Anxiety can make you feel alone in the dark, but we want to walk with you to a better place.
Adult Anxiety
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are all experiencing more anxiety, possibly more than ever before. All of us will experience some anxiety, some worry, and some stress. It is simply a part of the human experience. Anxiety can be simply an annoyance of some butterflies and sweaty palms to a debilitating fear that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Normal anxiety and stress come while listening to the news or talking to loved ones on the phone who are experiencing hardship. Anxiety in this response that keeps us alert and aware, causing us to behave in a safe and rational way. But when that normal fear and anxiety overwhelm us and takes away our joy, even to the point of not being able to function, then we have a bigger problem.
During this unprecedented time, we want to be here for you. If you have found that your anxiety is out of control or just overwhelmed by the current issues of our world, we want to offer you Online Therapy. Call us at 503-869-8108.
Do you have a feeling of dread or that something really bad is about to happen to you or a loved one? Do you feel tense, jumpy, irritable or restless a lot of the time? Do you find yourself always anticipating the worst or being overly watchful for signs of danger? Does your heart sometimes feel like it will pound out of your chest or have you ever felt like you were having a heart attack but no one could find anything wrong with you? Do you break out in a cold sweat? Do you have frequent headaches, constant fatigue or find it hard to sleep well? Does your stomach bother you or do you find you have to use the bathroom frequently because of constant diarrhea? If ANY of these sound familiar, you may have some form of anxiety.
There are many different kinds of anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by a constant over vigilance about life. It leaves the person feeling unsafe most of the time and exhausted by always having to be on guard. The person with GAD will often have chronic, exaggerated worry about life.
Some people experience Social Anxiety. This is more than just shyness. Social anxiety causes intense fear about social interaction, often driven by irrational worries about humiliation (e.g. saying something stupid or not knowing what to say). Someone with Social Anxiety disorder may not take part in conversations, contribute to class discussions or offer their ideas, and may become isolated. Panic attacks are a common reaction to anticipated or forced social interaction.
Panic Disorder is when a person feels a sudden onset of intense fear. This can often be mistaken for a heart attack. It causes the person to feel intense chest pains, dizziness, shortness of breath and stomach upset. After a person has experienced this they will go to great lengths to avoid having another one, even to the point of social isolation because it was so intensely scary to have the experience in the first place.
Lastly, there are specific anxieties called phobias. People can have just one or a combination of many. We all have things we dislike and try to avoid, but someone struggling with a phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the triggers. This can lead to isolation and can take over their lives completely.
The effects of anxiety can be devastating and debilitating to you and your loved ones. You may have attempted to minimize your symptoms or rationalize them, however, the struggle to completely let go and relax and live a normal life can be impossible and leave you feeling hopeless, broken and alone.
If this describes your life with anxiety that is robbing you of joy and ease in your life, you are not alone. Anxiety is the most common mental health issue and affects over 40 million people in the U.S. According to the National Institute of Mental Health 31.1% of all people will suffer from some form of anxiety in their lifetime, so you are in good company. These statistics are just of those who have sought out help for anxiety! No one knows how many more are suffering alone. That doesn’t need to be YOU!
It can seem overwhelming hard to begin the journey to recovery and freedom. The good news is, at Core Values Counseling, you have compassionate and well-trained counselors along with Neurofeedback therapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy that can help you begin this journey successfully.
At Core Values Counseling we want to personalize your experience. We will use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness & Relaxation Techniques, Solution-focused, and strength-based therapies, Psycho-education, and more in order to meet your needs the best we can. We also use a neurofeedback program called Brainpaint. Neurofeedback is a scientifically proven way to improve the way you feel and function in the world by improving how your brain operates. Neurofeedback can help your brain heal and recover from the impact of anxiety has had on your life. Clients have noticed significant decreases in anxiety, alleviating feelings of depression, sleeping better, and increased ability to cope with life’s challenges. This type of therapy works well when done in conjunction with talk therapy.
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)is also offered through Core Values Counseling. EAP is a new treatment model for the treatment of trauma and anxiety and has been found in recent research studies to help people overcome anxiety by interactions with horses on the ground (vs. riding). Horses have mirror neurons which they use to mirror the emotions of the people working with them. At Core Values Counseling we use a barn outside of Newberg and offer individuals, couples, and families to use this unique form of therapy in conjunction of other therapies to address anxiety in many different ways rather than only the traditional talk therapy and medications. We also offer group therapy for anxiety using EAP as well.
We understand the pain, confusion and all-encompassing feeling surrounding anxiety. It has probably taken over most of your life. We understand how hard it is to believe life can look different when all you have known for so long is the debilitating effects of this condition. We also understand there are no easy or quick solutions. We understand you really want to move beyond a life dictated by anxiety and how hard it can be hard to believe there is actually hope. It takes time for change to happen, and we are here to partner with you as you move forward.
Change is hard and can be both scary and intimidating. Making the investment of time and money, along with the commitment to change can be overwhelming. Life is busy and it’s hard to fit in something else to your schedule. You are worth the investment! Your future and your healing are worth every minute and every penny. This is your season for healing; your season to rise up and start again.
With the variety of tools and resources we have at Core Values Counseling, from warm, safe and compassionate therapists, to Neurofeedback, to Equine Assisted Therapy, we can personalize your counseling experience and tailor the therapy to what works best for you and your healing. Incorporating Neurofeedback will help your brain reset and heal from anxiety, while talk therapy will help you understand triggers, understand how to manage your response to triggers, understand why anxiety has been a big part of your life. We also have resources and referrals if medication or physical therapy would be helpful. We will work with your primary care physician to ensure all the health care professionals are working to benefit your best treatment.
We are here for you. You can read the profiles of our therapists here. You are welcome to contact us Here to ask questions or set-up an appointment, we will get back to you within 24 hours. Taking the first step toward healthy change is courageous and powerful.