Anxiety & Worry
Compassionate support for anxiety and worry, available in person in Saint John and Woodstock and virtually across New Brunswick.
Anxiety Doesn’t Always Look Like Panic
Thoughts
✓ Persistent worry or expecting something to go wrong ✓Overthinking conversations, decisions and possible outcomes ✓Difficulty concentrating or quieting your mind
Feelings
✓Restlessness, irritability or feeling constantly on alert ✓Sudden waves of fear or panic ✓Fear of making mistakes
Body
✓ Racing heart, shortness of breath or dizziness
✓ Muscle tension or an unsettled stomach
✓ Difficulty sleeping
Everyday Life
✓ Avoiding situations that feel overwhelming
✓ Perfectionism or procrastination
✓ Frequently seeking reassurance
You may recognize several of these experiences or only one or two. Anxiety does not look the same for everyone, and you do not need to wait until it becomes overwhelming to seek support.
What Anxiety Can Feel Like
Anxiety affects everyone differently. It can influence your thoughts and emotions, but it may also appear in your body, relationships, habits and everyday decisions.
- Persistent worry or expecting something to go wrong
- Overthinking conversations, choices or possible outcomes
- Feeling restless, tense, irritable or constantly on alert
- A racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness or an unsettled stomach
- Difficulty sleeping or quieting your thoughts
- Avoiding people, places or situations that feel overwhelming
- Perfectionism, procrastination or fear of making mistakes
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Panic attacks or sudden waves of intense fear
- Frequently seeking reassurance from others
You may recognize several of these experiences or only one or two. Anxiety does not look the same for everyone, and you do not need to wait until it becomes overwhelming to seek support.
When Anxiety Starts Getting in the Way
Some anxiety is a normal response to stress or uncertainty. But when worry, fear or avoidance begins affecting your daily life, relationships, sleep or ability to enjoy things, additional support may help.
- You spend a lot of time worrying or preparing for what might go wrong.
- You avoid situations, conversations or opportunities because of anxiety.
- Anxiety interferes with your sleep, concentration, work or relationships.
- You frequently need reassurance but still struggle to feel settled.
- You feel exhausted from trying to manage everything on your own.
- Your usual coping strategies no longer seem to be enough.
You don’t need to wait for anxiety to become overwhelming. Therapy can also be helpful when you simply want to understand your patterns, feel more confident or prevent anxiety from taking up more space in your life.
How Therapy Can Help With Anxiety
Therapy can help you understand what contributes to your anxiety, recognize patterns that keep it going and develop practical ways to respond differently. The goal is not necessarily to eliminate every anxious feeling, but to help anxiety feel more manageable and less in control of your choices.
Depending on your needs, therapy may help you:
✓ Calm your body when anxiety feels intense
✓ Respond differently to worry and overthinking
✓ Gradually face situations you have been avoiding
✓ Understand triggers and recurring patterns
✓ Build confidence in handling uncertainty
✓ Develop coping strategies that fit your daily life
Your therapist will work with you to choose an approach that reflects your experiences, preferences and goals.
What Anxiety Therapy Might Look Like
1.Understand What’s Happening.
Anxiety therapy begins with getting to know you, not immediately pushing you into situations that feel overwhelming. Your therapist will ask about what you have been experiencing, how anxiety affects your life and what you would most like to change. Together, you’ll develop a plan that feels manageable and suited to your needs
2. Learn and Practice New Strategies. Sessions may include exploring patterns in your thoughts, emotions and behaviours; learning ways to settle your nervous system; and practising new responses to worry, uncertainty or avoidance. Depending on your goals and your therapist’s approach, therapy may draw from CBT, ACT, mindfulness-based strategies, EMDR or other trauma-informed approaches.
3. Build Confidence Over Time.
Therapy is collaborative and moves at a pace that considers your comfort and readiness. You may practise strategies between appointments, reflect on patterns as they arise in daily life and gradually build confidence in handling situations that anxiety has made difficult.
You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to talk about or which approach will work best. Your therapist can help you make sense of your experience and decide where to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as a racing heart, muscle tension, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, digestive discomfort, fatigue and difficulty sleeping. New, severe or unexplained symptoms should also be discussed with a healthcare provider to rule out other possible causes.
No. You do not need a formal diagnosis or referral to begin therapy. You can seek support whenever worry, fear, panic or avoidance is affecting your well-being or daily life.
Therapy can help you understand what happens during a panic attack, learn strategies for responding to the symptoms and reduce the fear of having another one. It can also help you address triggers or patterns of avoidance that may develop around panic attacks.
No. Therapy should move at a pace that feels manageable and considers your comfort, readiness and goals. If gradually facing feared situations may be helpful, you and your therapist will plan this together. You will not be expected to begin with something overwhelming.
There is no single timeline. It depends on how anxiety is affecting you, what may be contributing to it, your goals and the kind of support you need. You and your therapist can regularly discuss your progress and whether therapy continues to feel helpful.
Yes. Many Rising Tides therapists offer secure virtual appointments for anxiety. Availability may vary by therapist and according to the province or territory where you are located, so you can check therapist profiles or contact us for help finding an appropriate option.
Meet Some of Our Therapists Who Support Clients With Anxiety
Taylor King, LTC-C
Counselling Therapist
Taylor offers warm, grounded support for adults experiencing anxiety, overwhelming emotions and difficulty navigating everyday stressors. Using approaches such as ACT, DBT and IFS-informed therapy, she helps clients develop coping skills, understand unhelpful patterns and move toward a life that reflects their values.
Rachel Milne, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Rachel offers warm, client-centred support for adults experiencing anxiety. She creates a collaborative, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their experiences at a pace that feels comfortable. Drawing from approaches such as CBT, IFS, EMDR and ART, she helps clients build on strengths and work toward lasting change.
Kaeli McGraw (Crozier), LCT-C
Counselling Therapist
Kaeli offers warm, grounded support for children aged 10 and older and adults experiencing anxiety or trauma. Drawing on approaches such as ART, CBT, DBT-informed therapy and polyvagal strategies, she helps clients feel safe, understood and supported as they work toward healing at their own pace.
You Don't Have to Manage Anxiety Alone
Anxiety can make everyday life feel overwhelming, but the right support can help. We can connect you with a therapist who understands your needs and can help you feel more grounded and confident moving forward.