Psychotherapy is far more than lying on a couch, relating last night’s dreams for your doctor; this is a dynamic interaction between an individual and their counselor to address a wide range of issues from career goals, marriage and family life, to stress relief. In dealing with anxiety, individual psychotherapy will help those coping with severe cases of constant worry to reach the origins of their stress and learn to recognize triggers before they control. Everyone faces pressures throughout life, but for some, they can become crippling. A psychotherapist is taught to not only treat a patient’s condition and symptoms, but also to identify its root causes.
Individuals handle various sorts of stress throughout their lives, especially into adulthood. Children experience pressure from peers as well as scholastic achievement. Sometimes, they’re also up against changes or other challenges in their family life. College-age students feel the pressures of adulthood while having to perform academically. Adults may have trouble with finances or employment. Married or partnered couples need to cope with financial issues while keeping a healthy relationship, raising children, and juggling all that with careers.
Tough economic times bring on additional anxieties as job security evaporates, many find themselves carrying work-loads intended for two. When stress triggers start to build, individuals react in different ways; from lashing out at co-workers or relatives, to distancing oneself from family, or self-medicating with substance abuse. Working together with a professional to manage these feelings can be the much-needed key to better handling every day tensions.
Individual psychotherapy was pioneered by health professionals and psychologists who realized that being able to talk through one’s issues with an un-biased trained professional can be extremely effective. A psychotherapist’s primary goal is to guide a person into a greater self-realization about how he or she interacts with friends, loved ones, co-workers, and daily events. As a trusting relationship grows between an individual and the therapist, the unsettled individual will more openly discuss the issues in his or her life, both past and present. This helps identify the underlying roots of specific problems. Psychotherapy can be used to deal with acute anxiety and stress, but is also helpful in guiding one toward his or her life goals in a more mindful, conscious way.
Once underlying factors behind severe stress are identified, it is necessary for the affected person to develop effective coping mechanisms and to figure out how to better deal with events as they occur. More intense therapy might help one overcome anxieties and fears that often can be traced to childhood and post-traumatic experiences, as well as address long-term feelings of failure, anger, despair, phobias as well as other mind-blocks. Through continued assistance from a psychotherapist, a person will not only develop efficient ways to manage the overwhelming daily tensions, but will likely gain a greater sense of self-worth and self-awareness during the journey of life.
For those dealing with crippling stress, psychotherapy can be paired with common anti-depressant and anxiety medication when necessary. The goals of counseling are to not only address the signs of one’s emotional issues, but also to address the reasons. If you’re coping with severe stress and are seeking long-term solutions, talk to a psychotherapist to take that first step into a more enjoyable, meaningful life.
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If you or someone you know is looking for a a psychotherapist in San Clemente, Ca., , internet marketing specialist Stephen Daniels suggests you contact Professional Psychology Co. With personalized counseling services, this therapist helps persons in south Orange County address a diverse group of of stress related issues.