Anxiety 101: The Ultimate Guide to Starting Therapy for Anxiety
While getting more sleep, exercising, and mindfulness are beneficial, going to therapy is often one of the best ways to manage anxiety.
You’ve begun researching the different kinds of therapy and searching out different therapists in your area. You may have an understanding of the challenges you want to address in therapy and even set a few goals for yourself throughout the process.
Now what?
Here at KMA, we know that you want to deal with your anxiety and its symptoms so you can thrive in your personal life, relationships, and career.
To do that, you need a therapy partner who can provide you with the tools and resources you need to face life’s challenges – both big and small.
We know it can be frustrating to navigate the therapy process, from finding the best fit therapist for you to making sure your money is spent on sessions that will bring you the most benefit.
We’ve created this Anxiety Therapy Guide to make this process easier.
Don’t have time to read the full article? Download the Anxiety Therapy Guide to read later.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a persisting feeling of unease that can make your heart race and your stomach turn.
Anxiety is more than just nervousness. It can lead you to have responses that are way out of proportion to the situation at hand.
Over time, these stressful and uncomfortable responses can significantly impact your quality of life, and stop you from doing the things you enjoy.
Common signs of anxiety include:
- Sweating
- Shakiness
- Feeling restless
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling a sense of dread
- Difficulties concentrating and focusing
Anxiety can be caused by a range of different issues, including difficult experiences in childhood, trauma, your physical health, and stressful life events.
Your anxiety can be general, or related to specific scenarios (including situational or social anxiety.)
What’s the Difference Between Anxiety and an Anxiety Disorder?
Any type of anxiety you may be experiencing can cause feelings of discomfort and nervousness.
However, when these feelings are out of proportion to a given situation or are interfering with your ability to enjoy daily life, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder.
You might be an experiencing an anxiety disorder if your anxiety is:
- Much greater than makes sense for a given situation
- Stopping you from doing things you want to do
- Interfering with your sleeping or eating habits
- Causing excessive worry about future events
- Negatively impacting your daily life
Ultimately, anxiety disorders must be diagnosed by a mental health professional.
Whether you have an anxiety disorder or not, anxious feelings can negatively impact your quality of life, and you could benefit from seeking professional support.
3 Best Types of Therapy for Anxiety
Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. The type of therapy that works best for you will depend on your learning style, the challenges you’re facing, and the way you prefer to connect with your feelings.
We’ve outlined three types of therapy that are often effective choices for clients experiencing anxiety.
1. Cognitive behavioural therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an action-based form of therapy that helps you gain control over your feelings and actions by examining the thoughts you have on a daily basis.
It is based on the idea that you have control over your feelings and actions, which are governed by the cognitions (thoughts) that we have on a daily basis.
CBT uses various exercises to help you rewrite negative cognitions in a practical and short-term therapy approach.
CBT can be a good fit if you’re looking to:
- Gain tangible skills and strategies to manage your anxiety
- Create new and positive beliefs about yourself and your life
- Set specific, measurable, and achievable goals
- Experience a set timeline (8 – 16 weeks)
2. Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy helps you to build self-awareness. It lets you understand how your past experiences influence your present behaviour.
Your past relationships – whether romantic, familial, or friendly – may still hold unresolved conflicts. This can cause symptoms, including feelings of anxiety, that interfere with your daily life.
Your therapist will help you examine these relationship patterns and figure out how to resolve them.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy can be a good fit for you if:
- You’re interested in a more flexible
- You place a high value on a deep relationship with your therapist
- You have unresolved feelings about past relationships that contribute to your anxiety
3. Existential therapy
Existential Therapy explores your values and sense of self and challenges you to investigate how to live a more meaningful life.
It can help you to navigate anxiety related to death and dying and support you in experiencing more joy and fulfillment.
It is a relationship-driven form of therapy that emphasizes how you connect with your therapist. It fosters self-awareness, responsibility, and awareness of how the choices you make impact your life.
Existential therapy can be a good fit if you’re looking to:
- Establish strategies to identify and overcome your fears
- Feel a greater sense of personal responsibility and self-determination
- Develop a greater sense of self, and understand your role in your recovery
What Type of Therapist Should You See for Anxiety?
One of the things to consider when choosing a therapist is the type of therapist you’d like to see. In Ontario, the word “therapist” is an umbrella term that covers a variety of different mental health professionals.
You may want to speak to a:
- Psychotherapist
- Social Worker
- Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
Read What Type of Therapist Should I See? to learn more.
How Much Does Anxiety Therapy Cost?
In Ontario Canada, therapy typically costs between $60 - $300 CDN per session for a one-hour session.
You may be able to find cheaper options offered by practices with sliding-scale rates based on your income. (We offer sliding-scale rates on a limited, case-by-case basis.)
The cost of your therapy sessions covers:
- Insurance
- Licensing fees
- Supervision fees
- Your therapist’s in-session and between-session work
Here at KMA, your introductory session will last 50 minutes and cost $190.
Your subsequent sessions will last 50 minutes and cost $245 per session.
How Can You Pay for Therapy?
Therapy at KMA is typically covered under your insurance plan under Psychological Services.
However, your coverage will vary by your plan. Some plans may cover your full sessions, while others may cover 75% and expect you to pay 25% out-of-pocket.
While some therapy offices will deal with your insurance provider directly, most require you to pay upfront. After your session, your therapist will offer a receipt.
Receipts from your therapist should include:
- The therapist’s name (and sometimes, their supervising psychologist's name)
- The session date and length
- The services provided
- Their professional title
- Their license number
- The amount paid
How Does Anxiety Therapy Work at KMA Therapy?
Here at KMA, your therapy journey will begin with a 50-minute Introductory Appointment.
After your Introductory appointment, you’ll be matched with an amazing therapist who we feel will best suit your needs.
You will then attend your First Official Session, and begin your therapy treatment plan.
After you’ve completed your established treatment plan, we’ll do a check-in session to see if you want to continue in therapy, or if you feel confident moving forward without a therapist’s support.
Either way, you’re always welcome back to book another session with your therapist.
Next Steps for Anxiety Therapy
After reading this article, you know what to expect during anxiety therapy.
For more details, including answers to the most frequently asked questions about anxiety, download the free Anxiety 101 Guide.
If you’re ready to start anxiety therapy, book an appointment today.
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