David Shields, LMHC
Understand Yourself. Live Differently
Anxiety & Overthinking
When your mind won't stop looking for what could go wrong, it can be difficult to feel settled—even when everything seems to be okay.
You may replay conversations, second-guess decisions, anticipate problems, or find yourself trying to prepare for every possible outcome. Sometimes anxiety shows up as obvious worry or panic. Other times, it looks more like overthinking, irritability, difficulty relaxing, needing reassurance, or feeling as though you always need to stay one step ahead.
You may even recognize that some of your fears are unlikely—and still find that knowing that doesn't make the anxiety go away.
Anxiety Is Often Trying to Protect You
Anxiety isn't simply your mind working against you. Often, it's your brain trying very hard to keep you safe.
Worrying, planning, checking, avoiding, seeking reassurance, or mentally reviewing what happened can all provide a temporary sense of control. The problem is that the more we rely on those strategies to feel safe, the more our brain can learn that uncertainty really is something we need to fear.
Over time, life can become increasingly organized around preventing anxiety rather than living the way you actually want to live.
Learning to Respond Differently To Anxiety
Therapy can help you understand what triggers your anxiety, recognize the patterns that keep it going, and develop a different relationship with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
Depending on what you're experiencing, our work may include learning how to respond differently to anxious thoughts, question assumptions, tolerate uncertainty, reduce avoidance or reassurance-seeking, and gradually face situations that anxiety has taught you to fear.
The goal isn't to eliminate every anxious thought or make sure you never feel afraid. It's to help anxiety have less influence over the choices you make.