Anxiety Archives | Plano Christian Counseling

4 Indications That You Have Abandonment Anxiety

4 Indications That You Have Abandonment Anxiety

Tammy Varghese, Kate Motaung2025-05-30T08:47:17+00:00May 30th, 2025|Abandonment and Neglect, Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

It’s not always easy to know when you have abandonment anxiety. There are occasions when people face physical trauma and walk away from it feeling fine, only to discover they have obtained a hairline fracture in one of their bones. Abandonment anxiety is similar in that. You might have felt as if you sustained no emotional damage from a traumatic event in your past, only to experience strange twinges of pain and annoyance from unexpected events later in life. Abandonment trauma tends to lie dormant in your heart and only becomes apparent when you get emotionally close to someone. Then, you are suddenly afraid of damaging the relationship irreparably or doing something that will cause them to walk out on you. It’s not always easy to identify abandonment anxiety, and even more challenging to know what to do with it once you’ve recognized it. You are not alone in this experience, but you might have to risk becoming vulnerable so that you can address these issues and experience authentic, secure intimacy with your loved ones. Indicators of Abandonment Anxiety You struggle with unresolved conflict It’s not unusual to struggle with conflict. However, some people feel crippled when fights are left unresolved. If a disagreement with a loved one has been left without a conclusion, you might find yourself keeping your distance from them, wracked by nerves when you are around them, and unable to focus on anything until some resolution is reached. These levels of anxiety over conflict would be considered extreme, and they likely point to a person dealing with abandonment trauma. At the core of abandonment trauma is a fear of being left behind, forgotten, overlooked, or dismissed. When you are in the middle of a fight that has not been resolved, you are out of control [...]

Comments Off

Avoidance Anxiety and How It Affects Relationships

Avoidance Anxiety and How It Affects Relationships

Tammy Varghese, Kate Motaung2025-05-09T07:04:42+00:00May 9th, 2025|Abandonment and Neglect, Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

There’s something about unpleasant experiences that just shouts, “Don’t do this again!”. We instinctively tend to avoid unsavory things to save ourselves time and effort and to preserve our peace of mind. For example, if you have a bad experience at an eating establishment, you’re unlikely to patronize it again. It can be scary getting into a car again after an accident or it may feel uncomfortable walking where you were mugged. We tend to avoid the unpleasant, or what reminds us of unpleasant experiences. This can be advantageous, for the reasons already mentioned. However, it can also have a downside. There are situations in which it is necessary to face unpleasant things for another, bigger purpose. You may not enjoy public speaking, for example, but it enables you to effectively communicate your ideas to more people. In key instances in life, it may be necessary to face the things that make you anxious or that you ordinarily try to avoid. Understanding avoidance anxiety and its impact on your life can help you take steps to deal with this anxiety and reclaim your freedom and ability to enter diverse situations unhindered by fear. Avoidance Anxiety Unpacked We all have moments or situations that make us anxious. Perhaps it is dinner with your family, talking or eating in public, going to a social event, a first date or job interview, driving, addressing conflict, or any number of other circumstances. When you feel anxious, your body reacts by activating your fight-flight-freeze response. This is one of the ways your body prepares you to act in ways that protect you and your well-being. Anxiety doesn’t feel pleasant. It includes signs such as a rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, racing thoughts and restlessness, and even feelings of dread. When you’re anxious, it can feel [...]

Comments Off

5 Trauma-Informed Beliefs That Can Cause Anxiety

5 Trauma-Informed Beliefs That Can Cause Anxiety

Sarah Harris, Kate Motaung2025-04-23T08:11:39+00:00April 21st, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Many people experience anxiety without knowing where it comes from. While anxiety can be linked to external events or part of a disorder, more often than not, anxiety is connected to the way we see the world and the beliefs we carry. It is possible to gain control over certain types of anxiety. It might require that we face past experiences and rewire our limiting beliefs that are connected to unresolved trauma. In this article, we’ll consider some trauma-informed beliefs that can lead to anxiety. Inside Out: The Way We See the World Our childhood experiences shape the way we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. Some of the things we faced growing up were traumatic, even though it might have felt normal or common. For example, some parents have a rule not to lock doors in the home. They regularly snoop and inspect their children’s rooms. A child who grew up without being afforded trust or privacy will likely struggle with boundaries as an adult and may be anxious as they try to enforce them. Their underlying belief might be that personal boundaries are wrong, dangerous, or only afforded to others, but not themselves. Plano Christian Counseling can help individuals unlearn harmful patterns, establish healthy boundaries, and embrace their worth through faith-based guidance and support. We don’t always frame certain experiences as being traumatic because we were exposed to them as a norm. It is only as we grow and get close to people that they become mirrors that we can look into and see ourselves. A friend, loved one, coworker, or counselor might question a belief that we didn’t even realize was abnormal. This causes us to see ourselves or our beliefs in a new light. Unresolved trauma is at the root of a lot [...]

Comments Off

Fear of Abandonment: How It Develops and How It Can Affect You

Fear of Abandonment: How It Develops and How It Can Affect You

Bryan Ferguson, Kate Motaung2025-04-23T09:29:56+00:00April 8th, 2025|Abandonment and Neglect, Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues, Trauma|

Have you ever had an experience so visceral that to this day it feels like that moment never quite left you? It could be the first time you saw the ocean, the time you fell from a tree, a time when you saw a project come together and felt alive, or perhaps when you experienced a tragic loss. Our bodies and our minds remember the things that happen to us; they leave a mark on us, even if it’s not visible. The experiences that you have will impact you in one way or the other. They may contribute to making you more fearful, adventurous, circumspect, or ambivalent. A fear of abandonment may result from certain life experiences, and it can have a profound impact on how you live your life and conduct your relationships. Fear of Abandonment Explained When a person is said to have a fear of abandonment, it means that they have an intense or deep-seated concern that they will experience desertion, rejection, or otherwise be left behind by someone that they care about a lot. This fear of abandonment can occur due to various factors such as trauma, past experiences of rejection or abandonment, or because of an insecure attachment style. Plano Christian Counseling offers compassionate, faith-based support to help individuals heal from past wounds and develop secure, healthy relationships. The complex emotional issue of fearing abandonment can result in several outcomes, including feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and distress. Instead of feeling like safe places, relationships can wind up feeling like a disaster waiting to happen, diminishing one’s enjoyment of it. There are several different forms and sources of this fear of abandonment. One of them is emotional abandonment, which is when a person feels they’re not being validated by others, or they feel unseen and [...]

Comments Off

Working Through Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts

Working Through Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-04-23T07:38:51+00:00April 8th, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Our bodies and minds don’t always do what we tell them to. You could be on a date, and all you’re trying to do is stay calm and not come across a certain way, but there’s no guarantee that your mind and body are going to comply with this request. It can sometimes feel like your mind is actively working against you and your well-being. That’s certainly the case with anxiety and intrusive thoughts. Most people can probably pinpoint a time when they felt anxious, or when a thought entered their mind unbidden. Such experiences can range from being mildly uncomfortable to being downright distressing. The good news is that they can be dealt with effectively, helping to restore calm and peace in your life. Plano Christian Counseling offers faith-based tools and compassionate support to help individuals manage anxiety and find lasting peace. Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts Anxiety is the feeling of nervousness, fear, or worry that you experience when you’re in a situation that feels unsettling, frightening, or threatening. When you feel anxious, it’s often accompanied by racing thoughts, feeling restless and irritable, and you may even have a rapid heartbeat and be unable to sleep. Anxiety may last for a few moments after you’ve been in a frightening situation, but it can also linger, pointing to an ongoing condition. Intrusive thoughts are distressing and unwanted images, thoughts, urges, or ideas that enter a person’s mind. These thoughts can be unwanted for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the thoughts go against one’s personal values. These two can feed off each other and worsen things. Some of the connections between them include the following: Intrusive thoughts fuel anxiety Having unwanted thoughts piling into your mind can be quite distressing, and because these thoughts come and go [...]

Comments Off

Natural Anxiety Relief in Plano, Texas

Natural Anxiety Relief in Plano, Texas

Caitlin Mallery2025-03-22T06:57:04+00:00February 10th, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

If you’re looking for natural anxiety relief in Plano, Texas, we are here to help. A tried-and-true method of coping with anxiety is to pay attention to your five senses. When you are in the midst of a panic attack some people do a simple countdown: five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can feel, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This is effective because anxiety tends to spin you into a future-oriented state, so paying attention to the present is a helpful tool. Plano Christian Counseling offers faith-based support to help individuals manage anxiety and find peace in the present moment. This tool of focusing your senses can also help you cope with underlying anxiety. If you know that you are walking into an anxiety-inducing situation, maybe at work or with your family, use your senses to prepare. Some ideas: Hearing - listen to music that soothes or inspires you. Seeing - take moments to gaze into the distance and then up close. Feeling - wear a piece of jewelry or clothing that you love. Taste - have a food or beverage you enjoy (before, after, or during as appropriate). Smell - consider having a perfume/cologne that you love. There are a variety of ways that being outside can help with your anxiety. You can take short walks around your neighborhood or go on longer hike in nature, such as at the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. For some people, the sound of water is soothing. If that’s you, you might enjoy the sound of the fountain at White Rock Trail Park in Plano. Others may prefer to get their hands dirty with plants. Consider getting involved with the Plano Community Garden or visiting another local [...]

Comments Off

Easing Stress When Moving to a New House

Easing Stress When Moving to a New House

Jennifer Kooshian2025-03-25T15:44:04+00:00December 30th, 2024|Anxiety, Christian Counseling for Children, Depression, Family Counseling, Featured, Personal Development|

Relocating your whole life is not an easy thing to do. Moving house is one of the more stressful things that an average person goes through. That’s one of the reasons why one can read the biblical stories in Exodus and Numbers of the ancient Israelites grumbling on their desert sojourn with some sympathy. Imagine settling and uprooting yourself and your family so often! Unfortunately, moving house, while being extremely stressful, is one of the realities that we must contend with at some point in our lives. For many of us, we’d rather remain rooted right where we are. There is a sense of comfort, familiarity, and security in being in one place and building our lives there. And so, when a move needs to happen, it can be disruptive, unpleasant, and stressful. Plano Christian Counseling is here to help you navigate the transition with faith-based guidance and support, so you can find peace and stability in the midst of change. Why Moving House Is Stressful There are many reasons why moving house is stressful. Sometimes it’s the reasons behind the move that make it stressful, while in many cases the simple fact of moving itself is the issue. Each of us has our own level of tolerance for change and disruption to our daily routines. Often, it’s only when your routine is disturbed – when you don’t get that morning coffee or your morning commute is disrupted – that you see how out of sorts you are for the rest of the day. Moving house can be stressful for the following reasons: The circumstances behind the move There are many reasons why people move. Sometimes, those reasons are less than pleasant, and that can add to the stress one experiences. If you need to move because [...]

Comments Off

Anxiety Symptoms in Men: Signs to Look For and Treatment Options

Anxiety Symptoms in Men: Signs to Look For and Treatment Options

Jennifer Kooshian2025-03-27T08:09:15+00:00September 13th, 2024|Anxiety, Featured, Men’s Issues|

A man may be many things to many people – a friend, husband, brother, colleague, boss, hero, or villain – but at the heart of it all, he’s still just a person, with everything that entails. Anxiety and anxiety disorders are a daily reality for millions of people across the world. Though they typically affect women, anxiety and anxiety disorders also affect many men. Discerning the common anxiety symptoms in men can help a man find effective treatment options. Plano Christian Counseling offers faith-based guidance to help men navigate anxiety, find peace, and regain control of their well-being. How do men experience anxiety? Many men don’t often discuss their problems, and that includes struggles with anxiety or anxiety disorders. Anxiety affects people of all stripes, and it affects people regardless of gender. Men tend to put off getting support when they need it because of ideas of what masculinity is, including the thought that they’re meant to be tough and self-reliant. This mindset only makes it harder for men to not only acknowledge issues but to find solutions to them. Anxiety is a natural reaction to situations that are or appear threatening. It’s the feeling of uneasiness, dread, tension, or fear that often attends these experiences. People don’t all feel anxious for the same reason, and they respond to it differently, too. While anxiety is often associated with symptoms such as nervousness, sweating, or a rapid heartbeat, anxiety may also go beyond these symptoms. When men experience anxiety, they are more likely than women to deal with their anxiety through substance abuse. This might differ from women who will often turn to avoidance as a coping mechanism. Anxiety in men is often caused by issues such as family dynamics, work stress, heart disease, traumatic events, or a decline in [...]

Comments Off

Fear of Missing Out: Exchanging Anxiety for the Delight of Living Your Own Best Life

Fear of Missing Out: Exchanging Anxiety for the Delight of Living Your Own Best Life

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-03-27T09:10:16+00:00August 19th, 2024|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Whether you intentionally search or aimlessly scroll, you will find evidence of anxiety fingerprinted on the web or anywhere you can find people. Internet ads, reels, or posts reveal the idolatrous heart of our society, often expressed as the fear of missing out. We have become so addicted to doing more and outdoing one other that we have coined a new phrase for it - FOMO. Fear of missing out, or FOMO, may offer a fresh name, but it is a timeworn issue. It is anxiety derived from trying to keep up with others’ activities and the fear that one is missing out if they do not also do that activity or have the coveted thing that everybody has. Instead of living richly and in contentment with the abundance that God has given to our hands, we compete and compare instead. Fear and anxiety drain us of the goodness that God has gifted us. We consume time, money, energy, and other resources to keep up with appearances and to match or exceed the experiences of others. Instead of feeling fulfilled, a person feels bankrupt, with nothing left to devote to God and no joy in the gifts acquired. Plano Christian Counseling can help you break free from this cycle, find peace in God’s provision, and rediscover the joy of living with purpose and gratitude. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world. – 1 John 2:16, ESV Anxiety: fixated on fear Too often, we decide our value based on the external trappings of this world. We wrongly assign our worth, often comparing ourselves with any and everyone, close or unfamiliar. Peering through the [...]

Comments Off

Joy in the Journey: Strategies to Navigate Anxiety, Spiritual, and Personal Development

Joy in the Journey: Strategies to Navigate Anxiety, Spiritual, and Personal Development

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-03-27T09:39:47+00:00July 16th, 2024|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

No matter who we are or what we encounter in life, challenges will be embedded as part of our spiritual and personal development. While circumstances can produce anxiety, God doesn’t intend to hurt us through what He allows in our lives. It is quite the opposite. As we develop fortitude amid struggles, we also encounter the reward of the Lord’s Presence. Always with us, the Holy Spirit is the treasure in earthen vessels who reveals unforeseen blessings in times of unprecedented suffering. Instead of abandoning our anticipation for God’s goodness, the Lord arises when we cling to Him in hope, scattering the enemies of doubt and destruction. At Plano Christian Counseling, we walk alongside you in your journey of faith, offering biblical wisdom and compassionate support to help you persevere through life’s challenges. When we apply and exercise what the Holy Spirit teaches in life’s classroom, we develop the kind of personal habits and spiritual character that shift spiritual atmospheres and overcome evil. Our obedience and alignment with the Word flood the Light of Christ in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. He illuminates our ways, dispelling darkness and directing us away from harmful patterns that hijack the life of peace and joy we are created to live (Job 22:28). When we choose to rivet our attention on Jesus, we encounter the richness of a Holy God who makes everything new (Revelation 21:5). The fruit of our development and deliverance may appear differently from one season to the next. Despite it all, our Savior continually elevates us into other realms of His glory and experiences of His manifest Presence (2 Corinthians 3:18). Speak the truth to encourage personal development We assert godly authority when we change our internal dialogue to align with the Father’s original design. Speaking His Truth establishes [...]

Comments Off

Anxiety

CONTACT INFO

Plano Christian Counseling

ABOUT US