Can counselling help people struggling with anxiety?

Anxiety can take many forms: from low-key worry to panic attacks, phobias and OCD. It is normal for us to worry, its warnings can keep us and others safe, or help us prepare for things in life which need care and attention.

However, the balance can shift, and instead of it being a call to action or observation, it can instead become debilitating of itself, or lead to unhelpful coping methods, such as: escapist tendencies like excessive use of drink/drugs or video games, an unhelpful avoidance of whatever is causing the anxiety, a poor interaction in the area of life most affected by the stress etc. or by making those important relationships around us suffer the impact or our anxiety.

When you are suffering from anxiety, the thought of trying counselling for the first time can seem very daunting. Counselling can help though, as it gives a person a chance to talk to someone who is not otherwise involved in their lives.  It is private, and a counsellor will not judge; they want to help the client.  

So what does working on our anxiety look like in the therapy room? For myself, differing approaches are required to suit the individual needs and strengths of the client. For some, observing and challenging thought patterns, (regularly used in cognitive behavioural therapy) might bring change, or the perspectives gained from self-reflection.  

For others physical awareness and breathing techniques might help them most;  whereas enhanced personal philosophy or a facilitation of spiritual enquiry/connection may be preferred by others. An incentive for a change of behaviour can be helpful; and I sometimes use visualisation and focusing techniques which can offer insight into the client’s inner workings; mostly I use a combination of methods.  

In a session, the counsellor will listen very carefully to understand the client’s life, behaviour and ways of relating to others. It is the client who holds their history and experience, and the counsellor who brings another perspective, expertise and awareness, to support them in their endeavours. Together they facilitate the client in getting a deeper understanding of what is problematic in their lives, unearth the roots of those problems, and help to alleviate symptoms. The counsellor helps the client help themselves; an ability which will continue their whole lives.

The first meeting is an important one, as both parties have a chance to see if they can work together. In my first sessions I assess how the client is feeling at that point in time, get some of their personal history, and an idea of how they want to improve their lives.

Counselling can be a rocky road at times, but, if the client is ready, I am there to  “walk by their side” - as it were - whilst they undergo this process. This can take time and effort, but the benefits of understanding our demons can be invaluable, including an ability to work with, and advantageously use, the stressors in our lives.

So, if a client does decide that they want to go ahead and try counselling, then, in response to my earlier question: Yes, anxiety can be helped by counselling.