Anxiety Therapy in Burlington, Ontario
When Worry and Overthinking Become Hard to Manage
Does it seem like alarm bells are always going off in your head, even when you are not in any danger?
Do relative minor concerns at times set off full-blown panic attacks?
Are you doing everything you can but the worry doesn’t seem to go away?
Maybe you are a perfectionist, and you can’t help but dwell on your perceived mistakes. You may tend to replay the same scenarios over and over in your mind, wondering what you should have done differently, or are constantly asking others for reassurance.
Even when you wrap up your day, you just can’t seem to relax. Maybe you are irritable with others even when things seem to be going well. You might be avoiding spending time with loved ones because you don’t have the energy.
Perhaps thinking about worst-case scenarios has always been your go-to. Although the catastrophic situations you imagine practically never happen, you still seem to keep your guard up. You find that you are spending so much of your time thinking about the trouble you might face down the road, and completely forget to live in the present and are missing out on a lot of fun.
Anxiety Creates Symptoms That Can Be Unsettling
When you live with anxiety, you might struggle with a wide range of symptoms that affect your physical and mental health, such as:
Nausea or other digestive issues
Racing thoughts / overthinking
Muscle tension
Fatigue
Feeling on edge / jumpy
Severe symptoms like panic attacks—sweating, difficulty breathing, and intense feelings of fear
Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Trouble focusing on work or daily tasks
Anxiety can also begin to change how you live your life. You may avoid social situations, turn down invitations or stop doing things you once enjoyed because they feel like too much. Over time, your world can start to feel smaller as anxiety has more influence over the choices you make.
Do you wish you could be more at peace, happy and enjoy your life? You can! Through therapy, you can work on getting to the root of your worries and learn new ways to find relief from your symptoms.
Everyone Feels Fearful And Anxious At Times
It can feel like you’re the only person struggling with excessive worry, but you’re not alone. In 2022, almost 15% of Canadian adults reported having been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (Statistics Canada, 2024).
And it’s really no wonder so many of us are overwhelmed by anxiety. As people try to juggle pressures in work, family life, relationships, and the expectation to grin and bear it through hardship, it’s easy to see why anxiety has become so widespread.
On top of that, many of us spend hours on social media each day, comparing our own lives to highly edited photos and videos. And if that’s not enough, the 24/7 news cycle has us living in a constant state of emergency, with constant updates about the next global crisis.
Anxiety Can Keep Us Stuck In Fearful Thinking
Rather than seeking help for anxiety, we often feel like living in panic mode is our only option. And so, we avoid reaching out for help because of the stigma surrounding therapy or because we assume that our symptoms just aren’t “bad” enough for professional treatment.
Some of us may even feel like we’re “weak” if we can’t fix anxiety on our own.
But I’m here to help. Anxiety therapy can offer you effective treatment customized to your personal needs. With my support, you can learn how to use tools and strategies to manage your symptoms.
Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Feel Calmer And More Grounded
If you are living with anxiety, it can be tough to figure out if your anxiety is valid or when you’re simply worrying about something that’s unlikely to happen. I get it! And I have a lot of experience with treating anxiety.
I’m here to give you empathetic and compassionate support through effective, evidence-based treatment approaches. With my help, you can identify the root of your fears, develop skills to alleviate your symptoms, and finally feel more at peace.
What You Can Expect In Therapy Sessions
In my opinion, one of the most important parts of therapy is feeling understood and comfortable with your therapist. During our first sessions, I'll take the time to get to know you, understand how anxiety is affecting your life and learn what you would like to change.
Together, we'll look at what may be contributing to your anxiety, what keeps it going and what might help. We'll develop goals and an approach to therapy based on your needs, experiences and what works best for you
Throughout each therapy session, you will be able to get a deeper understanding of the anxiety, as well as how to avoid constantly mulling over your fears and participate in positive calming activities. Before long, you’ll notice that you’re not spending so much time worrying on a daily basis and that the fears have calmed.
Effective Treatment Methods For Anxiety
There isn't one approach to anxiety therapy that works for everyone. I draw from evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness and somatic approaches, depending on what you're experiencing and what feels most helpful for you.
Therapy isn't only about learning strategies to manage anxiety when it shows up. We'll also work on understanding what's keeping the anxiety going, like your thought patterns, behaviours, past experiences and the way your body responds to stress. From there, we can work together on changing the patterns that are getting in the way of you feeling more at ease in your everyday life.
But You May Still Have Questions About Anxiety Therapy…
How long does counselling for anxiety take?
There isn't a set timeline for anxiety therapy. How long therapy takes depends on what you're experiencing, how long anxiety has been affecting you, what you'd like to work on and your individual needs. We'll regularly check in about how therapy is going and determine when you feel ready to put a pause on therapy.
Will talking about my fears not make my anxiety worse?
I understand that the idea of sharing your fears with a therapist might feel overwhelming. But as you reflect on the roots of your anxiety in therapy, you’ll also focus on actively learning skills and finding solutions for controlling your symptoms. And that’s empowering! As you get the hang of managing your symptoms, you’ll probably find that your quality of life improves.
I should be able to get over my anxiety on my own.
Even if you’re tired of living with anxiety, you might be one of these people who put off seeking therapy because of the stigma. But there’s nothing shameful about working with a therapist. On the other hand, trying to “tough it out” and grapple with anxiety on your own can prolong your suffering. With the right treatment, you’ll be able to learn the skills to manage your symptoms and finally feel at ease… and at peace.
Are You Ready to Feel Better?
If anxiety is holding you back from thriving and living your best life, therapy can help you manage and overcome your fears. I invite you to contact me , I’m a registered psychotherapist who practices in person in Burlington, Ontario and virtually for those throughout Ontario. Let’s discuss how I can support you.
200-460 Brant Street
Burlington, ON L7R 4B6
Ljuba Udovc, RP, BA, CYC, specializes in Anxiety therapy in-person in Burlington, Ontario and virtually for those living throughout Ontario.
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