Dana Goldenberg Counseling

Anxiety Is A Heavy Burden To Carry Alone

Living as your own worst critic can drain you of your sense of empowerment and energy. Seemingly unable to reach the high expectations you’ve set for yourself, you might struggle with a demanding inner monologue that includes anxious, shameful thoughts. If your instinct is to regularly criticize and blame yourself for perceived failures, anxiety might be the cause.

Common Symptoms Of Anxiety

For women anxiety presents itself in a variety of emotional, mental, and physiological ways. From sleep issues to muscle tension to body aches, anxiety can create physical discomfort and significantly impact our energy level. It isn’t easy to keep up with our goals and responsibilities when we’re running on fumes.

Anxiety is common among women, as we’re conditioned to take on additional stress without asserting healthy boundaries. Saying no can be particularly difficult, and we’re often left worrying about if we’ve messed up or let others down. This creates a feeling of isolation and disconnection at work and in our relationships.

If you’re overwhelmed by anxiety, you probably feel like fear and worry have taken control of your life. You’ve developed such a self-critical point-of-view that you no longer go after what you want. Paralyzed by perfectionism and fear of failure, you find it challenging to engage with the parts of life that once motivated you. But dread and worst-case-scenario thinking are not your only options—it’s possible to quiet that inner critic. With anxiety treatment, you can develop a more affirming view of yourself as you learn lifelong skills to manage stress.

To schedule a free, 15-minute consultation or learn more about how I can support you, please fill out the contact form.

Anxiety Is A Widespread Issue, But Women Are More Likely To Be Affected

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are “the most common mental health condition” in the US. This data also indicates that the prevalence of anxiety is higher among women (at 23 percent) when compared with the national average (19 percent). Why is that? The reality is that for those of us who identify as women, we are more likely to encounter obstacles that lead to an anxiety disorder. Between damaging societal expectations and higher rates of trauma, there is an increased likelihood of developing worry, hypervigilance, and other anxiety symptoms.

Of course, anxiety disorders do have genetic roots, but social and environmental factors are also at play. A great example of such an influence is social media. Though some platforms can be great for maintaining connections, they also encourage a toxic comparison culture that impacts users’ self-esteem. Not to mention, social media outlets often perpetuate the same damaging narratives that create unrealistic lifestyle standards and expectations of women in the first place.

In that regard, a lot of unlearning needs to happen if you want to be successful in overcoming anxiety. Fortunately, therapy can offer you an opportunity to navigate obstacles and develop a new perspective no longer controlled by fear and worry.

You Can Support Your Well-Being And Establish Self-Empowerment In Anxiety Treatment

If you’re living with daily symptoms of anxiety, you may have difficulty discerning when your expectations of yourself are helpful and reasonable—and when they’re just plain counterproductive. Working with a therapist, you can identify core issues and triggers, building the tools you need to foster more self-compassion and awareness.

My Approach

I am passionate about providing tailored anxiety treatment and believe that therapy can help everyone who struggles with their mental health. For this reason, I take a creative approach to counseling that combines evidence-based behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and experiential therapy. Together, we will collaborate on individualized solutions to target your anxiety symptoms.

In addition to the skills-building and strength-based focus I implement into anxiety treatment, I will support you with unlearning some of the gendered expectations you’ve taken on as a woman. Pairing this with an understanding of your early relationship models, you can create more effective boundaries.

Alongside the knowledge you gain in therapy will be a tremendous increase in your sense of empowerment. Operating from a new, more affirming mindset, you will be able to tackle personal and professional problems with more clarity. And the more self-acceptance you foster, the better you will feel.

You have a right to a fulfilling life that is not dictated by suffering or shame. In therapeutic treatment for anxiety, you can rise above the self-doubt that is draining life of the many fulfilling possibilities that await you.

Perhaps You’re Worried That You Have An Anxiety Disorder, But You’re Not Sure If Counseling Is Right For You

I should be able to figure out my anxiety alone without the help of a therapist.

If you feel like you “should” be able to do something without help, that often indicates that you’re holding yourself accountable to unhealthy patterns and expectations.

Therapy is an effective, beneficial way to address anxiety, obstacles, and past challenges so that they have less of a negative impact on our lives. We naturally become more insightful and empowered in counseling, paving the way for overcoming daily symptoms of anxiety. And by understanding how unhealthy expectations have shaped our perception, we can adjust our behaviors to become healthier.

Anxiety treatment is too time-consuming and expensive.

Therapy is an investment in your emotional, physical, and mental well-being. By reconnecting with your emotions, you give yourself the opportunity to become the best version of yourself, which can significantly improve your work, relationships, and everyday life for the better.

If you’re interested in working together, I encourage you to contact your insurance company to find out more about what your out-of-pocket cost will be.

I'm afraid to become vulnerable in therapy/I'm afraid that therapy will make me more self-critical.

Being vulnerable can be hard, but the right clinician will help you feel comfortable to open up, explore your emotions, and develop confidence.

My hope as your therapist is to foster a trusting relationship with you that honors your pace and goals for anxiety treatment. I find that when clients are aware of the growth and healing that therapy provides, they can become their most authentic and self-compassionate selves.