Therapy Services for Anxiety and More
Discover therapy services for anxiety at Phoenix Counseling Group. Our team of highly qualified and experienced therapists provides comprehensive mental health support. We specialize in helping individuals navigate a range of challenges, including trauma, and counseling for anxiety, stress, and depression. Our expertise extends to addressing serious mental health disorders such as dementia, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
We offer a flexible approach to therapy, providing support through individual, group, and tele-mental health sessions to best suit your needs and preferences. Our goal is to empower you with effective coping strategies, enhance your emotional well-being, and improve your overall quality of life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the difference between beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and free them from unhelpful patterns of behavior.
CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how he or she will feel and act in response.
CBT can help with:
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Panic attacks
-Phobias
-Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)
-Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
-Substance dependency
-Persistent pain
-Disordered eating
-Sexual issues
-Anger management issues
Most people with clearly defined behavioral and emotional concerns tend to reap the benefits of CBT. If any of the above issues resonate with you, I encourage you to try cognitive behavioral therapy.
With CBT, you’ll be able to adjust the thoughts that directly influence your emotions and behavior. This adjustment process is referred to as cognitive reconstructing, which happens through different CBT techniques.
Some CBT techniques are:
-Journalling
-Challenging beliefs
-Relaxation
-Meditation
-Mindfulness
-Social, physical, and thinking exercises
Cognitive behavioral therapy is much more than sitting and talking about whatever comes to mind during a session. CBT sessions are structured to ensure that the therapist and the person in treatment are focused on the different goals of each session, which in turn ensures that each and every session is productive.
Counseling for Anxiety
Is anxiety taking over your life? Does it feel like you can’t control it no matter how hard you try? Have you already tried therapy but found it ineffective?
If this sounds like you, I’m confident I can help. My practice offers the most effective forms of treatment, to get the relief from anxiety that you deserve.
When it comes to treating anxiety disorders, research shows that therapy is usually the most effective option. That’s because anxiety therapy – as opposed to anxiety medication – treats more than just symptoms to the problem.
Often, these are the symptoms of anxiety:
-Nervousness, restlessness or being tense
-Feelings of danger, panic or dread
-Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
-Increased or heavy sweating
-Trembling or muscle twitching
-Weakness or lethargy
-Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about
-Insomnia
-Obsessions about certain ideas, a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder
-Anxiety surrounding a particular life event or experience that has occurred in the past, a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder
Therapy can help to uncover the underlying causes of your worries and fears, learn how to relax, look at situations in a new, less frightening way, and develop better coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills.
Play Therapy
Play therapy refers to a large number of treatment methods, all applying the therapeutic benefits of play. Play therapy helps children to address and resolve their own problems and builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world around them.
APT defines play therapy as the “systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development.”
Play therapy helps children:
-Become more responsible for their behaviors and develop -more successful strategies
-Develop new and creative solutions to problems
-Develop respect and acceptance of self and others
-Learn to experience and express emotion
-Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others
-Learn new social skills and relational skills with family
-Develop self-efficacy and a better assuredness about their abilities
-Play therapy aims to help a child’s growth and development.
The practice of play therapy requires extensive, specialized education, training and experience. With my knowledge and background, I am confident that you and I can set your child up for success.
Counseling for Friends and Family
More often than not, drug addictions start with experimental use of a drug in social situations. And for some people, drug use becomes more frequent. As time passes, a person may feel the need to use more of a drug to get their desired high, and soon a person may need the drug to simply feel “good.”
When we see this happen to a loved one, we do everything we can to help. But sometimes, our unconditional love simply isn’t enough.
Signs and symptoms of recent use include:
Feeling of exhilaration and excess confidence
Increased alertness
Increased energy and restlessness
Behavior changes or aggression
Rapid or rambling speech
Dilated pupils
Delusions and hallucinations
Irritability or changes in mood
If your loved one comes to mind with any of the above symptoms and behaviors, it may be time to consider addiction counseling.
As an addiction counselor, I will address the symptoms of your loved one’s addiction and the related areas of impaired functioning, and together we’ll structure the time and content of their ongoing recovery.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, or MBCT, is designed for people who suffer from repeated bouts of depression or chronic unhappiness. It combines the ideas of cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness.
Recent research has shown that people who have been clinically depressed three or more times in their life find that learning mindfulness-based skills help to considerably reduce their chances of depression returning.
What does MBCT help treat?
-Depression and anxiety
-Food and eating issues
-Low mood and negative thoughts
-Body sensations such as weariness and sluggishness
-Psychosis
If you can relate to any of the above issues, mindfulness-based therapy may be right for you. MBCT helps people separate themselves from their thoughts and moods, and teaches them how to recognize their sense of being. It also aims to give participants the necessary tools to combat depressive symptoms as they arise.
Reiki
This is an in-person event being offered at the West Ashley location.
For individual Reiki Sessions $130 for 60 minute session
Reiki is an energy healing technique that works holistically: body, mind and spirit. Reiki is not a system of religious beliefs, it is simply a relaxing treatment where natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner to the body of the recipient. The transmission of Reiki energy can be received in person, long-distance, or virtually.
The purpose of a Reiki session is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle body energies (the chakras) and support other medical modalities including traditional therapies.
The practice of Reiki emerged in Japan in the late 1800’s and has gained new respect within the medical community. Highly reputable medical facilities throughout the U.S. offer Reiki to their patients as an alternative healing program. Those facilities are analyzing the benefits of their programs and according to UCLA Health, the results of these Reiki research studies is nothing short of remarkable.
The experience of Reiki is different for each individual. Many people find relief from common aches and pains while others enjoy a quieting of the mind and a release of mental anguish.
Some find energy levels increase or stabilize and some resolve issues that they have been working on for years!
You do not have to have an illness to benefit from Reiki.
60 or 90 minute sessions consist of Reiki healing energy, Chakra balancing, and can also include gentle yoga and/or verbal Chakra coaching (life coaching based on the chakras).
Each session is especially curated based on what I believe will be most helpful to you depending on your needs.
You can receive Reiki sessions in person or from the comfort of your own home. One of the extraordinary things about Reiki is that it is able to transcend time and space. A virtual session on Zoom is conducted just like an in-person Reiki session.
Please note: Reiki is not meant to diagnose or cure illnesses, although it may support the body in healing itself.
Therapy for Depression
Are you feeling hopeless, isolated and not your usual self?
Do these thoughts often enter your mind?
-I am worthless and can’t do anything about it.
-I feel guilty for just wanting to eat, sleep and be alone.
-I hate who I am these days.
-I can’t stop crying, which makes me want to stay away from others.
-I feel gut-wrenching pain, but no one understands.
-My life and the world around me are dark. I hate it, but I can’t change it.
-If you have had any variation of these thoughts and don’t feel like your usual self, chances are you may be suffering from depression.
I want you to know that you are not alone and there are people who can help. Many of my clients find relief in realizing that their struggle does not own them and that there are many options available to once again have hope for their lives.
I understand the social stigmas that come with label of being depressed, and thus aim to help clients sort out their environmental, biological and circumstantial factors while offering support and care through a very dark time in their lives.
Counseling for New Mothers
For new moms, it can be upsetting and frightening to have feelings about motherhood that don’t seem “right.”
For some women, a morning run, a healthy diet and receiving help and support from family and friends are sufficient enough to get through the initial adjustment period. For others, talking to a therapist who specializes in dealing with new motherhood issues can be comforting, relieving and enlightening.
Therapists who have extensive education and training in post-partum disorders understand that hormone changes, personal and family history, and social support are all vital factors in understanding and alleviating postpartum symptoms.
Common postpartum symptoms include:
-Feeling overwhelmed and wondering if you should have become a mother in the first place
-Feeling guilty due to high self-expectations
-Not feeling “bonded” with the baby
-Your thoughts are racing and you can’t quiet your mind
-Feeling empty and numb as if you’re just going through the motions
-Lack of focus and concentration
-Being afraid that if you reach out for help, others will judge your inabilities
-Thoughts of running away or leaving your baby behind
-Being constantly in a state of worry
Counseling for Trauma
Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.
While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
Trauma Symptoms
-According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5
Avoidance Symptoms
-Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
-Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Re-experiencing Symptoms
-Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks
Hyperarousal Symptoms
-Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
-Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
-Sleep disturbances
Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms
-Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
-Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
-Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
-Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are used in treating trauma.
Group Therapy
Group therapies involve one or more licensed therapists working with various clients at the same time. It is a part of a comprehensive plan, often combined with individual therapy and medication, to help improve communication skills, tackle social anxiety, and boost confidence to interact in social settings.
We have a team of licensed therapists with expertise in group therapy. Our group therapy programs cover cognitive behaviors, including improving thinking patterns and emotional behaviors and responses. We focus on helping clients identify and understand their thinking traps and ways not to fall prey to the traps.
We help people with developmental disabilities develop socially appropriate behaviors along with focusing on interpersonal relationships.
Our group sessions typically include 8-10 people. We have smaller groups too with 3-4 people with weekly sessions of an hour.
Individual Therapy
Our team of licensed and certified therapists help you learn effective strategies to manage your trauma, anxiety, stress, and depression along with addressing serious mental disorders, including PTSD, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, trauma.
Our focus is on improving your quality of life by helping you manage your emotions and behaviors better. Our therapists help you overcome trauma or heal from life-long challenges. Our diverse team is well-versed in various types of therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, sand tray therapy, mindfulness therapy, interpersonal therapy, and more.
In therapy, you will learn how to quit unhealthy patterns, make healthier and smarter choices, manage stress effectively, and take control of your emotions and behaviors.
Encourage yourself and your loved ones to enroll in our individual therapy program and feel a massive difference in their life.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, involves having obsessive thinking patterns that can include unwanted thoughts, images or urges that make a person feel anxious or distressed.
Individuals who have OCD often have significant difficulty pushing away or ignoring these thoughts. Those with OCD also have compulsive behaviors which are an attempt to reverse the obsessive thoughts or urges by performing some sort of action.
Common signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, of OCD are:
-Intrusive thoughts
-Constant checking
-Constant counting
-The repeated cleaning of one or more items
-Constantly checking the stove or door locks
-Fear of contamination
-Hoarding
-Thoughts that you might be harmed
-Thoughts that you might cause others harm
If one or more of the above symptoms resonates with you, I encourage you to look into OCD therapy today. Research shows that the most effective treatments for OCD are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and/or medication.
Telehealth
Do you need support, but can’t make it to an in-person appointment? Are you a busy stay-at-home or working parent, and don’t have the time to drive across town for an appointment?
Do you live in a more rural area, or maybe you prefer to just do things Virtually?
If so, we can help you through virtual therapy, or telehealth.
Telehealth allows us to provide counseling and therapy to our clients via live video conferencing. This can be done anywhere you have a computer or smartphone.
Telehealth appointments can be very beneficial if getting to a traditional in-person appointment is not convenient, or you simply just don’t want to.
Our telehealth solution allows you to schedule an appointment directly online and have the entire therapy session take place digitally. While you don’t need a video camera, we do recommend you use one. To learn more and get started with virtual therapy, please contact us today.
Yoga
The Remedy: Yoga for Anxiety is a 5-week series, dedicated to empowering you with tools, practices, and resources to take charge of your anxiety — even in times of overwhelm, uncertainty, and doubt.
If you want to:
-TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR ENERGY & START LIVING LIFE ON -YOUR TERMS
-LEARN SIMPLE TOOLS TO ANCHOR YOU WHEN ANXIETY -STARTS TO ARISE
-RECLAIM YOUR CONFIDENCE & VITALITY
-ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN YOUR OWN HEALING PROCESS
-FEEL SUPPORTED ON YOUR JOURNEY
Then this series of The Remedy is for you!
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
-Four x 60 minute yoga classes especially curated to help you reduce feelings of anxiety. (In-studio OR livestream on Zoom, you choose which works best for you.)
-Practical “back pocket” tools to focus and anchor you so you can respond with steady confidence and counter anxiety when it starts to arise.
-Mindfulness session to…. so you can….
-Group discussion after each session so you can learn about anxiety triggers, ask questions, and feel supported by likeminded people on the journey with you.
YOUR GUIDES:
Angela Rauscher, MA, E-RYT 500 hr, YACEP
Christine Conti, MA
INVESTMENT: $199