Reaching Steady Ground: Individual Counselling for Anxiety at Reverie Therapy
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek counselling, and for good reason. It can be a persistent and confusing experience — sometimes feeling like a vague unease, other times presenting as racing thoughts, tension in the body, panic, or an overwhelming sense that something isn’t right. For some, anxiety can escalate into sudden and intense episodes, such as panic attacks, which may feel overwhelming and disorienting. Whether it’s a constant undercurrent or a wave that crashes without warning, anxiety can be exhausting, isolating, and difficult to explain to others. In the midst of it, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one dealing with anxiety, but support is available, and as a counsellor working with clients online and in-person in Maple Ridge, BC, my role is to help you navigate these feelings with understanding and care.
Anxiety as a Meaningful Signal
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor with an integrative approach, I view anxiety not as a flaw or dysfunction, but as a meaningful signal from the nervous system that something needs our attention. Anxiety often arises when something in our environment — or even in our thoughts — feels uncertain, unsafe, or unresolved. Our system reacts with protective energy, trying to prepare us for danger or help us regain control. While these responses are natural, they can sometimes become too sensitive or overactive, especially when we’ve experienced trauma, chronic stress, or prolonged emotional challenges.
A Holistic, Client-Centred Approach
At Reverie Therapy, I support clients in working with anxiety gently and holistically. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, I invite clients to develop a deeper relationship with their anxiety — one that’s based on curiosity, compassion, and empowerment. My integrative framework combines evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and trauma-informed care. I also draw on somatic and attachment-oriented methods to help clients regulate their nervous system and reconnect with a sense of inner safety.
Beginning the Journey: Body Awareness and Grounding
In one of our first sessions, we might begin by exploring how anxiety shows up in the body — tight chest, shallow breath, racing heart — and learning grounding tools that help bring the system back into balance. From there, we may explore the deeper roots of anxiety: What stories are you telling yourself? What old wounds or unprocessed experiences might be influencing your current emotional landscape? What support systems and coping strategies are (or aren’t) in place?
Honouring Your Unique Experience
As we work together, we will look at both the internal and external pieces of the puzzle. In my practice, I honour each client’s lived experience and recognize the many layers — emotional, physical, relational, cultural — that contribute to how anxiety is felt and understood. No two people experience anxiety in the same way, which is why a flexible, client-centred approach is so essential.
Shifting the Narrative: Anxiety as a Signal, Not the Enemy
One of the most empowering shifts that can happen in counselling is when anxiety is no longer viewed as the enemy, the problem, or the thing that is “wrong,” but instead as a signal that something within us needs care. With time, support, and the right tools, it becomes possible to respond to anxiety with more confidence and clarity — rather than fear or avoidance.
You Are Not Alone
If you’re living with anxiety, please know you don’t have to face it alone. When you’re ready, Reverie Therapy is here to support you with compassionate, personalized care in a safe and collaborative space. Together, we can work toward connection, insight, and growth.
Warmly,
Jess