic attacks have a sudden onset and for the most part peak within 10 minutes.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a form of anxiety which includes unwanted and distressing intrusive thoughts coupled with compulsions. Compulsions are behaviours or other rituals intended to address the unwanted thought and temporarily reduce the anxiety.
Health anxiety involves recurrent fears related to health and illness. People with health anxiety may develop a fear that they have a serious illness such as cancer despite being in good physical health.
Specific Phobias can be very disruptive in daily life. Common examples of specific phobias in adults include fear of flying, fear of needles or blood, and fear of vomit or vomiting.

Factors that influence anxiety

Several risk factors can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders.

Biology and genetics are one of the main risk factors. If you have a family history of anxiety disorders of family members who experiences anxiety, you may be more likely to develop anxiety. Additionally, certain personality traits and temperaments may be prone to be more cautious or worry excessively.
Environment and learning factors can also play a role in the development of anxiety disorders. While anxiety disorders tend to run in families, this can also be from learning anxious behaviours. Traumatic events, such as abuse or the loss of a loved one, can trigger the onset of anxiety symptoms. Chronic stress, such as financial difficulties or a demanding job, can also contribute to the development of anxiety.
Medical conditions can sometimes be linked to anxiety disorders. For example, individuals with certain chronic conditions or illness such as heart disease or diabetes may be more prone to experiencing anxiety.

Having risk factors doesn’t guarantee developing anxiety disorder. However, being aware of these factors can help you take steps to manage your anxiety and seek treatment if necessary.

Counselling for anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health concerns. Fortunately, anxiety disorders are treatable and much research has studied a variety of anxiety therapy evidence-based treatments. Seeking anxiety treatment is an important step in improving your mental health. Anxiety counselling can help you to function better personally and professionally. Additionally, psychotherapy for anxiety can support you to live more fully in the present moment, and enjoy engaging in life with less distress.

Anxiety treatment options

There are several types of evidenced-based psychotherapy approaches to treat anxiety. These include

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is commonly used as a first line treatment for different types of anxiety disorders.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a treatment approach that is effective in treating anxiety.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most effective treatment of OCD

Medications to treat anxiety

Medications are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders. While psychologists in Canada do not prescribe medications, a psychologist or mental health therapist can help to work alongside with your doctor in treating your anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of medication that are approved for the treatment of different types of anxiety and depression and commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders.

Benefits of counselling for anxiety

Anxiety counselling can offer many benefits for adults experiencing difficulties with anxiety symptoms. It is beneficial to begin treatment for anxiety symptoms and disorders early. Early intervention can mean anxiety symptoms do not cause as much disruption and time in treatment may be shortened. Preventative and early anxiety treatment can also reduce the likelihood of developing secondary concerns related to the anxiety such as depression and physical health conditions.

Finding empowerment through anxiety therapy treatment

Anxiety counseling offers more than just relief from distressing symptoms; it is a transformative process that can empower individuals to take control of their mental health, emotions, and overall well-being. This empowerment stems from a combination of self-awareness, skill development, and confidence-building that occurs during the therapy process. Here’s a deeper look at how anxiety counseling fosters empowerment:

Gaining self-awareness of your anxiety symptoms

Understanding triggers to identify what is causing anxiety, whether it’s specific situations, thoughts, or patterns of behavior.

Recognize thought patterns and focus on uncovering and reframing negative or distorted thought patterns that fuel anxiety.
Develop emotional insight to understand and name emotions, which is a crucial step in gaining control in responding.

Developing practical skills in therapy to manage anxiety

Coping strategies and relaxation techniques are an important part of anxiety management. Techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and progressive muscle relaxation, which can be used in moments of acute anxiety.
Problem-solving skills help individuals break down challenges into manageable steps, making overwhelming situations feel more approachable.
Behavioral strategies like gradual exposure (in cases of phobias or social anxiety) empower clients to confront fears in a controlled and systematic way.

Increasing your sense of control and regaining independence

Taking responsibility for change where clients to take an active role in their healing process. This involves setting goals, tracking progress, and celebrating successes. By addressing negative self-talk, individuals can move from a mindset of helplessness (“I can’t handle this”) to one of capability (“I have the tools to cope with this”).
Shifting the narrative and challenging anxious thoughts is a critical part of managing anxiety. To improve the anxiety, firstly, there must be an awareness of the narratives associated with the anxiety. Strategies include ways of identifying thoughts that are either unhelpful, untrue, or both. Changing the relationship to these thoughts can include developing a replacement thought with one that is more true and helpful or creating space and distance from the thought altogether.
Establishing personal boundaries: is key as many anxiety issues stem from overcommitment or difficulty saying no. Counselling empowers clients to set healthy boundaries and prioritize their needs.

Frequently asked questions about anxiety counselling

When should I seek anxiety therapy treatment?

Starting treatment early is often helpful in preventing anxiety symptoms from worsening. If you are noticing that feeling nervous, anxious, or worrying is impacting your life it may be a good time to reach out.

How long does counselling for anxiety take?

The length of time for treatment of anxiety depends on several factors including the type and severity of anxiety as well as how quickly you respond to treatment. Short-term treatment of anxiety can range from 6 to 12 sessions, however many people can see improvement and begin feeling better after only a few sessions.

Is online anxiety therapy as effective as in-person sessions?

Research has shown that anxiety counselling online has a similar level of effectiveness as in-person treatment. If anxiety is preventing you from attending in-person sessions, it may be a good option for getting started. Our therapists are able to offer hybrid options where both in-person and online anxiety counselling are part of your treatment plan if that would be beneficial to you.

Online anxiety therapy

If your preference is for online anxiety therapy, our team is happy to provide online counselling for anxiety. Anxiety treatment online involves the same type of assessment and treatment as you would receive in office, however it allows more flexibility for those who aren’t able to attend in person. Our team uses a secure online platform for high quality videoconferencing sessions.

When working with an online therapist for anxiety, the process of assessment and treatment will be the same as coming into the office. Sometimes therapy clients find that the idea of attending in-person feels overwhelming. In this case, beginning sessions virtually may be a good place to start. If your therapist believes that some in-person sessions may benefit your therapy approach, they may also recommend a combination of in-person and online sessions.

Our anxiety therapists in Edmonton

Our psychologists, provisional psychologists, and counsellors treat anxiety symptoms and disorders including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, and panic disorders. Our therapists collaboratively work with their clients to determine the best evidence-based anxiety therapy treatment approaches that aligns with the goals and preferences of their clients.

At Mendable Psychology, therapists specialize in providing tailored and individualized counseling approaches to address anxiety, ensuring that each client receives care that resonates with their unique needs and goals. Using evidence-based methods such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), mindfulness techniques, and exposure therapy, the team develops an anxiety therapy treatment plan that adapts strategies to align with the client’s personal experiences, preferences, and pace.

For clients dealing with specific triggers, therapy is customized to focus on those areas, while those seeking deeper understanding benefit from psychodynamic or trauma-focused approaches. Our therapists also integrate holistic care by considering the our client’s cultural background, lifestyle, and existing strengths, creating a collaborative and empowering therapeutic experience. This personalized attention not only alleviates anxiety but also equips clients with practical tools and confidence for lasting mental well-being.

Anxiety therapy resources

Anxiety Canada

Anxiety Canada is a website with comprehensive educational information and coping strategies for all types of anxiety disorders across all ages

Mood Gym

Mood gym is an online interactive CBT program based out of Australia intended for older teens and adults. The programs focus on treating depression and anxiety.

MindShift CBT App

MindShift is a CBT based app created through Anxiety Canada that can help to educate and cope with symptoms of anxiety

Furthermore, there are many additional excellent self-help resources available for anxiety management listed on our resources page.

Anxiety Therapy Edmonton | Contact Us

Mendable Psychology | Anxiety Treatment | Counselling for Anxiety

Office located in Mayfield West Edmonton