Category: Individual Therapy

Anxiety Counseling Long Island

All humans experience anxiety to some degree in certain situations. Feeling anxious about important upcoming events, grief, stressors, or potentially dangerous situations is considered normal and a beneficial defense mechanism.

A healthy amount of anxiety can be helpful to increase motivation and drive healthy competition and success. However, it can become problematic when it comes with unhealthy apprehension, uncontrollable worry, and intense, irrational fears that interfere with daily life, self-confidence, and relationships.

Some cases of anxiety can be due to a stressful or grief-inducing event, substance use, or a medical condition. Symptoms can also be long-term and chronic and may not improve without treatment.

If you feel that symptoms of anxiety are causing you distress, seeking therapy is recommended.

Many people associate anxiety exclusively with panic attacks, however this is not always the case. In those with generalized anxiety disorder, the pernicious symptoms are present without recurring panic attacks.

Some of the symptoms of general anxiety can be as follows:

  • Mind racing with thoughts or going blank, making it hard to concentrate
  • Excessive worry, apprehension, fear that seems impossible to control
  • Restlessness, insomnia
  • Muscle aches / tension
  • Frequent fatigue
  • Irritability, agitation

Panic attacks are induced quickly and can last for minutes, with recovery and post-attack fatigue possibly lingering for hours. These events can be rare and transient, or chronic and frequently recurrent.

Panic attacks generally manifest with symptoms such as:

  • Increased heart rate, palpitations, chest pain
  • Shaking, restless movement
  • Chills or hot flashes, sweating
  • Feeling short of breath, heavy respiration, tightness in the throat
  • Lightheadedness, dizziness
  • Nausea, abdominal discomfort
  • Feelings of spiraling out of control, impending death or harm
  • Disconnection from reality or time

Anxiety can also manifest itself within other conditions including depression, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, and specific phobias.

A therapist can help you distinguish what type(s) of anxiety you are dealing with. From a cognitive perspective, the licensed provider can help you identify the thoughts that cause it while working through methods to control the anxious behaviors that come as a result.

Regardless of the intensity of your anxiety, symptoms can be managed and fears overcome through reformulating thought patterns in counseling. Being present in a neutral, non-judgmental space where you can express your fears and concerns is helpful in the journey to attain physical, psychological, and emotional relaxation. A holistic approach to counseling can teach you how to approach and handle anxiety-inducing situations without having to deal with the constant stress of fear, worry, and panic. Reaching out for help is the first important step in giving yourself the freedom of a clear, calm mind in the face of anxiety.

For more info. on counseling, call (516) 592-1107 or email Chana Pfeifer at TheHappierMe.LCSW@gmail.com.

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Grief Counseling Long Island

Processing grief due to the death of a spouse or partner can be a turbulent journey of emotional, psychological, and physical pain. The grieving process is different for every individual and it is essential that one has the opportunity to process the entire spectrum of emotions. Grief counseling can be a healthy way to cope with any emotions that may come up.

Constant shifting of emotional tides can be overwhelming in one’s delicate state following a loss.

Although individual experiences of grief can differ for everyone, the process has often been categorized into stages, most commonly that of Kübler-Ross (1969) which outlines them as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Most often, the lines surrounding these stages are blurred and can incorporate many complex emotions not indicated in the model. Traumatic circumstances surrounding the death can be additional barriers to the healing process.

Initially, it is normal to be unwilling to accept that a loved one has died, feeling emotionally numb, or avoiding things related to the grief. One may feel anger directed towards life, oneself, others, and the loss itself. The bargaining stage can bring about a cyclic state of questioning about alternative outcomes or what could have been done to prevent the death. Depression manifests itself in various ways and is often accompanied by deep sadness, hopelessness, and isolation. These are normal reactions to loss.

Recognizing and processing feelings is necessary to progress to eventual acceptance. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to express one’s distress to close friends or family members. One might feel a sense of loneliness and detachment. Since this can lead to unhealthy repression, it is greatly beneficial to have a trained professional to talk to.

Persistent grief, that seems to worsen instead of improve over a long period of time, can be greatly detrimental to one’s health. Some characteristics of this typically include a separation from one’s identity, overwhelming guilt and longing, total denial and refusal of reality, or a desire to die so that one can reconnect with the deceased. In these cases, it is especially critical to seek therapy.

Counseling can provide judgement-free support to process pain and alleviate deep internal chaos associated with feelings of grief and the mourning process.

A counselor can help explain and validate difficult thoughts and emotions following the loss of a spouse/friend/family member. Therapy facilitates one’s ability to focus on positive memories of the loved one while employing healthy coping strategies.

For additional info. about grief counseling, call (516) 592-1107 or email Chana Pfeifer at TheHappierMe.LCSW@gmail.com.

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Individual Counseling for Social Anxiety

Social anxiety, also referred to as social phobia, is one of the most considerable mental health problems in the world.

A person who suffers from this disorder harbors a fear of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people. It is this usually irrational belief, which then leads to feelings of depression, humiliation, and inferiority.

Recent surveys done in the United States show that it is the third largest mental health problem affecting their citizens, after alcoholism and depression, proving how common this affliction is.

There are two broad categories of social anxiety. In the specific social anxiety category, patients usually fear to speak in front of groups of people or avoid very particular kinds of social situations. The second type is generalized social anxiety, in which people are generally uncomfortable and anxious in all social situations. However, no matter what form of social anxiety is in question; millions of people worldwide suffer from it.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY

Social anxiety is a disorder that encompasses both psychological and physiological symptoms. Patients suffering from this condition experience extreme anxiety and discomfort in certain situations, for example when they are being introduced to new people, when they are put in the center of attention or when they know they have to talk to a group of people. While most people may experience some level of nervousness in the scenarios as mentioned above, people suffering from social anxiety go through such a high level of panic and distress that at times they cannot face the situation at all and this discomfort manifests it in physical symptoms as well.

These physical symptoms include the patient’s heartbeat becoming very fast, excessive blushing, and the twitching of muscles in the face and neck area. What needs to be understood is that patients of social anxiety realize that their fears are irrational, but are unable to make them go away. This condition is severe and needs to be treated with the help of a qualified therapist so that the patient can live their life easier by dealing with their fear of social situations.

HOW CAN SOCIAL ANXIETY BE TREATED?

A piece of good news – when it comes to social anxiety, the condition can be overcome with proper professional help and perseverance. Chana Pfeifer is an exceptionally well-qualified therapist based in Long Island who can help you with any issues you are facing and provide one-on-one therapy sessions for social anxiety.

The most common treatment used to deal with social anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a comprehensive therapy which firstly identifies the triggers of the disorder, the negative thoughts associated with the trigger, and how these thoughts can be treated.

The human brain is a very complex and intricate organ that is capable of learning and adapting to change at any time – only a push in the right direction is needed. A qualified therapist can use CBT and other techniques to help you develop strategies that you can use when you are in a distressing social situation.

COUNSELING FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY TAKES COMMITMENT

As is the case with therapy for almost all mental issues, it will take some time for you to see results. At times, therapy can seem difficult as you have to talk about complicated feelings and face your fears, but perseverance and consistently attending your therapy sessions is very important if you are serious about dealing with your social anxiety. You also need to practice all the strategies that your therapist develops with you so that you are so well trained in applying those strategies in real life situations, so that they become second nature.

For additional information about counseling, please call (516) 592-1107 or email Chana Pfeifer at TheHappierMe.LCSW@gmail.com

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Workplace Anxiety

Many people experience anxiety associated with their jobs or careers.

Job instability, office politics, deadlines, career advancement, and many other factors can cause workplace anxiety, and this can spill over into our interpersonal relationships, especially within the family unit. This can cause family strife, as the working individual injects or transfers the anxiety from their job into their family relationships.

There’s tactics you can use to mitigate & manage workplace anxiety.

Organization, good time management, and taking the time for self-care are all important tools for mitigating workplace anxiety.

It is also important to be realistic about your abilities and avoid overextending yourself. To the extent possible, avoid toxic co-workers and office gossip. It can also be useful to get a head start on projects whenever possible, and ask for help when necessary.

Most importantly for your personal relationships, you need to set boundaries. To the extent that your job permits, keep your work in the office and avoid taking work calls and emails from home.

Take advantage of your vacation time: try to use it to go somewhere that allows you to diminish your level of stress and return to work refreshed and rejuvenated.

Social Worker West Hempstead NY / Workplace Anxiety CounselorTalking about your feelings, whether with a co-worker, family member, or therapist, can help you to understand and manage your anxiety.

Even the act of sharing your feelings can be cathartic and help to diminish your levels of stress.

Sharing your feelings with family members can also be important, as this allows them to understand the pressures you are under and may even help them overlook some venting behaviors.

One of the most important things is not to let workplace anxiety affect your personal and family relationships.

This requires a certain level of self-management. If you have a long commute, spending the time it takes to get home to cool off before interacting with your family members can be a useful tool. Calling a friend or other confidante to discuss your work situation before interacting with your family can also help you arrive home in a less agitated state. You can even discuss with family members that you need a certain, reasonable cooling off period after arriving home before being asked to address family and relationship issues.

All these tactics can help prevent workplace anxiety from harming your personal relationships.

If you find that workplace anxiety is persistent, irrational, or consistently overwhelming, you may suffer from an anxiety disorder. Speaking to a therapist can help you to diagnose such an issue and develop tools to manage your condition.

Even if your workplace anxiety does not rise to the level of a disorder, speaking with a therapist can help you to understand the sources of your anxiety and learn how to effectively manage it.

For additional information about counseling, please call (516) 592-1107 or email Chana Pfeifer at TheHappierMe.LCSW@gmail.com

Infertility Counseling

A diagnosis of infertility is truly heartbreaking.

After the initial shock and devastation, intense emotions may arise that alternate between rage, grief, jealousy, and denial. These emotions can be quite overwhelming, and it’s often difficult to get the support one needs from family and friends.

Regardless of the diagnosis, infertility is an unpredictable life crisis.

Infertility counseling can help sort out some of the concerns that arise during this period, and assist in making sense of the more complex emotional issues that may arise. It also provides a place to safely share all of your anxieties, fears, and thoughts without being judged.

Coping with infertility is hard, and needing help is 100% normal.

Infertility is often ranked as one of the most distressing life crises for women and couples experiencing it.

Chana Pfeifer, LCSW - infertility counselingConsider infertility counseling if your sadness, depression, worrying, and/or anxiety is prolonged and affecting areas of your life. It is important to seek professional help in times of despair. A certified therapist can teach you coping skills and strategies to hopefully alleviate some of the emotional stress you are dealing with. You don’t have to do it alone. Talk to Chana today.

For more info. on counseling, call (516) 592-1107 or email Chana Pfeifer, LCSW today.

Certified Imago Therapist

See me and hear me.. Make it safe.

Often this is the beginning of what is missing..

certified imago therapist

It’s hard to ask for help and being in a relationship can be tricky.

I appreciate people who are brave to say, “I need help with my life”, “I want to change my life”, or “I am unhappy”.

I can help transform your hopes into action.

You CAN change your life… if you have the will and desire to do so. There are no guarantees, and the work can be daunting. But if you are willing to work, together we can find a way.

As a certified Imago therapist, I help couples and individuals establish new, healthy patterns and break long-standing dysfunctional patterns.

I encourage owning your responsibility in your life. I take a holistic approach and am solution-based. I give life-changing tools leading to eventual independence. I use practical tools so couples can communicate effectively, whether you stay together or not.

As a certified Imago therapist, I love what I do. My specialty is relationships. I deal with a variety of people, whether it is navigating couples’ challenging relationships, separation, blended families, or geriatrics. I feel the variety of many issues keeps my skills sharp.

Counseling for Conscious Couples – Long Island, New York