In clinic, clients often present with anxiety.
There may be things going on for them that are quite intense, perhaps for quite some time. Many often feel quite overwhelmed and might be a bit embarrassed that they can’t “hold it all together”. This is quite common and certainly nothing to be ashamed about.
We are all grabbed by the intensity of thoughts at times and can become anxious. Simply watching the news can make us anxious! Therefore, this is not a sole experience, and it is important for clients to understand they are not alone in their feelings.
There may also be a general feeling of anxiety that comes about with specific situations in life. We all experience this from time to time, but if it becomes your focus, it may be time to seek greater support.
Anxiety can present in many ways that are specific to each person, and can be exhibited in many varying outward behaviours. For example, some feel anxiety with being around others, some feel anxiety at work, or with family members. We may overeat, overdrink, bite our nails, fidget, and/or many other behaviours.
We all deal with anxious thoughts in various ways.
We develop behaviours to deal with our feelings of anxiety. These behaviours can be wide and far reaching and oftentimes are unbeknownst to us on a conscious level.
The root of anxiety is a feeling, an emotion. It stems from a feeling that we cannot handle or deal with something we are faced with in life. Anxiousness and anxious behaviours are simply the outplay of a feeling you cannot cope with what it is you are faced with.
Each way anxiety presents itself can be a clue to assist in unpacking what lies underneath.
Therefore, observing how anxiety presents itself in life for you is important: what is it for you that raises anxiety? Are there situations in life, such as specific people, work, or family members that bring on feelings of anxiousness? Unpacking these situations help to lead us to more clues, the layers that lie underneath.
Practical steps and skills can also support, and these will vary from person to person.
Bringing everything in life back to very, very simple steps in connection with the body can be super supportive.
This is where conscious presence exercises like connecting to and with the body – can offer greatest support. It is important to keep in mind these exercises are like strengthening a muscle – it mightn’t be so easy to quiet the mind at first, but with focus and practice, it becomes easier to connect to the body and settle the racing mind.
Simple steps with connecting to the body when in a state of feeling calm can assist with building a better connection with the state of not being grabbed by anxious thoughts, as this can then be used to return to when we begin to feel the anxious thoughts coming on.
When in a state of being more settled with ourselves, we can practice simple steps such as asking ourselves the following: can I feel my body in this moment? Can I feel my feet on the floor or my bum in the chair? Can I feel my breath? Can I feel my fingertips? How does my body feel? How is my heart beating? What sensations can I feel in my body?
By bringing a curiosity to the body, we help to build connection with it.
Sometimes keeping a journal of these feelings can also assist.
When in a more settled state, connecting to the body can often support with identifying the times when the barrage of anxious thoughts begin to flood in. By using observation, it allows us to step back and see what is going on without becoming caught in a tangled web of anxious thoughts. Going for a walk, simply connecting with how your feet feel with each step as they touch the ground, can be super supportive.
This may require practice, as it is building a muscle that may not have been used for a very long time.
It is also important to note that there is zero perfection in this process: there is no ‘goal’ here, simply the ability to observe when the thoughts start to come, and transfer focus from the thoughts back to the body. This focus on the body assists us in observation: observing the thoughts without judgement.
This focus can sometimes also assist with zooming out, and seeing situations from a wider angle. With this, we are more able to see the bigger picture and perhaps even our part in it. This allows us greater perspective, to see more of what it is we might need to do in the moment, or perhaps more often than not, that there is nothing we need to do other than just bring more understanding to ourselves.
Simplicity is key: making things super simple, taking it back to the body, and taking things one step at a time, focusing on what is next and nothing more. Feeling what is there to be felt sometimes might be overwhelming, and this is where the support of a professional can assist in unpacking the layers that lie beneath to access the gold within. ✨
Comments