What does that mean, to use your voice? It means you feel empowered. Whenever we experience anxiety or depression we can feel as though our opinion, our presence, our minds, and our souls do not matter. This happens to adults and children suffering from anxiety and depression.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, an evidence-based treatment for anxiety and depression, employs particular components that address this issue. Cognitive restructuring identifies how our thoughts can become distorted as anxiety and depression increase in severity and frequency. We can put on our “scientist caps” on and fully examine the evidence in favor of and against these types of thoughts. We can also implement behavioral strategies that can increase our participation in pleasurable, activating activities that will assist in the improvement in our mood.
Lastly, we can utilize strategies that allow us to face our fears in a gradual, controlled manner, with can lead to a decrease in anxiety over a short amount of time (i.e., exposure).
These strategies can help us find our own voice again, a voice that isn’t driven or does not belong to anxiety or depression.
Take a look at our website http://www.washingtonanxietycenter.com. On the main page is a link to an article written about Exposure therapy and CBT strategies with a more detailed explanation.
"My Kid's Mental Health"- A blog by a clinical psychologist 