"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
- William James
Anxiety
Are you feeling stressed and anxious? Does worry prevent you from enjoying the moment? Do you feel stuck in your head? Recycling the same thoughts again and again?
Do you feel overwhelmed with worry or fear? Do you feel like you have too much to do and never enough time in one day? Are you having trouble sleeping? Maybe you have trouble falling asleep or wake up early and the thoughts and worries keep you from falling back to sleep.
Perhaps you feel that if you let down your guard, something bad will happen.
Do you sometimes avoid taking risks or trying new things because of anxiety? Or do you avoid social situations due to fear of anxiety? Is anxiety holding you back from taking the steps you want to be more successful at work?
Are you going through a difficult life change like starting a new job, ending a relationship, or starting a family, and feel like your current ways of managing stress are no longer working?
Symptoms of Anxiety
Excessive worry
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling anxious or afraid to try new things or take risks
Trouble with sleep (trouble falling asleep, waking up early, waking up numerous times, having trouble falling back to sleep)
Fear or anxiety
Avoiding social situations due to anxiety or fear
Ruminating or thinking the same worry again and again
Feeling nervous
Worrying about your health
You are not alone. Many of us suffer from feelings of anxiety, especially during periods of transition and intense stress. Anxiety disorders are the number one mental health diagnosis in the United States today. Even if you don’t have a full diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, you may feel your stress and anxiety interfere with you living to your fullest potential and enjoying life. Know that you can get better.
Therapy Helps
You may have already tried strategies for coping with your anxiety, like connecting with a friend, or adding exercise, yoga, or meditation to your day. Perhaps you have tried listening to calming apps or sleep programs. These coping strategies are certainly beneficial but it can make an even more significant impact to have someone to support you in exploring the underlying beliefs and thoughts that contribute to your anxiety. In Los Gatos, I support clients in practicing and learning practical tools to overcome anxiety. I incorporate evidence-based treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness techniques and solution-focused therapy. My clients can expect to feel reduced anxiety and increased calm within the first few sessions. Because each individual is unique and responds differently to each intervention, we collaborate on treatment decisions to best support your individual needs and goals. In therapy, you practice noticing and letting go of the thoughts that contribute to your anxiety. You learn to replace these anxious thoughts with realistic and healthy thoughts which in turn will increase positive feelings and sense of well-being. What I most love as a therapist is witnessing clients let go of anxiety and more fully connect with their calm, centered, and compassionate core self.
Just like the sun is always shining, but sometimes we cannot see it through the clouds, anxiety can cover up your potential and innate wellness and create a cloud over your life. I work with you to release this anxiety so you can fully experience life and be your most calm, capable self.
“Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”
Depression
Do you feel sad or empty? Have you sometimes doubted your worth? Do you feel tired and fatigued? Do you have trouble getting enough sleep or sleeping too much? Do you sometimes lose hope that things can get better? Are you filled with doubt over your decisions? Are you having trouble experiencing pleasure or joy? You may search for happiness and peace but have trouble touching on it in the moment. It’s always a future self. You may think, “I should be able to manage this on my own.” Perhaps you think if you read one more self-help book, you will find the antidote for your dissatisfaction. Perhaps you are tired of feeling like you have not done enough, or, even more painful, feeling like you are not good enough. You may hear voices from your childhood and be aware of the people and the trauma who shaped this part of you who never feels good enough, doesn’t feel like they are doing enough, and has trouble letting go of the past and living fully in the moment.
Depression can drain you of energy, hope, and happiness. Once you are feeling depressed it can be difficult to get out of bed, let alone make the changes needed to feel better. Fortunately, depression is treatable and you can get better. With support, you can take the steps necessary to overcome depression and feel hopeful and positive once again. It helps to have someone compassionate who sees and accepts all parts of you, so that you can heal and learn to love and accept yourself. It helps to have someone who creates a safe place to express and then process hurtful thoughts and painful feelings so they become more manageable and no longer control you. I use an integrative approach to psychotherapy, based in the humanistic tradition of tapping into your potential and trusting in your ability for healing. I work with you to use your own strengths and values in your healing. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, positive psychology, and mindfulness to support in exploring the causes of your depression, challenging the underlying beliefs that contribute to you feeling bad, and releasing the negative thoughts that get in the way of you accepting and valuing yourself, feeling empowered, and enjoying life.
Just like the sun is always shining, but sometimes we cannot see it through the clouds, depression can cover up your inner sun and create a cloud over your life. I work with you to overcome depression so you can fully experience life and be your most calm, capable self.
Start working with Dani today
Simply reach out via the contact form below or call (408) 357-3025 for a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation or to make an appointment in Los Gatos with Dani Salzer, MFT. I support individual of all genders and sexual orientations in decreasing anxiety and depression and becoming your boldest, most confident self.