Anxiety

If you are feeling anxious, it might help to know that you are not alone. At Roya Counselling, I focus on providing tools to my clients to help them deal with anxiety. More importantly, I explore the roots of my client`s anxiety deeply to lessen the frequency of their anxiety symptoms.

Why Roya counselling for ANXIETY?

  • My designation (RCC) means I have met important requirements and abide by ethical guidelines
  • With years of experience in treating anxiety, I will tailor my approach to your specific needs
  • My goal is not limited to giving you tools, I aim to target the deeper roots of your anxiety
  • Access secure online therapy for anxiety to learn to regulate your nervous system

Common forms of anxiety:

Social Anxiety

People with social anxiety tend to feel anxious and uncomfortable in social situations. They tend to avoid social situations due to the fear of experiencing anxiety symptoms such as sweating, shortness of breath, or dizziness. The avoidance usually creates a vicious cycle which leads to more social anxiety over time. Therapy for social anxiety helps clients develop tools to regulate their anxiety symptoms and also understand what beliefs and life experiences might be underlying their social anxiety.

Panic Disorder

Individuals with panic disorder experience episodes of intense anxiety and dread called panic attacks. Panic attacks are usually very intense and include physical sensations such as chest pain, heart palpitation, sweating, shortness of breath, and dizziness. People experiencing panic attacks sometimes feel “out of body” and disconnected and worry that they will die. Sometimes the anxiety symptoms are so scary that a client ends up in a hospital`s emergency room.
Anxiety counselling helps clients to learn how to cope with panic attacks when they arise. More importantly, anxiety therapy helps clients process what underlies their panic attacks so that their nervous system becomes more regulated in the long run and does not go into panic as often.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People with generalized anxiety disorder feel a general sense of anxiety, restlessness and being on edge on a regular basis. They have common anxiety symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, digestive issues, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, irritability, difficulty concentrating and sleep issues. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder often think of the worst-case scenarios, overprepare for an upcoming situation and avoid any situation that involves uncertainty.
An anxiety therapist will help a client with GAD to develop coping skills as well as understand the root of the heightened arousal of their nervous system. Clients with severe generalized anxiety disorder might benefit from combining therapy with an anxiety medication.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Trauamatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is anxiety disorder that happens when a person has witnessed or experienced a life-threatening and terrifying event which was inescapable. People with PTSD have common anxiety symptoms along with flashbacks (reliving the traumatic moment), intrusive thoughts/memories about the traumatic event and avoidance of potential triggers. Trauma for PTSD includes helping the client to heal the emotional, physical and cognitive footprints of the trauma by processing the traumatic event in the safety of therapy sessions.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder that involves recurring, intrusive thoughts , urges or images that cause distress and anxiety (obsessions). The obsessions are accompanied by repetitive behaviours and rituals (compulsions) to lessen the anxiety . Although compulsions lead to temporary relief of anxiety symptoms , they interfere with a person’s functioning and mental health. Therapy for OCD helps clients to develop tools to cope more effectively with the obsessions and compulsions by using mindfulness skills. An anxiety therapist will use exposure and response prevention (ERP) to lessen a client`s OCD symptoms.

Phobia

Phobia is an anxiety disorder which involves an intense, excessive, persistent and unrealistic fear of an object, animal, situation or activity. People with phobia experience intense anxiety when faced with their feared object and will go to extreme lengths to avoid the object of their phobia, which increases their symptoms of phobia. One of the most effective therapy approaches to treating phobias is “desensitization “therapy in which clients are gradually exposed to their object of phobia over time to reduce anxiety.

SEE A THERAPIST IF YOU HAVE THESE SYMPTOMS

  • Bodily anxiety symptoms such as heart racing, sweating, shortness of breath, rapid breathing and trembling
  • Cognitive anxiety symptoms such as overthinking, constantly thinking of worst-case scenarios, OCD symptoms, difficulty concentrating, and procrastination
  • Emotional symptoms such as moodiness, irritation, anger outbursts, hopelessness and depression

Common questions about anxiety:

Are anxiety disorders treatable ?

Yes. Anxiety disorders are in fact highly treatable with the right support. Most patients see improvements in their anxiety symptoms and lead normal lives when they receive the proper support. This includes receiving anxiety treatment through psychotherapy , lifestyle changes or medications. The combination of all of these supports is usually most helpful.

What are some common anxiety therapies ?

There are different evidence-based approaches to treating anxiety such as cognitive behavioural therapy , mindfulness-based therapy, IFS therapy and AEDP. My training in all of these approaches allows me to choose what works best for your anxiety symptoms.

Can therapy alone help me to treat my anxiety ?

Research has shown that therapy can be very effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety. It is important to remember that changes with therapy happen gradually and there is no fast cure. It is also important to remember that anxiety therapy is most effective when combined with healthy lifestyle changes.

How common are anxiety disorders ?

Anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental disorders. If you are experiencing anxiety , you are not alone.

What happens if I don’t get anxiety treatment ?

Untreated anxiety often gets worse over time as our nervous system becomes chronically dysregulated. Untreated anxiety can also lead to depression.

What is the main cause of my anxiety ?

There is often not a single factor that causes anxiety. Anxiety disorders usually arise through a combination of current and past life events , childhood traumas, temperament , genetics and medical conditions.

About me

I am Roya Vojdani, MA, and my goal is to use my years of clinical experience, personal life experience and my training to help you live your life more fully. I know that allowing another person into your inner life is an important decision and I strive to honour your trust and create a safe space in which you can blossom.

More

I believe in the inherent resilience of my clients and my stance towards my clients is non-judgmental, compassionate and curious.
I feel very privileged to hear about my client’s hopes, goals and pains and witness my clients slowly recovering their peace, happiness and livelihood.

Counselling Services

Anxiety

Let’s find the calm place within you together.

Depression

There is always hope, even when it is hard to see it.

Trauma

Trauma , when processed , can become a history rather than a destiny.

Relationship Counselling

Relationships, like gardens , require constant care and attention.

Grief and Loss

Grief can be profoundly painful. You can get through the pain.

Anger management

Your anger has a lot to say. Let’s listen to your anger together.

ICBC Clients

Make use of ICBC counselling sessions available to you to recover from an accident by sending your claim number.

CVAP Program

As a victim of crime, you deserve professional therapy to heal. Contact CVAP for more information.

Clinical Supervision

Develop professionally in a safe, non-judgemental and caring supervisory relationship.

Roya is absolutely awesome!! She's with me every step of the way and I can't thank her enough. Roya gives me the support I've needed for a very long time.

I felt I was expressive with my thoughts and emotions in general, but the sessions with Roya has been eye opening in terms of releasing these feelings.

She is great about bringing my thoughts back to what my body is feeling and I need that. She is always empathetic.

Qualifications

I am an avid learner and have had the privilege to be trained with notable teachers in the counselling field. I am forever grateful for their wisdom.

Qualification Details

Training with Bessel Van der Kolk, author of Body Keeps the Score

Training with Gabor Mate (Phd), author of When The Body Says No

Training with Janina Fisher (Phd), author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of the Trauma Survivors

Training with Sue Johnson (Phd), author of Hold Me Tight

Clinical Trauma (CCTP-I) and Complex Trauma Treatment (CCTP-II) certifications with the International Association of Trauma

Training with Frank Anderson (MD), author of Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems Therapy

Training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy
Training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Training in Accelerated Experiential Psychodynamic Therapy (AEDP)

QUALIFICATIONS