How Therapy Can Help Reduce Your Anxiety at Work

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By Richard

Feeling too anxious to work hurts us in numerous ways. It may compound feelings of shame or worthlessness, perpetuating a cycle of anxiety that is painful and crippling to live with. We may hinder our own ability to succeed by allowing our beliefs about our work ethic or self-worth to overtake us. Shutting out the noise of self-deprecating thoughts may seem impossible, or perhaps we cower over the thought of criticism from our peers or disappointing our coworkers..

If you relate to any of those statements, you may be one of the many people who could be helped through therapy.

Seeking help is a difficult first step to managing anxiety. We may feel ashamed of ourselves for needing professional assistance, but there is nothing shameful about making a decision to better ourselves. Sometimes it’s not even possible to imagine ourselves with the confidence and peace of mind to live a life free of anxiety, but it can be done. And the results can be effective.

Why Choose Therapy?

Therapists are trained to remain objective. You have little reason to fear judgment from a trained therapist. At the same time, they are capable of offering an outside perspective to your problems and can help you learn new things about yourself in order to better manage your own symptoms of anxiety.

What Do Therapists Do?

Anxiety management is a skill that you need to practice, and the role of the therapist is to help you practice it. It’s important to understand that therapy is not a magic cure for your anxiety, and your therapist cannot help you recover from anxiety independent of your own effort.

A good therapist will, however, be an attentive listener who provides feedback and suggestions based on your unique personality and situation. In addition, they will equip you with the knowledge to manage your anxiety, guide you toward achieving your goals, and help you understand your symptoms from a different perspective.

Therapists tend not to give advice, but rather guidance. The end goal of therapy is to teach you how to make decisions for yourself and manage your own symptoms, to return the independence that you deserve.

How Does Therapy Reduce Anxiety at Work?

The insight gained from therapy is intended to be practiced outside of the therapist’s office. Over time, you will begin to notice gradual changes in the amount of control you feel in a given situation or the way you respond to stimuli.

Each chance to practice the skills you learn from therapy will strengthen your ability to manage your anxiety.

What is the Next Step?

Once you have decided that therapy might be right for you, the next step is to get in contact with a licensed professional therapist. After a handful of visits, you should be able to tell if the therapist you were assigned is the right fit for you. After making the choice to commit to recovery and finding the right therapist, you will be on the way to healing from your workplace anxiety.

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