Category Archives: Blog

If your family is considering initiating counseling for your teen, it might be that the level of distress or conflict in the home is high. As a parent, you do your best to provide everything you can for your children and still, they may struggle, or your relationship with one another feels challenging or distant.

It takes incredible courage to reach out for support when, in spite of your best intentions, you are seeing your teen struggle. It can be helpful to know what to expect from counseling and ease any worries or fears about the experience. 

First, you can begin by looking through our ‘About Us’ page and seeing if there is a therapist whose profile page you resonate with. If you aren’t sure who might be a good fit, our Intake staff can thoughtfully match you with one of our trained and experienced therapists. The initial session will be between the therapist and parents. This is an important conversation to gather historical information around development, behavior, life stressors or transitions, and relational dynamics. It also gives you the opportunity to create a connection with your teen’s therapist, and collaborate on how therapy will be structured and how you share important information with one another.

The next few sessions will be with your teen and the therapist. This gives your teen and the therapist time to create mutual trust get to know one another. It also allows time for your therapist to understand your teen’s struggle and how these might be playing out in their behavior or in their relationships. 

As counseling continues, sessions are structured to best meet the needs of you and your teen. Sessions may be with parents/caregivers individually, individual sessions with teens, the entire family, or with one parent and the teen. Structuring services to be responsive to the needs of each unique family allows us to focus on the multiple relationships between parents, siblings, and the family. It offers the opportunity to explore challenges, heal and strengthen connection, and create change together. At CCHC our goal is for each family member to feel seen, heard and understood.

Our evidence-based approach supports mutual understanding and growth, refraining from any finger-pointing at what parents “should be doing” or condemning a teen for their current behaviors. 

Below is a list of the benefits of investing in teen and family therapy with CCHC. 

• New and improved map for communicating 

  • Our therapists can support you and your teen in identifying what is not working in your current communication pattern. This allows for the co-creation of new and more effective ways of communicating with one another.

• Mutual understanding

  • Parents and teens can often feel as though they are living on different planets. Your priorities, needs, roles, and responsibilities are different. We will support you and your teen in understanding one another from a place of kindness, structure, and empathy…even if you do not agree. 

• New problem-solving skills 

  • With improved communication and a better understanding of one another’s perspective, moving through struggles together often starts to occur organically. However, if it does not, our therapists can support you and your teen in finding ways to address specific challenges and proactively problem-solve.

• Healthy balance of structure and nurture 

  • As your teen’s distress or symptoms have decreased and the family is feeling more connected, many families experience a better balance of quality time and enjoyment of each other alongside clearer expectations and adherence to boundaries or limits.

• Difficult conversations & deeper bonds 

  • At times, hearing a teen’s pain can ignite many feelings about who we are as parents. Our therapists are skilled in supporting your family in hearing one another in a manner that does not create more pain or disconnection. We also offer support to process what is shared with each other.  This creates an opportunity for healing old wounds and for your family resilience to flourish.  The therapeutic work you and your teen invest in can create sustainable change in your relationship lasting a lifetime.

—

As single individuals, we often long for a partner who feels like “our person”. In fact, this is one of the core questions we ask couples in marriage counseling or couples therapy. Sometimes the search is short, other times, it’s long and arduous and painful. Nevertheless, when you find your “person”, you may not wonder about what you might do if the relationship doesn’t look or feel the same as it once did in the early months. Below is a list of indicators you and your partner may be ready for marriage counseling or couples therapy before these issues become a fracture that is hard to mend.

1. The tone of communication in your marriage is negative.

In the early stages, the relationship may feel whimsical and free of stress or angst. Over time, moments of disconnection or conflict may create an emotional distance or protection. As a result, sarcasm, resentment, anger, criticism or withdrawal may breed. These underlying emotions may create a tone of negativity, contempt or irritation. If you are recognizing you and your partner have gotten to this point, it may be time to connect with a professional for couples therapy. 

2. Trust has been broken. 

If someone steps outside of the relationship with an emotional or physical affair, rebuilding trust is often a requirement for the continuation of the relationship. Broken trust in a relationship does not always mean an affair. Trust is broken when a person feels ignored, betrayed or not prioritized. When emotional trust is broken, we begin to lose confidence our partner is going to be someone we can rely on, turn to or support us when we are needing them. Leaning into marriage counseling can support the rebuilding of trust in a safe, structured manner. 

3. You hold back from your partner or spouse.

If you find yourself holding back on sharing your thoughts, feelings or needs with your partner, it is time to get into couples therapy to understand how your relationship got to this point. This “holding back” or sense of needing to protect oneself may have started due to the negative tone, broken trust, or feeling disconnected. It’s important to explore how the relationship got to this point, so you and your partner can find new ways to relate that are more open, vulnerable, soft, and responsive.

4. Repeating the same fight in your marriage over and over again. 

In relationships, we create patterns. At times, these patterns can become a problem all on their own, regardless of the content of the fight. Painful patterns often mean that the needs of either partner are not getting met. In marriage counseling, you and your partner will identify the miscues or flaws within your current pattern. Your therapist can support you in creating a new, healthier map of communication. This map will feel clear and effective while nurturing each of your needs in the relationship. 

5. You feel more like roommates than lovers. 

Has the sexual part of your relationship faltered? In couples counseling, you and your partner can work on understanding your intimate world much better. You can explore your individual relationship with your sexuality and how it may impact your relationship. Additionally, you can identify if other relational factors are getting in the way of maintaining a playful and desirable sexual relationship.

Interested in Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling in Fairfax, VA?

If you and your partner are ready to tackle any relationship “hot spots” and improve your connection, our couples’ therapists can help. We have counseling offices in both Woodbridge and Fairfax, VA. If you want to begin couples therapy or marriage counseling, just follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations in Woodbridge or Fairfax.
2. Meet with a skilled couples therapist.
3. Begin to explore connection and confidence as a couple.

Other Therapy Services at The Center for Connection, Healing and Change

Relationship problems are complicated and often individual members of your family need additional support. Our therapists want to help support your entire family. Therefore, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our Northern Virginia counseling offices. Our skilled, caring therapists provide counseling for individuals, family therapy, sex therapy, yoga for healing, meditation and mindfulness practice, couples therapy and marriage counseling. When you are ready, we would be honored to be a part of your relationship journey.

Do you have to be married to attend couples therapy? 

To be honest, as a therapist, I prefer to use the term “couples therapy” instead of  “marriage counseling” because of this very question. My initial reaction to this inquiry is, “Of course not!”. However, I understand where the curiosity comes from, especially if you are considering counseling for you and your committed partner. 

A couple does not have to be married or cohabiting in order to attend couples therapy. Couples therapy, often referred to as marriage counseling only requires two individuals who are committed to one another and the process of making changes in their relationship.

In our initial session, as we get to hear you and your partner’s current struggle, we orient ourselves around two questions:

1. Are you each other’s “person”?

Meaning, is this person the one you call when you have a difficult day when something funny happens, or simply the person you choose to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with?

2. If you and your partner do not feel like each other’s “person” at the moment, are you both committed to making that change?

Responding “yes” to either of these questions is a clear indication for our therapists that each of you is willing to lean into the work, whether we are calling it couples therapy or marriage counseling. 

Marriage Counseling is About Strength

As relational therapists, we are in the business of strengthening bonds, no matter the type of bond. Therefore, we welcome all types of relationships in counseling. Not only do we welcome married couples to lean into marriage counseling, but we also welcome same-sex couples, polyamorous couples and any individuals within a couple who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Does marriage counseling and/or couples therapy work? 

I view therapy as an investment. Like most investments, you get out of it what you put into it. Therapy requires your time, your focus, and your vulnerability. The therapeutic process is likely to provide positive gains for the self and your relationships and is an investment that is well worth committing to.

As mentioned above, if you and your partner are willing to lean into the work to make changes in your relationship, marriage counseling and couples therapy can be of great benefit. Furthermore, at CCHC we ensure our therapists are equipped to support you as you decide to invest in your relationship. 

Couples Therapy in Fairfax, VA and Woodbridge, VA is Focused on YOU

At CCHC, our couples therapists utilize Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) when working with couples. EFT is an evidence-based couples therapy model validated by over 30 years of research. EFT provides a clear map for your therapist, as well as you and your partner in breaking unhealthy patterns, healing past fractures in the relationship, deepening your connection and strengthening your bond. 

With two committed partners and our trained therapists, your relationship has the opportunity to heal, grow and strengthen. 

Interested in Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling in Fairfax, VA?

If you and your partner are ready to explore your relationship dynamics and improve your relationship, our couples’ therapists can help. We have counseling offices in both Woodbridge and Fairfax, VA. If you want to begin couples therapy or marriage counseling, just follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule an appointment at one of our two convenient locations in Woodbridge or Fairfax.
2. Meet with a skilled couples therapist.
3. Begin to explore connection and confidence as a couple.

Other Therapy Services at The Center for Connection, Healing and Change

Relationship problems are complicated and often individual members of your family need additional support. Our therapists want to help support your entire family. Therefore, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our Northern Virginia counseling offices. Our skilled, caring therapists provide counseling for individuals, family therapy, sex therapy, yoga for healing, meditation and mindfulness practice, couples therapy and marriage counseling. When you are ready, we would be honored to be a part of your relationship journey.

Schools are closed and daycare centers are enjoying well-deserved time off over the Holidays. Does this leave you wondering how you’ll spend the extra family time together? I’ve compiled a list of activities in the Fairfax area for people of all ages to enjoy! This list is a great resource for this long vacation, as well as upcoming snow days. These activities are sure to give your family quality time, outside of the home, sparking creativity and connection while beinqg active right in the Fairfax Community.

Children’s Science Center – Fairfax, Fair Oaks Mall

The Children’s Science Center in Fairfax’s Fair Oaks Mall is an interactive, collaborative learning center focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) exhibits. Your family can create, build, discover, and explore the endless exhibits with various challenges and crafts throughout your visit. The Science Center is for ages 2 and above, focusing on elementary school kids. However, there is plenty to enjoy for younger teenagers as well! A family outing sure to create enjoyable memories around innovation and learning.

• Udvar Hazy – Chantilly 

Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center in Fairfax’s neighboring town of Chantilly is another great option for a family outing. The expansive warehouse gives the kids room to run and witness the various air crafts used throughout history. This hanger also includes airspace crafts, an IMAX theatre, and the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower to observe airplanes arriving and departing from Dulles Airport. This is a family favorite outing of mine for the Winter due to the indoor walking and exploring to move our bodies and exposure to history.

• Next Stop Theatre – Herndon

If you are looking for some more culture in your family, but don’t have the budget or patience to venture out to DC. There is a great option for you much closer to Fairfax. Next Stop Theatre is a professional theatre company that prides itself on being unique and bringing culturally diverse stories and plays to its’ stage. Not only do they have show options for your older, more mature children, but they often feature a Family Event show that is accessible and enjoyable for your younger ones.

Fairfax Indoor Playgrounds

For those parents that simply need a place for your young children, toddlers or babies to be active, exercise their bodies and minds in a warm, kid-friendly, safe location, Fairfax has endless options. Below is a list of my favorite Indoor Playgrounds for children.

• • Jolly Yolly – Fairfax 

• • Nook – Fairfax, Mosaic

• • Busy Bee’s – Fairfax Corner 

• Chuck E’ Cheese – Fairfax

Interested in Family Therapy in Fairfax?

If you and your family are wanting to feel more connected, change your relationship dynamics, or get support with parenting your child through a tough time, our teen and family therapists can help. We have counseling offices in both Woodbridge and Fairfax, VA. If you want to begin teen or family therapy just follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations in Woodbridge or Fairfax.
2. Meet with a skilled family therapist.
3. Begin to explore new ways to parent and connect as a family.

Other Therapy Services at The Center for Connection, Healing and Change

Relationship problems are complicated and often individual members of your family need additional support. Our therapists want to help support your entire family. Therefore, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our Northern Virginia counseling offices. Our skilled, caring therapists provide counseling for individuals, EMDR, yoga for healing, meditation and mindfulness practice, couples therapy and marriage counseling. When you are ready, we would be honored to be a part of your relationship journey.

Fairfax, Virginia has created a reputation for itself which includes great diversity, renowned public schools, endless housing options as well as proximity to various business and government organizations across all industries. Fairfax can also be a wonderful combination of suburban and urban amenities for all partnerships. It’s a desirable community for a couple looking to set down some roots.

With all that’s been mentioned, it’s no surprise Fairfax attracts so many newly married couples. If you and your partner are considering Fairfax as a place to begin your marriage or higher level of commitment such as moving in together or starting a family, it’s important to consider pre-marital or pre-commitment counseling to support stability and connection in a wonderful, yet fast-paced and high-stress community. Consider these benefits to premarital or pre-commitment counseling whether you currently reside in Fairfax or plan to settle down in this lovely area.

Understanding the Way You Communicate

In all relationships, we create patterns. You might be noticing that pattern already exists within your relationship that hinders or perhaps prohibit effective communication. Living in Fairfax requires effective communication as you both grapple with the stressors of life – the high cost of living, the large population, and the high-pressure work environments. When working with our skilled pre-commitment or pre-marital therapists, you and your partner will map out how you communicate with another and how your different ways of dealing with emotion, tension, or upset may be creating a well-worn ‘dance’. You will understand how perceptions, meaning-making, and past relationship experiences might be getting in the way of really hearing and understanding one another.

Intentionally Create A Shared Future

With a better understanding of your communication patterns and cycles, you will be able to discuss potential challenges or vulnerabilities, as well as future goals, more successfully. Together, you can build a life in Fairfax with a partnership that is satisfying, connected, and able to withstand the challenges of life as they arise. Additionally, if you already have children, or hope to add children to your family, it can be helpful to think through parenting, extended family, spiritual beliefs, and goals for your family life in Fairfax.

Deepen Your Emotional Connection

As our couples therapists can guide you and your partner in understanding your communication patterns, while supporting discussions around the future, and offer space for your emotional connection to deepen. Our therapists have a skilled way of encouraging each of you in turning toward one another and sharing your longings and fears as you prepare for your relationship to grow, and marriage or next-steps to begin. Our therapists will be alongside your relationship, supporting you to overcome any conversation or issue that may be difficult to navigate. Ultimately, supporting each of you to feel seen, understood and heard in your relationship.

Pre-marital and pre-commitment counseling with our skilled and trained couples therapists will support your relationship to start off in a healthy place as you start your future in Fairfax.  For more information please see our pre-marital and pre-commitment therapy page here.

Interested in Couples Therapy or Sex Therapy in Fairfax?

If you and your partner are ready to mix things up and improve your relationship, our couples’ therapists can help. We have counseling offices in both Woodbridge and Fairfax, VA. If you want to begin couples therapy or marriage counseling, just follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations in Woodbridge or Fairfax.
2. Meet with a skilled couples therapist.
3. Begin to explore connection and confidence as a couple.

Other Therapy Services at The Center for Connection, Healing and Change 

Relationship problems are complicated and often individual members of your family need additional support. Our therapists want to help support your entire family. Therefore, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our Northern Virginia counseling offices. Our skilled, caring therapists provide counseling for individuals, family therapy, sex therapy, yoga for healing, meditation and mindfulness practice, couples therapy and marriage counseling. When you are ready, we would be honored to be a part of your relationship journey.

The Importance of Staying Connected with your Partner during the Holidays

During this time of year, our schedules are full. Plus, our minds are stressed and our bodies are exhausted. It’s easy to slip into the routine of bingeing on your favorite television series after a hard day’s work. It’s easy to want to check out during an overscheduled weekend. Our partner may be put on the back burner of life. Sadly, we don’t always tend to our relationship in the ways it may need. 

Holidays bring out the “hectic” in all of us.

If the bond with your partner isn’t feeling strongest, this hectic time may feel even more challenging. Tough family dynamics and endless Holiday parties are filled with small talk. Often, we do this while juggling sugar-filled, over-stimulated kids. Loneliness and burnout are easy to feel.

However, with a sense of closeness and connection with your loved one, you may breeze through this holiday season with ease! You’ll feel the joy, love, and laughter! So, pull out the calendar. Next, pick your last few free dates and plan a night out and about in Fairfax,

Here are a few of our favorite date nights in Fairfax: 

• Old Town Clifton Night Out 

Main Street in Clifton is my favorite date night spot in Northern Virginia. It’s small, but a breath of fresh air in our over-crowded and traffic-heavy streets.

You can begin your evening of connection over an intimate wine tasting at The Wine Attic. The owners create a personalized, private experience. Then, enjoy a quick walk on Main Street viewing the historic buildings and railroads. For a quaint, Italian experience, visit Trattoria Villagio. If you are hoping for something more elegant and modern, Trummer’s on Main can’t be beat with its vast menu of entrees and cocktails. 

• Jammin’ Java – Vienna

You might not be able to escape the hectic holidays to attend a concert at The Anthem or Capital One Arena in DC. But, if you and your partner enjoy live music, visit Vienna’s Jammin’ Java for an intimate venue with talented musicians. You’ll be able to enjoy great music in the concert space,  and there is a Lobby Bar available for before or after show refreshments. Music has a unique, sensual way of tapping into parts of ourselves not accessible when immersed in the day to day grind. This date night is sure to strengthen your bond with your loved one. 

• Muse PaintBar – Mosaic District 

Whether you are hoping to tap into your artistic side, or try something new, Muse PaintBar in Mosaic is a great night of fun and creativity. The artists will guide you and your loved one in creating a piece of art, and drinks and small bites are available. This night out is sure to be filled with expression, connection and even some friendly competition as you compare your final art pieces. 

• Olly Olly Art Gallery – Historic Fairfax City 

If you aren’t in the mood to create your own art, you could always observe others! A visit to Olly Olly Art Gallery is sure to mix up the traditional date night activity as you view local and regional artist exhibits. Observing and discussing art is sure to open up each of your minds and hearts to one another as you share how you experience the different paintings, sculptures, mixed media art, installation or performance art. 

• Jimmy Potters – Fairfax 

Jimmy Potters has a two date night experience as you create two clay pottery pieces. The follow-up date night, allows you to return to the studio and paint your creations together. This date may ignite some romance as you compare your experience to the iconic scene from ‘Ghost’! But at the very least, you are bound to experience laughter as you create memories, learn a new skill, and create a new piece for your home.

Interested in Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling in Fairfax?

If you and your partner are ready to mix things up and improve your relationship, our couples’ therapists can help. We have counseling offices in both Woodbridge and Fairfax, VA. If you want to begin couples therapy or marriage counseling, just follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations in Woodbridge or Fairfax.
2. Meet with a skilled couples therapist.
3. Begin to explore connection and confidence as a couple.

Other Therapy Services at The Center for Connection, Healing and Change

Relationship problems are complicated and often individual members of your family need additional support. Our therapists want to help support your entire family. Therefore, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our Northern Virginia counseling offices. Our skilled, caring therapists provide counseling for individuals, family therapy, yoga for healing, meditation and mindfulness practice, couples therapy and marriage counseling. When you are ready, we would be honored to be a part of your relationship journey.

Although we may be physically present in a given situation, it is possible to do many things in a “mindless” state. For instance, how many times have you driven home on autopilot, feeling like you have little recollection of the actual journey home? Or responded to a loved one impatiently or in haste, without putting much thought into the words we use? It happens to everyone, and understandably so. Most of us are busy, and constantly feeling the demands of day-to-day life. It’s easy for our mind to wander, following threads into the past or focusing on the future, causing us to miss what might be right in front of us. Luckily, there is a way to reduce our tendency to function on autopilot – it’s called mindfulness.

The idea of mindfulness has become increasingly popular in the Western world – it’s difficult to find someone who’s never heard of it. For many, the word “mindfulness” conjures up images of serene, happy people sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat. However, the truth is that mindfulness in practice can often be messy, frustrating, and even overwhelming – especially at the beginning of our journey with it. When we slow down and hone in on our moment by moment experience, it’s possibly to uncover sensations or experiences we would rather not notice. It has happened to me on a number of occasions. On the other hand, mindfulness is wonderful in that it can be practiced anywhere, by anyone, and has demonstrated benefits in a variety of areas, including stress management, reducing anxiety and helping us cope with pain, to name a few (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Regular mindfulness practice has also been associated with positive changes in brain and immune system functioning (Davidson, Kabat-Zinn, Schumacher, Rosenkranz, Muller, Santorelli, Urbanowski, Harrington, Bonus & Sheridan, 2003).

But what exactly is mindfulness? Essentially, it is a state of conscious awareness. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present with our thoughts, emotions and sensations as they arise while not being reactive to them. Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”

In graduate school, I took a course on mindfulness in which I got into the habit of doing daily meditations. This morning as I sat on my cushion, I noticed tension in my shoulders as I thought about all I had to do today, but I also noticed excitement about what this day would bring. I noticed a lot of emotions associated with expectations I needed to meet, but also fears about failing to meet those expectations I’ve set for myself. Our emerging thoughts and feelings have a natural ebb and flow to them, some pleasant, some less so, but all equally a part of the web of experience.

In practice, mindfulness can take on many forms. For instance, it can refer to the use of guided meditations that instruct you to focus on your breath or some sort of visual, or it could involve music that allows you to clear your mind for a few minutes. Some people find that they prefer to practice silent mindfulness meditation. Others practice mindfulness during daily activities – such as focusing on the thoughts and sensations that arise for you while you do a routine task, like eating, washing the dishes, or walking the dog. There isn’t a “right” way to be mindful. In other words, there isn’t some ultimate “goal” we are trying to achieve or a destination we are heading toward – mindfulness is more about cultivating a deeper awareness and presence in our lives. It allows us to become friends with our inner worlds.

So, mindfulness isn’t about changing our experience itself, but rather to change the relationship we have with our experience.  Regardless of whether certain thoughts or feelings never “go away” or change, if we can be present with those experiences with compassion and acceptance, the effect they have on us will shift and they will no longer grip us.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about mindfulness and its applications to everyday life, contact us to learn more about our mindfulness services.

Jessica Escobar, LMFT

(LINK)

References for articles mentioned above:

1. Brown, K.W. and Ryan, R.M. (2003). The Benefits of Being Present: Mindfulness and its Role in Psychological Well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822-848.

2. Davidson, R.J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, SF., Urbanowski, F., Harrington, A., Bonus, K. and Sheridan, J.F. (2003). Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, 564-570.

4 Tips for Successful Family Blending

Although blended families are becoming more and more common, the unique difficulties around forming a new family continue to be a challenges experience for all involved.

Some common concerns from the parents include: How do you validate your new partner and your children without alienating the other? How do you create a bond with these new children? And for the children, how do they begin to cope with this new adult in their life while still trying to process the divorce? And… who are these new kids living in their house?

Here are some tips to support blending your family in a healthy and supportive way.

1. New Couple’s Bond is the glue!

The complex set of challenges ahead in blending a family requires a strong, united front. Ensure communication remains, open, respectful and safe between you and your partner. The commitment to maintaining a strong, healthy connection will support the both of you in addressing whatever problems that show up along the way.

Anxiety & Yoga Therapy

Are you a Pinball Wizard? Racing and bouncing daily between destination points: home, work, carpooling kids, grocery store, last-minute errands. Factor in groan-inducing hurdles like traffic, unexpected deadlines, a miscommunication with someone special, maybe a lost night’s sleep worrying about juggling details or staring at your phone checking emails…

Where does your self-care fit into the list?

We become conditioned to think a Netflix-binge or tunneling into social media allows an escape, but afterward did you find that true calm and grounding you were seeking? Still waiting to catch your breath?

Living in a culture dominated by multi-tasking, material distractions and compulsive screen time, it is easy to feel disconnected and overwhelmed. Many of us have lost the ability to sit in peaceful stillness and feel centered within in our body, mind, and breath.

Consistent and excessive stressors cause anxiety, which can affect the ability to pilot daily living. Forty million adults in the United States are affected by anxiety. Anxiety and stress take a toll on an individual’s ability to navigate the tightrope associated with maintaining life-work balance. Individuals with ongoing anxiety experience symptoms manifesting as restlessness, sleep disturbance, irritability, chronic headaches, muscle tension, gastrointestinal difficulties, depression, decreased receptiveness to new experiences, disconnection from social support systems, and/or a diminished sense of fulfillment.

With nearly one-fifth of the American population experiencing anxiety and related symptoms, the challenge of maintaining self-care practices and life balance is a very real experience.

Living with chronic anxiety, one’s mind and body struggle excessively to counterbalance stressors. Unable to claim grounding, the stress-response perpetuates. Chronic anxiety creates dysfunction in the body’s stress-response system preventing the mind and body from effectively returning to a state of calm. This imbalance in the nervous system has far-reaching effects on emotional regulation, cognitive function, and social relationships, as well as with proper functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and immunological systems.

Yoga therapy can help. Research shows the yogic elements of breath, meditation/visualization, and mindful movement can address the ramifications of chronic anxiety. Benefits include re-balancing the nervous system’s stress-response cycle, neuroplasticity to retrain the brain how to respond in stressful moments, neuromuscular re-education to teach the body how to be strong yet flexible, and improving a sense of connectedness to self and social networks.

With practice, one can begin to recognize and reduce the symptoms associated with anxiety. Learn how to reset the mind, breath, and body to more calmly and intentionally respond in any given moment.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America. https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

The International Association of Yoga Therapists (2016). Contemporary Definitions of Yoga Therapy. http://www.iayt.org/?page=ContemporaryDefiniti

Khalsa, S. B. S., Cohen, L., McCall, T., & Telles, S. (2016). The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care. Edinburgh, UK: Handspring Publishing Limited.

Locke, A. B., Kirst, N. and Shultz, C. G. (2015). Diagnosis and Management of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder in Adults. American Family Physician, May 1;91(9):617-624. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/0501/p617.html

Schmalzl, L., Powers, C., & Henje Blom, E. (2015). Neurophysiological and neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the effects of yoga-based practices: towards a comprehensive theoretical framework. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00235

Wisneski, L. A., and Anderson L., (2009). The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.