Anxiety Therapy

Edmonton, Leduc & St. Albert Counselling

You might even suffer from panic attacks where you can’t catch your breath or calm your heart rate down. Even though a panic attack is a natural response to anxiety, it can make you feel like you’re in danger and cause you to fear for your life.  

You probably think that if you could just manage your anxiety your relationships would be healthier, you would love yourself more, and you’d improve other areas of your life like your parenting or career choices. If you have struggled with anxiety and you need an outsider’s perspective on your situation, Summit Counselling Services is available to help you start living life to the fullest. 

Some Anxiety Is Helpful, But It Can Get Out Of Control 

When we think of anxiety, we might assume it is a negative feeling that we want to avoid in our lives as much as possible. However, some anxiety can be useful as its main purpose is to alert us to danger in order to keep us safe. It is a survival skill that all of us are meant to have to some degree.  

Anxiety becomes an issue, though, when it becomes the brain’s go-to reaction for situations that aren’t dangerous or life-threatening. This is the case for millions of people today, as roughly 30 percent of adults are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. (1)   

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were recently factored into a Canadian poll taken on mental health issues. Seven percent of people indicated that they had high or intense anxiety before the pandemic, but 11 percent reported high levels of anxiety after the pandemic. (2) Even without stressful worldwide events impacting peoples’ mental health, anxiety was already an issue for many simply trying to live their lives.  

Anxiety May Come In Waves Depending On Your Circumstances 

Sometimes the cause of anxiety is temporary and is related to major life events like switching jobs, moving, having a child, or experiencing a traumatic event. Anxiety may come in short bursts, stick around while we process our new reality or situation, and wane over time after learning healthy coping strategies. In all of these cases, anxiety is still a serious mental health issue that’s worth seeking treatment for.  

Many circumstances can induce anxiety, such as living in a stressful home environment, having financial difficulties, or working in a high-stakes or high-stress career. It is so exhausting to be in a constant state of anxiety that trying to manage it on your own can feel like a 24/7 job. That’s why counselling is so vital. It allows you to press pause, find relief from everyday stressors, and learn to manage your symptoms more effectively. 

Anxiety Therapy Can Be Tailored To Your Symptoms And Needs

Summit Counselling Services offers therapy that can fit your exact needs,  give you a deeper understanding of where your anxiety is coming from, and equip you with the tools to manage your symptoms. Some of the benefits of therapy can include better emotional regulation, daily stress reduction, improved relationships and communication skills, an increase in focus and attention, and an overall calm and balance in mind and body.  

We offer in-office visits and telehealth sessions, and with registered psychologists in nearly every facet of psychotherapy for anxiety, we have someone for everyone. Our therapists can help with social anxiety, trauma, burnout, low self-esteem, and major life transitions. We have experience helping a wide range of clients, including first responders, veterans, people dealing with postpartum and perinatal issues, and those who suffer from mood and personality disorders. We’re confident that we can tailor our approach to meet your needs.  

Our Therapists Use Evidence-Based Tools To Help You Manage Anxiety 

When you begin treatment, your therapist will work with you to determine your goals and find tools that are best suited to your situation. Each of our specialists works differently with anxiety disorders, but the overall goal of our practice is to focus on the client’s unique needs - meaning there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, some of the most common approaches that we use in anxiety treatment include: 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy) can help you process difficult memories and emotions causing anxiety. It uses bilateral stimulation (which is typically done with eye movements) to help you process those difficult memories, making them more manageable to live with day-to-day and helping you find a peaceful path forward. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)  is helpful for many anxiety-related concerns and issues like low self-esteem and trauma. It involves looking at negative thought and belief patterns, and then challenging and reframing them to keep you from reacting to anxiety with a fight or flight response.  

Solution-Focussed Therapy (SFT) is built on the belief that everyone is resilient, strong, and capable of creatively finding solutions to their problems. Instead of dwelling on the past, SFT focuses on helping you come up with problem-solving skills for navigating your stressors in the here and now.  

Countless studies have shown that therapy can make a positive impact on people’s lives, and reviews of those studies reveal that almost 75 percent of people who undergo psychotherapy have benefited from it. (3) Our main goal at Summit Counselling Services is to empower you to feel in charge of your mind and tell anxiety to kick rocks! You’ll gain an understanding of your symptoms and gain the confidence to manage your anxiety in your day-to-day life. 

You Might Still Have Questions About Anxiety Therapy… 

I've felt like this forever, will therapy really help? 

While the treatment process for overcoming anxiety may take some time, you don't have to feel like this forever. Every session can be a step in the right direction. Therapy helps you learn when your anxiety disorder started, how you got to this point, and what you can do to move forward without it weighing you down. Your therapist will help you develop skills and solutions that match your individual needs.  

I don't know if I can afford therapy. 

Think of anxiety therapy as an investment in your future, since the symptom management skills you learn can last indefinitely and benefit you for the rest of your life. Additionally, Most insurance companies cover psychotherapy either fully or partially, which can help with the financial investment.  

It’s important to note that we also employ students who are on their way to becoming registered psychologists. The student is supervised by an experienced psychologist, so you’re getting the expertise of a fully registered psychologist for a fraction of the price. 

Shouldn't I just be able to deal with anxiety on my own? 

It is difficult to see your anxiety objectively by yourself. The perspective you have of yourself is inherently biased and based on your own experiences. A counsellor can help you look outside your daily issues and explore how to make long-term changes to your anxiety. After all, a surgeon can't operate on themself! Therapy is an opportunity to share your experience and gain a beneficial outside perspective from a registered psychologist.  

Let Summit Counselling Services Help You Kick Your Anxiety To The Curb 

Anxiety is an issue many people face and you don’t have to navigate your experience alone. Through therapy, you can learn to manage your symptoms and find hope for the future. Reach out to our practice through our contact form, or give us a call at 780-217-4665 for a free consultation to determine which of our practitioners is the right fit for you.  

Check out our blog post on uncertainty and anxiety here.  

https://www.summitcs.ca/anxietycounselling-edmonton-st-albert 

1. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders#:~:text=Anxiety%20disorders%20are%20the%20most,some%20point%20in%20their%20lives.

2. https://www.mhrc.ca/key-facts-on-mental-health

3. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding 

Summit Counselling Psychologists Who Specialize In Anxiety:

Anxiety Counselling In Edmonton, Leduc, and St. Albert

Summit Counselling Services

10328 121 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 1K8, Canada

1 Tache St #203, St. Albert, AB T8N 1B4, Canada

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Summit Counselling Services is a counselling clinic located in St. Albert, Edmonton & Leduc. We provide psychotherapy for anxiety to children, adolescents, adults, seniors, couples, and families. We have a talented team of Edmonton psychologists, therapists and counsellors with a wide range of specializations and training at Summit Counselling Services who would be honoured to walk beside you on your journey. At Summit, we believe in therapy your way.  Our goal is to customize your psychotherapy and counselling sessions to best suit your needs.  We believe in the differences and unique perspectives each person brings to therapy and incorporate these into our work with you. Our therapists are just as unique as you, and we celebrate that by creating an anxiety counselling treatment plan that best suits your needs.