Most people who come to see me for anxiety have already tried many different things.
They have tried breathing exercises, watched videos, read books, and told themselves to calm down, think positively, stop worrying, get better sleep, exercise more, and control their thoughts.
Some of these things may help.
But then, the anxiety comes back.
That’s usually when people start to wonder, “What is wrong with me?”
Let me ask you something else.
What if nothing is actually wrong with you? What if your anxiety is trying to tell you something?
This idea is at the heart of how I work.
Anxiety is not a malfunction. It is a message.
We have learned to fight anxiety
When your heart starts racing, your chest tightens, your stomach turns, or your mind will not stop thinking at three in the morning, you naturally want it to stop.
Nobody enjoys feeling anxious.
The problem is, if we spend all our energy trying to get rid of anxiety, we never get curious about why it showed up in the first place.
Anxiety can at times be related to what is happening in your life today.
Sometimes, the roots go much further back.
It may be connected to fear, loss, pressure, relationships, old emotional wounds, expectations placed on us, feelings we learned not to express, or parts of ourselves we had to push away to feel accepted.
Not every case of anxiety comes from forgotten childhood experiences. We’re much more complex than that.
After many years working with people, I’ve found that symptoms make more sense when we don’t look at them in isolation.
What is the actual work of an anxiety therapist?
Some people think therapy is just sitting in a room and talking about your problems while someone listens.
Listening matters, but therapy can go much deeper.
A good place to start is by looking at what’s happening right now.
When does the anxiety usually show up?
What takes place in your body?
What kind of thoughts come with it?
When did it start getting stronger?
Does it show up when you are with certain people, handling specific tasks, facing certain situations, or making decisions?
Have you ever felt this way before?
We start to connect the pieces, even if they didn’t seem related at first.
Sometimes, a symptom that once seemed completely irrational starts to make emotional sense.
That moment can be very important.
When we understand, we don’t have to be afraid in the same way.
How I work
I am a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario, and I am the Director of the Jaagran Psychoanalysis and Wellness Centre in Mississauga.
I’ve worked with people for over twenty years, and one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t fit everyone into the same therapeutic category.
You’re not just a diagnosis.
You are a human being with a past, a physical body, personal relationships, fears, strengths, contradictions, and an unconscious aspect to your nature.
Therapy might include a psychoanalytic approach, exploring unconscious patterns, somatic awareness, inner child work, and practical strategies.
Sometimes, we use different tools to figure out what’s happening right now.
Other times, we need to find out where it started.
Often, we need to do both.
At what stage should you start talking to someone?
You don’t have to wait until anxiety feels unbearable.
You might want to reach out if worry affects your sleep, work, or relationships; if panic attacks scare you; if you start avoiding more situations; or if the same emotional patterns keep coming back, no matter what you try.
There’s also a simpler sign:
You’re just tired of fighting yourself.
Your first conversation
You don’t need to know exactly what the problem is when you come in.
That’s not your job.
We’ll start with a conversation.
You can tell me what’s been happening, what you’ve already tried, what’s on your mind, and what you’d like to understand.
That’s where we begin.
If you’re in or near Mississauga and want to find an anxiety therapist, and you feel ready to see your anxiety differently, I’d be happy to talk with you.
You can reach me at (905) 781-8194 or through the website.
Anxiety is not a malfunction. It is a message. Sometimes, the first change happens when we stop asking how to silence it and begin asking what it’s trying to say.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional assessment. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, or go to your nearest emergency department.
Written by : Atul
