Anxiety Counselling Vancouver
Anxiety Disorder Therapy
Get Anxiety Counselling in Vancouver now. Anxiety and stress are normal responses that
promote our survival by triggering the fight-flight-freeze response. With this programmed
response, increased blood flow, heart rate, and adrenaline motivate us to keep ourselves safe. For many people, this alarm reaction is brief and appropriate to this situation. For others, it is not brief or appropriate, causing either an anxiety disorder (when the person is significantly distressed or impaired in daily life) or an anxiety problem (when it is not serious enough to be called a disorder).
Click here to book a consultation with Dr. Paul James.
Anxiety Disorders that I Treat in Vancouver, BC, Canada, are:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (excessive worry about many areas of life)
- Panic Disorder (intense anxiety and panic attacks triggered out of the blue by physical symptoms)
- Social Anxiety Disorder (phobia about social situations)
- PTSD (re-experiencing the fear associated with extreme trauma)
- Agoraphobia (apprehension about leaving the security of home and being in public)
- Phobias (fear associated with a specific thing or situation)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (avoidance by engaging in ritualized behaviours/thoughts)
Some of the Common, Anxiety Problems I Treat are:
- Separation anxiety (triggered by experiences of separation – such as the grief of losing a significant relationship or difficult transitions in life)
- Stress anxiety (associated with chronic stressors)
- Mood anxiety related to depression
- Obsessive thinking (worrying that is driven by anxiety)
- Postpartem anxiety (related to postpartum depression)
- Sleep anxiety (associated with difficulty sleeping)
- Performance anxiety (associated with performance situations such as sex and public speaking)
- Couples/family anxiety (associated with conflict and negative behaviors)
Vancouver Counselling & Treatment for Anxiety
My psychological approach to counselling and psychotherapy for anxiety in Vancouver is depth-affective-cognitive-behavioural. This means that I treat anxiety and stress by helping men and women in counselling change distressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, with an understanding that the source of their distress lies in childhood trauma and defenses against anxiety. This perspective views the intensity of anxiety as intrusive, meaning that, although the anxiety is triggered by some stimulus in the present, it belongs to the past (see the article, Intrusive Feelings). Having this wise understanding doesn’t stop us from feeling nervous, but it makes the anxiety less distressing, enabling us to reduce it further using counselling techniques including CBT such as:
- Externalizing and countering the negative thought process or inner voice
- Gradual exposure (cognitive and behavioural)
- Mindfulness meditation
- Relaxed breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Safe place visualization
- Expressing anger responsibly
- Bringing our presence to the anxiety with wisdom and self-compassion
For a hypothetical clinical case, which illustrates how I provide counselling and therapy to an individual client with anxiety and depression, read more here.
Counselling Can Help You
Although there is no cure for anxiety, professionals such as counsellors and therapists can really
help. With my professional experience over three decades as a counsellor/therapist and my
support, and your time, resources, and willingness to learn and improve your health by asking for
help and receiving counselling and therapy, you may manage your anxiety such that you feel:
- Less avoidant of situations and things
- Relieved of negative behaviours used previously to avoid anxiety such as alcohol
- Bigger in the world
- More relaxed in your body
- More comfortable sexually
- Less uncomfortable socially
- More at peace with your thoughts
Help for Anxiety and Stress is Available Nearby
As a Registered Psychologist, Dr. James has been providing anxiety counselling in Vancouver, BC, for over three decades in his own private-practice office. Dr. James is experienced, likes how he works with clients, and feels confident about treating you. Dr. James invites you to contact him online by email at info@pauljames.ca or to call him by phone at 604-873-0222 if you would like a five to ten minute consultation in order to identify your issues, to request information about his counselling and therapy services including fees, and if you wish, to book an appointment. Dr. James is usually able to accommodate clients within one week.
Dr. Paul S. James
Registered Psychologist #975
Contact Us
Dr. Paul S. James, Ed.D.
Email: info@pauljames.ca
King Edward/Oak St. Office.
Phone: (604) 873-0222