Written by Christopher Gore

In the realm of therapy, anxiety is one of the most common—and often most misunderstood—emotional experiences. It can manifest in many ways: racing thoughts, a pounding heart, sleepless nights, or a constant sense of unease. In this blog, we’ll explore the role anxiety plays in our mental and emotional lives, and how therapy provides a safe space for learning to manage, understand, and grow through it.

Understanding and Managing Anxiety in Therapy

Building Awareness and Self-Compassion

Anxiety often tricks us into believing we’re in danger, even when we’re safe. It tells stories of worst-case scenarios and future failures. Therapy helps slow these thoughts down. Through awareness and reflection, clients begin to recognize patterns of anxious thinking, learning that their thoughts are not facts. The first step in managing anxiety is offering yourself grace—not shame—for feeling it.

Processing the Root Causes

Beneath anxiety, there are often deeper emotions and unmet needs—past trauma, fear of rejection, perfectionism, or a need for control. Therapy offers a space to safely explore these roots. By digging into the “why,” clients gain clarity on what their anxiety is trying to protect them from. This process allows individuals to begin rewriting the stories anxiety has been telling them.

Shifting from Avoidance to Engagement

Anxiety tends to push us to avoid situations, people, or thoughts that feel threatening. While avoidance offers short-term relief, it often worsens anxiety in the long run. Therapy encourages gentle, supportive exposure to the things we fear—one step at a time. Through this, clients gain confidence, resilience, and a renewed sense of control over their lives.

Practical Tips for Managing Anxiety:

1. Name It to Tame It: Acknowledge your anxiety without judgment. Saying “I’m feeling anxious right now” helps create space between you and the emotion.

2. Breathe with Intention: Practice deep, slow breathing to help calm your nervous system when anxiety arises. Even 60 seconds can make a difference.

3. Ground Yourself: Use grounding techniques such as naming 5 things you can see, hear, or feel to reconnect with the present moment.

In therapy, anxiety is not something to be feared or silenced—it is something to be understood, held with compassion, and ultimately transformed. When we stop fighting anxiety and start listening to what it’s trying to tell us, healing begins.