Talking About Counseling For Children And Teens

Anxiety can be difficult to control, even with traditional forms of treatment, such as medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. If you're having difficulty controlling your symptoms, consider adding some alternative forms of treatment to your routine.

Hypnotherapy

The brain is a powerful organ, and it's often working on multiple levels. There's the conscious mind, where our thoughts occur. Then there's the subconscious-- the part we're not aware of, but that's constantly working behind the scenes. The goal of hypnotherapy is to tap into that subconscious part of the brain using relaxation techniques to put the patient into a hypnotic trance.

When in a hypnotic state, a person's subconscious mind is receptive to suggestion. For those with anxiety, a hypnotherapist can help by suggesting that a person is content, happy, and comfortable. The idea is that, when the person returns to their normal state, those suggestions will stick with the subconscious mind. In a nutshell, hypnotherapy, such as at Gayle North Positive Change Coach, harnesses the power of suggestion to inspire the brain to think differently.              

Acupuncture

There is a belief, dating back to ancient China, that each person has energy flowing throughout their body. This energy-- qi-- makes its way through the body on interconnected pathways called meridians. When the stresses of life cause blockages in those meridians, an imbalance of qi occurs, resulting in pain and sickness. Acupuncture aims to restore balance to qi by using very thin needles to remove blockages and direct qi to where it's needed. The needles are inserted into the skin by a trained acupuncturist and sometimes stimulated with an electrical current.

There is some evidence to suggest that this ancient practice may be beneficial for those with anxiety-- possibly even on par with traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Ecotherapy

The great outdoors is called that for a reason-- few things are more naturally restorative than time spent in nature. Some researchers even have a name for this: ecotherapy.

Ecotherapy can be structured (e.g. participating in a community garden or a walking group,) or informal (hiking alone in the woods, for example). Some people find that the time outside helps reduce anxiety and depression, strengthens their connection with nature, gives them a way to meet new people, and boosts their energy.

There is no one-size-fits-all cure for anxiety. For many, it's a lifelong condition-- but it can be managed. Talk to your doctor to see if alternative forms of treatment may be right for you.