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LINDA CHARNES, LMFT

Individual and Couple Psychotherapy and Counseling in New York City

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Anxiety

You don’t have to face your anxiety alone

We all know that a certain amount of anxiety is an inescapable part of normal living. For whatever reason, anxious thoughts can come and then they go. We deal with this anxiety as best we can, and then we return to our normal state. 

Anxiety is a problem if feelings of tension or worry become excessive, pervasive, and persistent. Anxiety can wrap itself into feelings of fear, doubt, worry, guilt, and shame that can feel overwhelming and almost impossible to shake. 

When anxiety reaches this level, it can drastically impair the ability to enjoy life.  

If you are experiencing anxiety, you deserve support. In therapy, I can help you find the origins of your anxiety, and discover why you have this driving force inside of you causing you to feel unsettled so much of the time.

You don't have to face your anxiety alone.

Reach out for support today. 

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How do I know I if need help with my anxiety?

If your anxiety has become persistent, pervasive, or consuming, then you need help. 

When someone works with me to address their anxiety, I know they have been working to overcome it on their own for a long time. They have tried it all: exercise, positive thinking, meditation, breathwork, self-help books, taking breaks, or simply trying to distract themselves. While these things can provide temporary relief, they simply aren’t adequate to fully address persistent or consuming anxiety.

 

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What is Anxiety?

Sometimes anxiety can feel like a way of life. Even without a particular stressor, anxiety may feel like it follows you around. Anxiety is a pervasive and repetitive worry that causes anxious thoughts that feel overwhelming or consuming. While it is natural to feel worried, nervous, or upset sometimes, this level of feeling can be so powerful that you are unable to focus on anything else.

Sometimes anxiety is a reaction to a particular event. Something happens and we then feel apprehension, insecurity, fear, doubt, or dread. Anxiety feels organic, as though it matches the experience we’ve had exactly. And yet, an anxious reaction is a magnified one; it grips you and draws you in. Therapy can help you feel calm enough in the face of stress to react effectively.

Here are some of the most common questions I hear about anxiety:

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What are the main symptoms of anxiety? Expand

When you feel anxious, you may feel pressure in your chest, tension in your body, and racing in your mind. You may be consumed by unwanted thoughts and unable to focus on what is important. Anxiety can cause you to ruminate about the past and worry about the future more often than you are present in the moment. Sometimes anxiety can also cause physical concerns such as stomach aches, headaches, and difficulty sleeping.

Where does anxiety come from? Expand

People feel anxious about a number of things, including (but not limited to):

  • Over-worrying: Viewing the future from a negative point of view, sometimes becoming fixated on the "worst-case scenario."
  • People pleasing: Saying yes when you want to say no, stretching yourself too thin to please others, and worrying that others will perceive you as critical or negative.
  • Fear of change: Worrying about the unknown while feeling stuck with the way things are. This can cause you to avoid making even essential decisions.
  • Career and financial insecurity. Relentless worry over your career and money.
  • Social anxiety. Feeling consumed with worry about interacting with others, assuming that you won't fit in or be accepted. This can lead you to avoid interactions altogether, to over-prepare for them, or to go into them with a sense of doom.
How does anxiety affect relationships? Expand

When one or both of the people in a relationship are anxious, the anxiety becomes a destructive third wheel. Worrying about triggering anxiety can encourage avoidance of important issues that need to be discussed. Non-anxious partners can feel uncertain about how to support their anxious partners and can feel minimized and misunderstood as a result.

How does anxiety affect your career? Expand

Anxiety can lead you to procrastinate, avoid challenges, and otherwise “play small” to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Some anxiety, including social anxiety, can lead you to avoid your colleagues, minimize interactions, and miss opportunities to collaborate and be considered for new responsibilities

Do I need therapy if I am already on medicine for my anxiety? Expand

Medication can help to reduce the intensity of the symptoms of your anxiety, and I support anything that can help you gain some relief. The best part about medication is that it can allow us to look at your anxiety without being engulfed by it. Therapy, unlike medication, can address the root cause of your unrest. This could, in some cases, eventually render your medicine unnecessary. This is possible when you become actively engaged in understanding and managing your anxiety with the support of a therapist.

Are you the right person to help me with my anxiety?

I have worked with hundreds of patients with anxiety, and I can help you, too. When I work with a patient, our first order of business is to provide some relief from the most pressing symptoms of anxiety. This creates space to look more closely at the root of your anxiety, how your anxiety developed, and the role it currently plays in your life. This approach will allow for the deeper, longer-term relief you seek.

Through our work together, we will free you from your anxiety.

I will help you find peace and enjoyment in your relationships, career, and life.

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1619 Third Avenue, Suite 3 Entrance on 91st Street New York, NY,
10128 212-772-1695     info@lindacharnes.com

I do not accept insurance, but my services are eligible for out of network reimbursement.

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