(941) 462-4807 | 8470 Enterprise Circle, Suite 300, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

Meg Young

My WordPress Blog

  • Meg Young
  • Home
  • Specialties
    • Therapy for First Responders
    • Therapy for Therapists, Social Workers, Counselors
    • Therapy for Medical Professionals and Veterinarians
    • Therapy for Probation, Parole, and Corrections Officers
  • Services
    • Therapy for Anxiety
    • Therapy for PTSD
    • EMDR
    • Online Therapy
    • Group Therapy
    • EMDR Certification and Independent Licensure
    • Professional and Life Coaching
  • Get Started
    • Appointment Request
    • Rates & Insurance
    • Client Portal
    • Make A Payment
    • FAQs
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
    • Yoga for Trauma Recovery
    • Relaxation
    • Community Events
    • Free opt-ins
  • Blog
  • Workshops
    • Compassion Fatigue and Burnout
  • Podcast
  • About
  • Contact

January 19, 2017 by Meg Young Leave a Comment

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal emotion. It is a wonderful safety measure the body and brain has to keep the body alive and safe. However, too often, the body and brain over-reacts to non-threatening situations because of past experiences. There is a part of the brain which is primitive and deals with survival. Think about an animal in the wild. If the animal is spooked, it quickly turns and runs. Often animals will turn and run just by seeing a human. The animal itself has probably not been through anything traumatic, but it still knows that humans are potentially a threat to the animal’s survival. Therefore, it doesn’t stick around to see if the human will cause it harm or not; it assumes harm and runs. We have that same survival part of the brain. The brain remembers things in many ways (sight, sound, smell, feel, taste, emotion, etc). If you have a stomach ache during a particular incident, then have another stomach ache later, it is possible to recall the previous incident in which also had a stomach ache. This is to keep you safe – the incident and the physical pain will be a trigger to anxiety in the future.

So, what happens is your brain is “triggered” by something (sight, smell, sound, feel, taste, emotion, etc) and immediately sends a signal telling the body to be ready for danger; keep the body alive. Immediately your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, you breathe faster, cortisol is sent into your body giving your extremities additional blood and oxygen allowing you to fight or run quickly, you realize you are not thinking clearly (you don’t need to think when in danger for your life; you just need to react). Another bodily reaction you may not realize includes digestion turning off (again you don’t need to digest when in danger. The body needs to prioritize what systems need to function to keep you alive). Excellent when truly in danger, right? But what if you aren’t truly in danger? That is where people struggle.

Anxiety is a natural emotion and a necessary one at that. Anxiety can be a very uncomfortable emotion, though, so often people want to “stop” being anxious. A better goal may be to control anxiety symptoms and work with a therapist on why you’re having excess anxiety. There are many techniques to help with anxiety when it overtakes your life. Mindfulness is a wonderful tool to help with anxiety. You can learn a lot about anxiety online. Breathing techniques (breathing from your stomach slowly and not from your chest quickly) as well as many other breathing techniques go along with mindfulness and are an amazing technique. If you’ve ever tried to breathe quickly on purpose, you’d notice that you can actually make yourself feel anxious. The same goes for slowing your breath – you calm your body as well. Other modes of therapy that can help with anxiety include EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), ART (accelerated resolution therapy), MBSR (Mindfulness based stress reduction), even CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), among others.

If you are feeling overanxious, it may be helpful to try some mindfulness and breathing exercises. If you don’t find this to be enough, contact a therapist. If you need help locating one or you want to work with me, feel free to call or email me. I will be more than happy to talk with you about what you need. 860-501-9767; 941-462-4807; megberrylcsw@fastmail.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Meg Young



(941) 462-4807
meg@megyounglcsw.com
Fax: (941) 348-1334

8470 Enterprise Circle, Suite 300
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

Contact

Recent Posts

  • Nurturing Positive Relationships With Coworkers May 20, 2025
  • Mental Health Care for The Career Woman May 13, 2025
  • Setting Boundaries When Working From Home May 6, 2025

Office Hours


Tuesday: 8:00a-6:00p online only
Wednesday: 9:00a-1:30p in person; 2:30p-5:00p online only
Thursday: 8:00a-6:00p in person
Friday: 8:00a-10:00a online only; 11:00a-5:00p in person
Request an appointment
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Find My Office

Contact Information

8470 Enterprise Circle, Suite 300
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

(941) 462-4807
Fax: (941) 348-1334




See my Privacy Statement
Terms of Service
Good Faith Estimate

A Therapist Website by Brighter Vision | Privacy Policy

Office Space for Rent in Lakewood Ranch!
Fully Furnished • Private • Professional

Looking for a quiet, beautiful space to see clients or do your best work?

Now available! A fully furnished office for rent right off the highway on University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch – easy to access, with ample well-lit parking.

Perfect for:
– Therapists just starting out
– Wellness professionals growing their practice
– Coaches, consultants, or anyone ready to work in peace

Rent by the hour, day, or month; flexible options that grow with your goals.

Book a tour today and see if this peaceful, professional space is the right fit for your next chapter.

Contact Meg: 941-462-4807