Anxiety & Self-Esteem Therapy for Grieving Adults
Grief is a crash course you didn’t ask for in self-transformation. Reclaim your inner compass & be guided by confidence, calm, & clarity.
Serving Charlotte, NC & online throughout North & South Carolina
Is it becoming difficult to slow down & get out of your head?
Maybe you find yourself feeling on edge: short, distracted, tense, running on fumes. Or perhaps where you once felt confident you find yourself second guessing things and feeling hesitant about your choices. You may be noticing changes about yourself, what you’re thinking, feeling, and experiencing. Perhaps you’re feeling as if you don’t know who you are anymore in this world without your loved one.
Whatever it is that you’re experiencing, you’re beginning to notice the impact of this in every facet of your life:
- Difficulty focusing and making decisions
- Changes in mood, energy, and motivation
- Possible irritability, restlessness, or fatigue
- Preoccupation with your loss
- Struggling to get to sleep (for some, maybe sleeping more!)
- Being hard on yourself (i.e., I should have known better, how stupid!, why did I do that!?)
LITTLE DISCLAIMER! Experiencing anxiety, stress, and changes in self-esteem are COMMON in grief and loss. The information offered here is not to say that what you’re experiencing is a problem or not ok. If it happens to be where you are - it’s ok. For some, these changes in security, safety, confidence, and self-knowing can become so intense that they find themselves wanting support around how to manage and adapt to all of these changes. Some may have a history of anxiety and self-esteem concerns, others may be entering new territory. It all belongs here.
Anxiety & self-esteem therapy can help.
It may feel impossible from where you are in your grief journey, but you can learn how to find moments of peace and calm. You can feel confident again. You can gain clarity about what you need and how to support yourself through life’s ups and downs. And this is where I can help.
Anxiety & self-esteem therapy while you’re grieving can help you to:
- Reestablish a sense of safety within yourself when the world as you knew it has shifted
- Develop strategies and tools to decrease stress and increase calm
- Learn how to work with your mind and body by understanding how it functions
- Increase your understanding of yourself in order to create a better foundation for self-compassion, acceptance, and confidence
The loss of a loved one is life changing so you have probably begun to notice changes about yourself, your life, and your relationships. Not all of these changes are welcomed and it’s ok if you are finding it difficult to adapt to life as it is today.
I’m here to help you through this journey, where I will tailor our work to tend to your unique grief needs and circumstances. My approach to anxiety and self-esteem comes from a place of empathy and compassion: anxiety doesn’t have to be your enemy and you can learn how to reconnect with those parts of you that feel forever changed. Different doesn’t always have to mean bad even if, today, it’s unwelcome.
Anxiety & self-doubt don’t have to be the main characters in your grief journey.
I know all you want is to focus on your person...grieve with more freedom, clarity, & self-trust.
Common questions about anxiety & self-esteem therapy:
It’s normal to feel moments of stress, overwhelm, and worry. Often those who experience anxiety find they have less “time away” from these feelings. They may be preoccupied with certain thoughts or feelings, having difficulty concentrating, playing the “what if” game, and may describe their mind as “a hamster wheel”. It begins to interfere with everyday life, such as staying focused at work, connecting with others, or being present in their day.
It can also manifest in physical symptoms, such as irritability, feeling on edge, issues with sleep, upset stomach/gastrointestinal issues, or panic attacks. It can look a bit different for everyone so it’s important to share what you notice and ask questions if you need to. Anxiety therapy can help you get to the root causes, which may be connected to your present day loss or triggered from earlier experiences.
There are lots of definitions out there for self-esteem. Majority of these definitions circle around: one’s belief and view of self as a person of value and worth. Let’s break some of these words down into examples in grief:
- Beliefs about self:
- Did I show up the way I wanted to?
- Have I let my loved one down in any way?
- Am I safe in this world now?
- As a spouse/parent/child/friend/etc. I’m supposed to ____. Did I do that for my loved one?
- View of self:
- Am I a good person?
- Who am I now?
- What does it mean if my loved one isn’t here by my side?
- Am I still a mother/partner/child/(fill in the blank) after this loss?
- One’s value:
- Do I even matter anymore?
- Nobody cares about this like I do. What good am I now?
- One’s worth:
- I don’t deserve to be here if ____ isn’t alive.
- I can’t be loved anymore.
- I don’t get to be treated with compassion and grace when ___ isn’t able to experience any of this anymore.
Does any of this sound familiar? Grief shows up in a multitude of ways and for some their self-esteem is rocked. They want to find a way to get back to themselves, to know themselves again. Grief will change you and it’s ok if you’re needing support in feeling like yourself again.
How you feel with the person you’re working with is one of the most important pieces of therapy. Reach out today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation call. During the call, you’ll get the chance to share what’s bringing you to therapy and ask any questions you may have about therapy with me. The conversation will help us determine if we’re a good fit for another. If so, we’ll schedule an initial appointment and I’ll guide you through beginning our work together. Sometimes these discussions also lead us to realize you may be better supported by another provider. If so, I’ll gladly provide you with referrals.
More questions? Check out my FAQs page.