If you frequently...
- Wake up with a feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach
- Play the "what if" game—habitually focused on the worst-case scenario
- Feel isolated from your friends—too ashamed to reveal your anxiety
- Have difficulty being assertive, expressing an opinion or a feeling
- Feel like you're going through the motions in your life and career
- Experience chronic muscular tension or other physical symptoms
- Feel creatively blocked—afraid to experiment and play
Laurie Handler, MFT
MFC 43796
You're not alone.
When I hit age thirty-five, anxiety hit me. On the surface, things looked great. My career was
in good shape, I was healthy, and had loving friends. However, underneath that thin veneer I felt paralyzed by anxiety and too ashamed to reach out for support.
Anxiety ran my life for years until I finally decided to get help. I found a therapist who really
understood what I was experiencing, because she had also struggled with anxiety. Knowing this
gave me hope that I might also find some relief. My therapist created a safe place where I began
to take a closer look at my life, and finally begin to inhabit my body.
As I became more grounded in my body, the spinning thoughts and worries in my head began
to slow down. I was able to just "be" and enjoy the simple pleasures of living with less anxiety.
My therapist helped me to discover a more embodied sense of self. With her care and support,
I was able to navigate through that extremely challenging period of my life—a journey that
eventually led me to the rewarding path I'm now on.