How 5 Therapists Plan to Handle Anxiety and Stay Calm

livewell
November 12, 2024
Noah Bennett

Introduction

Anxiety is an emotional state during which a person feels nervous, dreadful, and more alert than in normal conditions. Excessive or persistent anxiety, known as anxiety disorders, produces abnormal physical symptoms and may need treatment from a therapist.

Relieving psychological stress and other mental issues is a complex field as there are impacts of these conditions on patients. Therefore, therapists use varying methods to treat anxiety and similar mental health conditions. In this blog, we will mention different techniques and approaches adopted by five therapists to stay calm and provide answers to the question how therapists handle anxiety.

Dr. David Burns

Dr. David Burns is a famous psychiatrist, university professor, and author of renowned books on CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and related medical conditions. One of his most popular books is “The Feeling Good Handbook,” which assists in managing anxiety by identifying negative thoughts causing this issue and the process of eradicating them. This book has helped numerous people with anxiety and Dr. Burns also used these methods to treat his relevant issues.

Cognitive Reframing

Dr. David Burns uses a specific technique to overcome anxiety, known as “cognitive reframing.” The theme of this strategy is that you can change your stress by replacing your negative thoughts with positive ones. According to Dr. Burns, he deals with this issue by examining his thoughts and identifying those that are illogical. He asks himself if his thoughts are realistic or just his fears.

He gives an example that if he is anxious about an important meeting or a big presentation, his possible thoughts are about doing something wrong during the event or looking incompetent to others. After identifying these negative thoughts, he tries to find evidence for these speculations by comparing them to his previous experiences. This cognitive restructuring approach enables him to reject beliefs behind anxiety and shape them into a more rational way to minimize the issue.

He explains that through CBT, we recognize that our feelings are based on how we interpret the current or incoming situations. After shifting his thoughts to more realistic ones, one can control his problem. This technique can assist in staying calm with anxiety by eradicating anxious thoughts.

Dr. Susan David

Dr. Susan David is an award-winning psychologist and author. Her most famous book on the topic is “Emotional Agility.” In her advice, she focuses on eliminating negative emotions immediately. She has developed several strategies to combat anxiety successfully in her life and also advises others on managing stress.

Emotional Agility

According to Dr. Susan, her experience teaches her that avoiding or suppressing anxiety has the opposite effect, which makes it stronger and more irritating. Instead, she advises us to accept this feeling and approach it positively.

Dr. Susan expresses her approach during anxiety and says that she asks herself what the mental stress wants to tell her. Is this a superficial fear or due to a deep-rooted fear? This wise inquiry assists her in understanding the reason behind the anxiety and avoids becoming angry or impatient with this feeling.

Dr. Susan uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (a psychological therapy) to establish a process known as “diffusion.” In this process, an anxious person recognizes that thoughts are not always facts and stem from illogical fears. Therefore, it is not necessary to act on every anxious thought. She explains that anxiety is a signal and it doesn’t mean that something dangerous or harmful is going to happen soon.

The key point of Dr. Susan’s strategy is to stay calm and focused during anxiety. It is important to openly accept the situation and deal with it wisely instead of trying to suppress it forcefully.

Dr. Tara Brach

Tara Brach is a psychologist and a proponent of mindfulness. She assisted thousands of patients recover from emotional distress through her books “True Refuge” and “Radical Acceptance” which focuses on cultivating mindfulness in individuals. Dr. Brach provides insights on managing anxiety through mindfulness after practicing these rules in her personal life.

Radical Acceptance

According to Dr. Tara Brach, one can easily manage anxiety through mindfulness. She shares her experience and says that her first step after becoming anxious is to accept this feeling without trying to avoid it. Many people try to reject this emotion by trying to suppress it forcefully or forgetting it. However, the right approach is to accept it without any regret.

For this purpose, she advises to accept feelings of anxiety as they are, known as “radical acceptance.” She shares her experience of physical sensation during this condition which comprises shallow breathing and chest discomfort. However, she only observes these sensations instead of controlling them.

After mindfulness, the next recommendation by Dr. Brach against anxiety is “self-compassion.” In this method, the affected person comforts himself with kindness like a friend. She explains that you feel uncomfortable while anxious and the best thing to heal yourself is through care. It works as a neutralizer against the inner critic that enhances this negative feeling.

Dr. Brach believes these two remedies (mindfulness and self-compassion) are effective against anxiety and its physical and mental symptoms. They can get rid of mental stress and provide mental and physical calmness in times of distress.

Dr. Kristin Neff

Kristin Neff is an academic-related to educational psychology. She is famous for her expertise in self-compassion. She has authored multiple books on the topic, including her most popular one “Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself.” She has proved in her research that self-compassion can assist in managing stress, anxiety, and other closely related mental issues.

Mindfulness and Soothing Touch

Dr. Neff advises people to behave themselves during anxiety as they would do so to a close friend or a loved one. You should express the same kind words to yourself as if your dearest friend is in front of you in this situation. She reminds us that it is a natural part of any human being and there is no need to handle it harshly.

In contrast to many other experts, Dr. Neff is not limited to kind words for anxiety. She instead believes that a soothing touch is also mandatory to provide complete relief to the sufferer. According to her, both mindfulness and a soothing touch are integral parts of self-compassion. She shares her own experience of placing her hand on her face or heart during this issue. Dr. Neff claims this simple act may calm anxiety by activating the body’s natural soothing system.

Like some other therapists, Dr. Neff also has the view that there is no need to eliminate anxiety and other negative emotions with force. Self-compassion relieves this condition by accepting the problem, fully understanding it, and dealing with it with kindness. It saves the person from self-criticism and shame that makes the problem worse.

Dr. Julie Hanks

Dr. Julie is a therapist and founder of Wasatch Family Therapy, providing counseling for marriage and relationships, in Utah. Her most famous book on the topic is “The Burnout Cure” which offers valuable advice on maintaining emotional health by treating or alleviating prolonged stress. This book is the result of her experience of treating numerous patients experiencing anxiety and other forms of stress.

Boundary Setting

Dr. Hanks thinks setting healthy boundaries is a major step in reducing anxiety. She says that therapists always want to help their clients. However, it is not always possible for them and this pressure can make them anxious. In this situation, her most helpful stance is to relax and take some time to think if she is overextending and crossing her limits.

For Dr. Hanks, boundary setting is the most significant part of stress management strategies for both professionals and people facing daily life issues. She thinks one should allow time for relaxation and free time and reject commitments that may put unnecessary stress.

After setting these boundaries, the next step is to allocate some time for rest and recreation. These activities may include reading, your favorite sport, and spending time with family and friends. In the last, Dr. Hanks also practices and advises others to practice mindful self-compassion.

Conclusion

Anxiety is a common problem that affects everyone in society, including therapists who treat others for stress and other psychological issues. Some therapists share their experiences with others through their books, guiding thousands or millions of people. Many of these therapist tips for anxiety include remaining calm instead of trying to suppress the issue forcefully.

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What are the symptoms of anxiety?

Anxiety affects a person emotionally and physically. Its major symptoms are sweating, rapid heartbeat, feeling dreadful, discomfort, and stress.

How does mindfulness assist in managing anxiety?

Mindfulness includes acknowledging the issue without trying to suppress it. Mindfulness assists the patient to remain in the present and prevent him from anxiety about future events.

How can you treat stress through self-compassion?

Self-compassion prevents shame and self-criticism, which increases symptoms of anxiety. You can experience self-compassion by choosing similar words and other techniques for yourself that you would use for your friend with this problem.