Anxiety Therapy
What is Anxiety Therapy?
Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder experienced in our modern world. Prevalent global media exposure, economic instability, political tensions, and social changes and pressures are a few of the factors that are contributing to the rising rates of anxiety. It is estimated that 1 in 10 Canadians are affected by this disorder.
Everyone feels anxious at certain times. Workplace pressure, planning a big event or writing an exam can cause feelings of wariness, or even fear. Those who suffer from anxiety disorders have long periods of intense feelings of fear or distress out of proportion to real events. They interpret real or imagined events to be much more risky or dangerous than they really are. Their lives are full of unease and fear, which interferes with their personal and professional relationships.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is particularly effective for anxiety. It helps individuals recognize and challenge negative thought patterns related to anxiety. By combining cognitive restructuring with behavioural techniques, CBT empowers people to manage their symptoms.
Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People with Social Anxiety Disorder
Those with Panic Disorder
Individuals with Specific Phobias
People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Who is Anxiety Therapy for?
Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
People with Health Anxiety
Adolescents
Individuals with Co-occurring Disorders
People Experiencing Life Transitions
Caregivers and Family Members
Common Symptoms of Anxiety
Excessive Worrying: Persistent and uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.
Restlessness: Feeling on edge or unable to relax.
Fatigue: Feeling tired easily, even without much physical activity.
Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing or finding that your mind goes blank.
Irritability: Becoming easily annoyed or frustrated.
Muscle Tension: Experiencing tightness or pain in muscles.
Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or having restless and unsatisfying sleep.
Avoidance Behaviours: Steering clear of situations or activities that trigger anxiety.
Panic Attacks: Sudden episodes of intense fear, often accompanied by physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, or shortness of breath.
Physical Symptoms: Experiencing headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplained aches and pains.
Increased Heart Rate: Feeling your heart pounding or racing.
Sweating: Excessive sweating, especially in stressful situations.
Trembling or Shaking: Feeling shaky or having noticeable tremors.
Shortness of Breath: Feeling like you can’t catch your breath or are choking.
Nausea: Feeling queasy or having an upset stomach.
Get Started with Anxiety Therapy
How can Anxiety Therapy Help?
Identifying Triggers: Helps you understand what situations or thoughts trigger your anxiety.
Developing Coping Strategies: Teaches techniques to manage and reduce anxiety symptoms.
Cognitive Restructuring: Helps change negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety.
Exposure Therapy: Gradually exposes you to feared situations to reduce avoidance behaviours.
Relaxation Techniques: Teaches methods like deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation to calm the mind and body.
Improving Sleep: Addresses sleep disturbances and helps develop better sleep habits.
Building Resilience: Enhances your ability to cope with stress and bounce back from challenges.
Enhancing Self-Esteem: Helps build confidence and reduce self-doubt.
Improving Relationships: Teaches communication skills and ways to manage anxiety in social situations.
Mindfulness Training: Encourages present-moment awareness to reduce worry about the future or past.
Support and Validation: Provides a safe space to express your feelings and receive support.
Understanding: Increases your understanding of anxiety and how it affects you.
Preventing Relapse: Teaches strategies to maintain progress and prevent the return of anxiety symptoms.
We are accepting clients residing in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
Our Rates
Amelia Larson (M.S.W., R.C.S.W., Approved Clinical Supervisor)
$200 (55 min)
Amber Jerome (Registered Provisional Psychologist)
$160 (55 min)
Most insurance plans cover Amelia and Amber’s designations. Please confirm with your benefits provider. Direct billing to some insurance providers available.
Your therapy experience will be unique to who you are, your goals and needs. Drawing on various forms of therapy ensures we can tailor your experience to best suit your needs. One size does not fit all.
Therapy FAQs
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We work with emerging adults, adults and couples who are experiencing life transitions, symptoms of anxiety, depression, challenges with relationships, stress, trauma and struggles with parenting/co-parenting.
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We offer a free 15 minute consultation session for you to explore if we are the right fit for you–your goals, your needs, and your style.
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We do not work with children under the age of 15. We do not support individuals experiencing active psychosis.
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Sessions are 55 minutes in length.
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This can be directed by you if that feels right. We will often share a bit about who we are, explore your goals for therapy, answer any questions you have, and give you an opportunity to explore if we are the right fit for you.
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Yes, we bill a number of insurance providers directly. Please ensure your plan covers the designation of Provisional Psychologist or MSW, RCSW.
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Therapy can help you explore how past, current, and future experiences impact your behaviour, thoughts, and emotions. It can unpack how to show up as the best version of yourself in relationships and throughout contexts in your life. It can help you better manage how you cope with life stressors to enhance your daily functioning.
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We are client-centered which means, we take our cues and direction about how therapy unfolds from you. At times, therapy will be uncomfortable and this is where growth happens. We believe in being real and transparent, this will sometimes include some laughs and hearing the hard things.
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Your first session is an opportunity to know each other better and explore how to reach your goals, or we can dive right into why you came to therapy in the first place. It’s up to you!
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Our hope is that every therapy session will provide valuable insight, resources, and tools to help you get closer to reaching your goals in life.
Depending on the goals you have and the challenges you are navigating, some people will be in therapy regularly for a longer period of time, some may check in infrequently, and some may feel like they have what they need after a few sessions.
Our goal is never to have people in therapy every week forever, we want people to gain skills and practice them in the world without us and come back when they need support.
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We offer both virtual and in-person walk and talk sessions. We want you to be in your own safe space while working through the ‘tough’ stuff. For local clients (Calgary and Chestermere), there are options for walk and talk sessions. These sessions occur in nature (parks, walking paths, trails etc.) where we conduct a therapy session while walking together. Some people find this to be an easier way to work through their tough stuff. These sessions are weather dependent.
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You are free to contact us after hours, however, please do not expect a response outside of the business day.
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We have a limited number of sliding scale sessions available.
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We accept credit card payments, e-transfers, and NIHB funding.
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Either book your free 15-minute consult today, book yourself in for a session, or Contact Us with your questions.
Get Started Today
A therapeutic connection is an intimate and meaningful partnership. We offer a 15-minute complimentary phone consultation to determine if As You Are Therapy is the right choice for you.
