b'ANXIETY DISORDERSA model of support & recoveryF or the past fourteen years, Iveto achieve that.One of the most crucial elements to worked in the field of Personalsuccess is when the client sets their own positively stated Development as a Counsellor,goals and has continued support toachieve them. These Psychotherapist and Coach andneed to be very realistic and not over- zealous so as not am trained in NLP, Hypnotherapy andto add to any pressure.Mindfulness. I work with people sufferingWorking towards these goals can be supported using simple but powerful methods.depression, work-related stress andKeeping a daily journal of thoughts and feelings and anxiety issues and Generalised Anxietya daily practice of actions taken to start to question Disorder. and then to start to question and challenge the anxiety Often, clients have suffered from GAD in some way foris a powerful tool.most of their adult life. They may have tried counsellingReframing exercises around positive statements before (with mixed results) and often taking anti-anxietyto set how they would prefer to experience anxiety- medications. They tend to get to a point where they thinkinducing situations.they just have to live with it but this, in itself, presentsLearning to be able to run through them in a sensory many difficulties in their life. manner to become aware of how their body responds In my experience of working with GAD, the mostphysically.effective model of recovery includes challenge andLearning to build new neural pathways (developing change in the following three areas: cognition, physicallasting ways of thinking that are more resourceful).sensation and behaviour, using a therapy/ Setting daily behavioural tasks to explore coaching approach. how to push their boundaries and start to Many anxiety conditions arecreate a new way of being in the world.exacerbated by work-related stress,The mostDaily mindfulness practices to help external and internal pressuresmanage the cognitive and physical and difficulties in relationships tooimportant thing symptoms of anxiety.(especially if a partner suffers fromis to be clearThe behavioural aspect is any similar conditions.) about what yousignificant in supporting someone The most important thing is to beto manage their anxiety as its clear about what you really wantreally want and tangible and measurable. This and how you want to feel. how you wantoffers clients a real sense of Its too easy to get stuck in theto feel confidence that things are changing pattern of talking about what youwhen results are visible in their dont want and going in circles frombehaviours.there. Through these combined approaches, clients When learning how to change, its not alwaysstart feeling far less anxious and begin to realise a clear path at first, especially when confusionthat they are actually able to stop constantly worrying and unhappiness are overwhelming.It can feelabout what might go wrong and gain more control over uncomfortable to be asked questions in a way that couldtheir thoughts and feelings.feel challenging or intimate but in the therapist space, itsIts entirely possible for people to learn to successfully safe and also necessary. manage anxiety disorders and, through having a greater Clients often notice the difference between our coachingunderstanding of their beliefs and values,they can really sessions and previous counselling sessions theyve had.connect with their true selves.With the integrated approach, sessions are much moreOnce they are more aware, they can choose changes future based and take a solution-orientated approachthey want to make in order to free themselves from rather than solely therapy centred and an examinationperpetuating cycles of anxiety. People can achieve of issues and problems. happiness and successful long-term change with a The therapeutic coaching approach helps to elicit whathappier, lighter future lies ahead without the daily a client needs and wants and how to move forwardburden of anxiety.23'