anxiety

How Therapy Can Help You Cope with Anxiety

How Therapy Can Help You Cope with Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges today, affecting millions of people across all ages. While occasional worry is normal, persistent anxiety can interfere with work, relationships, and overall well-being. The good news is that therapy provides tools and strategies to manage anxiety effectively and reclaim a sense of calm and control.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or nervous. It can manifest as:

  • Racing thoughts or constant worry
  • Physical symptoms like muscle tension, headaches, or rapid heartbeat
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Irritability or difficulty concentrating

When anxiety becomes chronic, it can create a cycle of stress and avoidance, making daily life feel overwhelming. Recognizing these signs is the first step toward managing them.

How Therapy Supports Anxiety Management

Therapy provides a safe, structured environment to explore the root causes of anxiety and develop coping strategies. Some ways therapy helps include:

1. 

Identifying Triggers

A therapist can help you recognize patterns and situations that trigger anxiety, whether they are external stressors, internal thought patterns, or past experiences.

2. 

Developing Coping Strategies

Through techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and relaxation exercises, therapy teaches practical skills to reduce anxious thoughts and calm the nervous system.

3. 

Challenging Negative Thinking

Anxiety often involves distorted or catastrophic thinking. Therapy helps you identify and reframe these thoughts, promoting a more balanced perspective.

4. 

Building Emotional Resilience

Consistent therapy strengthens your ability to tolerate uncertainty, manage stress, and respond to challenges with confidence rather than fear.

5. 

Improving Relationships

Anxiety can strain personal and professional relationships. Therapy can enhance communication skills, assertiveness, and empathy, improving how you relate to others.

The Benefits of Early Intervention

Seeking therapy early can prevent anxiety from escalating into more severe mental health concerns. Even a few sessions can provide tools to manage symptoms effectively, improve coping mechanisms, and reduce the impact of anxiety on daily life.

Therapy is not a quick fix, but it is a long-term investment in your mental and emotional well-being. By addressing anxiety proactively, you can regain a sense of control, increase self-awareness, and experience greater peace in everyday life.

Tips for Maximizing Therapy for Anxiety

  • Be open and honest: Share your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
  • Practice techniques regularly: Skills learned in sessions are most effective when practiced consistently.
  • Set realistic goals: Small, incremental changes lead to lasting improvement.
  • Combine therapy with self-care: Adequate sleep, exercise, mindfulness, and balanced nutrition support overall mental health.

Final Thoughts

Anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. With therapy, you can develop tools, strategies, and self-awareness to manage anxious thoughts and emotions effectively. Whether you’re dealing with occasional stress or chronic anxiety, professional guidance can help you regain calm, confidence, and balance.

If anxiety is interfering with your daily life, consider reaching out to a licensed therapist. The first step toward relief is often the hardest—but it can also be the most transformative.

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

10 ways to live a more fulfilling healthier and happy life today:


So we all want to live a healthy and happy life right? Sometimes we don’t feel fulfilled in the everyday routine. We get stuck in the autopilot of it all. It gets exhausting, maybe even draining.

Let’s talk about 10 simple ways you can begin to implement today to live a more fulfilling healthier and happier life today.

  1. Practice gratitude

Choose each day to show up with a grateful heart. Even for the small things in your life, food you eat, roof over your head. This can all adjust the way you see and feel about your life and world.

  1. Choose to smile

There’s a ton of research that shows smiling helps us internally as well as externally. It helps us feel lighter and more at ease, plus it costs nothing. Try it out today.

  1. Mindfulness

Living a mindful life allows one to be present in all of your feelings and experiences, the more present we are the more regulated we become.

  1. Say no

Say no to people, places and things that don’t align to what truly makes your soul happy.

  1. Practice Healthy Boundaries

Boundaries are essential. They are a perfect example of self- care. The healthier boundaries we choose the happier life we live.

  1. Exercise

Get moving, exercise increases endorphins that help us feel good. Get moving today.

  1. Surround yourself with people that love and truly care about you

When you surround yourself with a healthy team, you yourself begin to make healthier choices for you.

  1. Live for your moments

The moments that take your breathe away. Live and be those moments.

Manage Stress

Be conscious and aware of your stress. If it gets too high it’s time to implement something different.

  1. Choose goals that are realistic

Set goals that are realistic and achievable. Be kind to yourself. Choose compassion.

So today is your day, your day to begin living a happier and healthier life. Which of the 10 will you start to incorporate in your life? New Day Vitality is here to help.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

Let’s get moving, how to become unstuck in life.


So sometimes in life we’re stuck. Like seriously stuck. Have you felt this way? Have you ever felt stuck in a space, in a job, in an environment, in a relationship? If you answered yes to any of these questions this blog may be a healthy start on how to get moving and unstuck in your life.

Let go of the past

It’s hard, we know. We have all been there. But the longer you live in the past, the longer you will stay idle.

Explore your purpose.

Engage with your purpose, explore it. Does the life you live now engage with that purpose? If not it maybe time to shift.

Here’s some helpful questions to explore purpose.

What makes me happy and brings me joy?
What were my favorite things to do in my past?
What’s makes my soul happy now?
Who or what inspires me the most, and why is that?
What and who makes me feel good about myself?

Practice compassion

Practicing compassion can help one feel more present and unstuck in the routine. Do you practice self compassion? And if you do what does it look like? If you don’t, it’s probably time to start today.

Check out these 10 ways below directly from Tiny Buddha:

1. Transform your mindset.

Sadly, it’s often challenging to lift yourself up (particularly if you’re feeling really low or ashamed), but if you want to create compassion for yourself, you have to change your mindset.

For me, self-compassion started with changing my thoughts. I started focusing on the fact that my behaviorwas bad, not me. Once I started labeling behavior (instead of myself as whole), I was able to be kinder to myself and open up my mind to the possibility that I could make changes.

2. Speak (and think!) kindly about yourself.

Hand in hand with the first step is speaking and thinking kindly about yourself. Your words are incredibly powerful, and if you continuously tell yourself you’re unworthy, a mess, or unforgiveable, you’ll soon start to believe it.

I did this for a long time, calling myself things like “crazy” or “out of control,” but once I started changing my words, stopping myself every time I wanted to laugh off my behavior with a negative label, I began having more compassion for myself.

I was a person making bad choices, not a bad person. If you struggle with this step, imagine talking about yourself as you would talk about your best friend.

3. Forgive yourself for your mistakes.

Forgiveness is vital for self-compassion. We all make mistakes, but not all of us forgive ourselves for them. Depending on the mistake, this can be a very daunting task, but keep in mind that you cannot go back (no matter how badly you might want to), so the best thing to do is to choose forgiveness and forward motion.

Whenever I did something inappropriate, instead of shrugging it off or excusing my behavior, I started apologizing for it, both to others and to myself. Again, I focused on the fact that I wasn’t bad; it was my behavior that was.

4. Spend time doing things you truly enjoy.

If you’re struggling with shame, enjoying pleasurable activities can be seen as something you don’t deserve. But each and every one of us deserves to engage in joyful, uplifting, and exciting experiences.

Allowing yourself to experience true happiness”to take time from your life to do something you love”is an act of compassion.

When I found myself feeling ashamed for a mistake I’d made, I began making a conscious effort to understand what situation provoked that act and I strove to make choices that put me in more positive situations.

5. Strive to avoid judgments and assumptions.

Though assumptions and judgments are often based on experience or knowledge of some sort, it’s very hard to predict what will happen in life. When you judge yourself or make an assumption about what you will do in the future, you don’t give yourself an opportunity to choose a different path. Instead of limiting yourself, be open to all possibilities.

In my situation, I started assuming that I shouldn’t go to an event because I would inevitably cause a scene and have to leave. Little did I know that I’d eventually learn, with the help of therapy and self-compassion, to socialize sober. I had assumed that I would always be “wild,” but I’ve learned that you cannot know the future. Assumptions will only inhibit you.

6. Find common ground with others.

While self-compassion is about the way you care for yourself, one of the best ways to cultivate it is to create connections with others. When you open yourself up to sharing who you are with others, you’ll soon see that you’re not alone.

We all struggle to treat ourselves with kindness, and recognizing this can make the struggle more manageable.

At some point, I began admitting to friends and family that I had a problem. It was difficult to open up emotionally, but the more I did, the more I discovered that I wasn’t alone. Creating these stronger emotional ties made it so much easier to deal with my personal shame and to work toward more self-compassion.

7. Take care of your mind and your body.

One of the most compassionate things you can do for yourself is take care of your mind and body. Spend as much time as possible absorbing new information, and be sure to fill your mind and body with positive things (healthy food, good conversations, wisdom, etc.). Being mindful of what you consume and what you do with your energy is an important part of self-compassion.

Once I began doing this, I was able to recognize what did and didn’t make me feel good about myself. Admittedly, I didn’t always continue to seek out positive things (and still struggle to do so at times), but the awareness of what would and wouldn’t impact my mind and body positively gave me the opportunity to make more conscious, compassionate choices for myself.

8. Pay attention to where your passion lies.

Most of us are passionate about something. We have things that really matter to us ¾ a career, a hobby, our loved ones. Whatever it is that gets you excited, allow yourself to focus on that, and do what you can to spend more time enjoying it. Self-compassion means allowing yourself to be passionate, without shame or fear.

Around the time I started trying to get sober, I realized that my issues with alcohol were a reflection of deeper issues within my heart and mind. I started thinking more about my mindset and, as I explored this, I decided to start a blog to share what I found. It was at that time that my passion for self-discovery and my passion for writing merged, and Positively Present was born!

9. Realize it’s not all about you.

Rather than focusing on how we see ourselves, we often direct our attention to how we think others see us. It’s important not to do this for two reasons: (1) we don’t ever really know what others think and (2) more often than not, others aren’t thinking about you.

Letting go of external validation is a very compassionate choice.

It took me a long time to overcome this, particularly when it came to giving up drinking. For a long while, it felt like everyone was judging me, either because they thought I had a problem or, worse still, they themselves had a drinking problem and couldn’t understand why I was quitting.

As time passed, I discovered that most people didn’t care whether or not I drank”they just wanted me to be happy”and realizing this made it so much easier to do what was best for me.

10. Cultivate acceptance (even for your flaws).

Just because you accept something doesn’t mean that you like it. We all have attributes we don’t love, but the more you focus on accepting the things you cannot change, the more content you become with who you are.

One of the great challenges that came with my sobriety was realizing that I didn’t, in fact, like partying and barhopping as much as I’d claimed to. I’d made these things such a big part of my identity, and recognizing and accepting that they weren’t “me” was difficult (particularly because I had to overcome the notion that “introverted” was a negative characteristic).

I still struggle at times with being introverted”I often wish I could be social butterfly”but accepting my limitations and my true nature has been the greatest act of self-compassion. Doing so has allowed me to direct my energy and attention to the things I love about my life: my creativity, my writing, and the people who love me just as I am.

 

“Embracing these ten tips has helped me to cultivate more compassion for myself, and I’ve found that the more compassionate I am with myself”particularly when I’ve made a mistake or feel ashamed” the more compassionate I am with others as well.

The way you treat, think about, and talk to yourself isn’t just about you. It has a ripple effect that impacts all of your relationships and all of your choices, which is why it’s so important to choose self-compassion whenever possible. It changes your life and, in a greater sense, the world as well.

Believe in yourself

Believing in yourself. Do you believe in yourself? Have you ever asked yourself that question? If not maybe it’s time.

Get out of your comfort zone

Challenging yourself to get out of your comfort zone, with that being or feeling stuck you will feel a change in alignment.

Which ones will you start today above to feel unstuck? Which ones spoke to you?

If you’re in need for more support reach out to us today. We are here and honored to be apart of your journey.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

Self-love and cultivating it


Self- love

We all need it. We all want it. But how do we practice self-love?

Here’s some simple ways to begin practicing self-love today:

Live in the moment, each moment of every day.

Practice gratitude. Start and keep a gratitude journal today.

Embrace change. Accept the fact that we can’t control everything.

Self-care. Ensure you practice self-care daily.

Mindfulness, practicing mindfulness can flourish self-love in many effective ways.

Eat healthy, get enough sleep. Take care of you.

Surround yourself with people who you feel safe with. Who show you love and kindness that you deserve.

Let go of toxic relationships and environments. Cleanse yourself of all that doesn’t serve you.

Forgive yourself. Forgiveness is a key ingredient to self-love.

Mediate. Take time to be with you.

Be creative. Take up a new hobby and have fun with it.

Celebrate milestones, each milestone is growth and something to celebrate.

Follow your passion. Work towards your dreams.

Journal. Journal your feelings and emotions.

Love yourself. Love yourself, your true, vibrant authentic self. Perfectly imperfect

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

How to elicit a routine?


Some of us love routine. Some of us fight them to no end. But in the end psychology confirms that routine is extremely beneficial for our mental health and wellness. Let’s open up the secret benefits of having a routine.

First let’s discuss,

What’s the definition of routine?

According to Merriam-Webster defines routine as, “a commonplace or repetitious character; or relating to, or being in accordance with established procedure routine business.”

So why do we need routines?

What’s the benefit of having a routine?

Here’s some benefits of having a routine:

-Having control of your life because you have a structure or routine

-Having a routine can make your day go easier, start your day off on a good foot

-Routine lowers stress

-Routine in hand helps you get a better nights rest

-Routines give you more time to yourself because you have more structure

-Health benefits of having a routine

-Elicits creativity

-Elicits productivity

-Routine increases happiness

-More time for the fun stuff

-Improve and better interpersonal relationships, more time for you makes for time for friends

-Better focus and concentration

-More productive at work and within your career

According to https://www.verywellmind.com/the-importance-of-keeping-a-routine-during-stressful-times-4802638

Here’s ways a routine can support your health:

“There are some things that you can make a part of your daily routine to help manage stress levels. These include:

  • Staying active and getting regular daily exercise
  • Making sure that you are well-rested
  • Eating healthy meals on a regular schedule
  • Setting realistic goals
  • Trying to stay positive
  • Preparing for challenges but not ruminating on things you can’t control
  • Staying in touch with friends and family members
  • Setting aside time for activities that you enjoy”

So now how do we create a routine?

According to Dr. Orma on https://www.headspace.com/articles/the-secret-benefit-of-routines-it-wont-surprise-you

“How to create a great routine”

Dr. Orma has some advice: “Sit down with a pad of paper and write out everything you do each day over the course of a week. See what you can cut or reduce. Then see what you can set as a normal routine, something you do at a set time each day or week. It has to work with your lifestyle. If you like to stay up late, getting up early as part of your routine may not work.” Once you have your routine, give it a little time and it’ll start to feel like second nature but if you realize something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it. Sports psychologist Dr. Jim Taylor, an expert on the power of routine for athletes in training, tells me: “It can be worthwhile to alter routines periodically to keep things fresh and stimulating.” This is another secret bonus of routines: once you’ve established one, the merest of tweaks can totally revitalize your day.”

So now that we have defined routine, now we understand the benefits of it and how to implement it. So the question is are you ready to begin? I encourage to start a routine and regimen today, your body and mental health will thank you.

Learn more about New Day Vitality.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D