Worry

How can we process inconceivable events and go about living our day to day lives? As a trauma and anxiety therapist, I am here to tell you that while it is extremely difficult, it is possible. Here are some suggestions for how to cope during these difficult times.

You could not be happier for your child/nibling/client. They’ve finally made it to grade 12 and have been wanting to leap into their future for ages. You thought now would be a quiet and calm few months as they wait to hear back, but instead it seems as though their anxiety is reaching new heights. Should you be concerned?

In conjunction with the recent webinar "Holiday Parenting Q&A: Coping with Stress and Anxiety", psychologists Colleen Cummings, PhD, Susan Wilson, PhD, and Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD, provide their top 3 tips for parents to help cope with stress and anxiety during the holidays.

Disastrous news gets delivered in a highly emotional way – often on purpose – and while having strong feelings for the victims of war, floods, earthquakes, mass shootings or horrific accidents is justified, we also have to be logical and in tune with our own emotional processes when interpreting the news.

As the holiday season approaches, many individuals find themselves grappling with challenging memories or experiences that may evoke intense emotions.

The processes driving worry will vary for every individual.  Chances are good that it will not be one or another, but a proprietary blend of several processes which shape each person’s presentation of worry.  Our job as clinicians is to explore these processes and work with our clients to curate a blend of interventions uniquely suited to their experience.

Limit the depth of exposure to details. People can consume news in limited ways. In other words, learn what’s happening, then stop there. Avoid the urge for disaster voyeurism. If you have heard the story, you might not need to search for the images or the videos; if you have seen them, there is no need to revisit them over and over.

In the U.S., anxiety disorders affect about one-third of the population. So it’s no surprise that a good number of artists and writers also suffer from anxiety and depression.

Check out our ADAA members' new books - CBT for social anxiety, an action mindset for teens and thriving with anxiety. Helpful resources to support your mental health journey.

In the face of a perceived threat, your body often activates a fight-or-flight response. Heart in your throat. Butterflies in your stomach.