Anxiety can be crippling.

Anxiety can make the most mundane daily activities difficult and overwhelming.

Is anxiety keeping you from going to the grocery store? Is anxiety keeping you from trying the new restaurant that your partner really wants to go to? Is anxiety keeping you from your child’s school activities? Is anxiety keeping you from driving? Is anxiety ruining your vacations? Is anxiety making it hard to sleep and stay asleep?

Are you anxious about being a mother or father?

Pregnancy and becoming a parent is often wonderful, but anxiety can make the experience frightening. Worry about the health of the baby. Worry about your health. Worry that you are making the right choices for you and your baby. Worry that other people are judging you. Worry that you will be a bad mother or not a good enough mother. Worry that someone will hurt your child. Most people don’t understand what it feels like when worry becomes anxiety - the overwhelming experience of anxiety. Anxiety often includes feelings of dread, sadness, hopelessness, indecision, fear, and urgency. Anxiety can be racing thoughts, indecision, shaking hands, and a tight chest.

Friends and family do not always understand anxiety and, to be frank, brush your anxiety off or tell you to just, “stop” and “calm down.” If you could, you would!

Anxiety can be tamed.

You can learn what anxiety really is and understand how your body’s reactions to protect you. You can learn skills to reduce your anxiety when you are panicking. More importantly, you can learn to reduce your anxiety all the time. You may not even notice that you are anxious most of the time. You may not be able to remember the last time you and your whole body relaxed.