Welcome, You are Not Alone!

Anxiety can be a terrifying, sneaky, all-encompassing disorder, that no one should have to battle alone. If you suffer from clinical levels of anxiety, panic, obsessive thinking, and their attendant symptoms, you are in excellent company. Some of the smartest, most creative, brave, and successful people were able to achieve historic accomplishments with intense anxiety disorders, including Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, Stephen Colbert, and many, many more.

I’ve written extensively on anxiety and panic disorder, and have become an unwitting anxiety expert through my lifelong experience managing and living with anxiety and panic disorder with touches of agoraphobia, OCD, and various phobias (driving, flying, etc). I’ve received thousands of emails, Facebook and Instagram messages, and inquiries through this website from people looking for anxiety help. Anxiety can feel extremely isolating and debilitating, but it’s the most common mental health challenge in our country - 20% of Americans will suffer from clinical levels of anxiety at some point in their lives. Connecting with others and sharing experiences can be hugely normalizing and relieving. Below, please find a collection of anxiety-related pieces I’ve published, as well as anxiety coaching offering and resources. If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can contact me here.

Yours in service, Gila

 
 
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One-on-One Anxiety Coaching

Please note that I am not a licensed therapist and my help does not replace therapy or medication. What I can do, and have done for many, is offer:

  • strategies and tools for combatting anxiety and managing symptoms

  • understanding of the science and research on anxiety and panic, which can be extremely empowering and helpful in de-escalating fear

  • guidance navigating various therapies and strategies that may be helpful to you

  • support and empathy from someone who’s been where you are many, many times before.

Testimonials:

“I can’t tell you how helpful our session was. I was struggling with derealization/depersonalization and talking with Gila about my brain and learning about what was happening in it was so helpful. I feel much better equipped to deal with depersonalization after speaking with Gila as she gave me amazing tools to do so. Gila, you really changed my life and I’m so glad to have you as a lifeline. Truly after our session I have felt so much comfort and I always know I can reach out if I’m caught back in it and it’s so comforting. I am forever grateful.”
- L. S., New mom and military spouse

“I really enjoyed talking with Gila and found her to be so helpful because she is both supportive and practical. Gila explained really complex scientific concepts in an easy-to-understand format that really resonated with me and helped things click into place. For instance, learning that once the "lizard brain" that controls anxiety kicks in, our prefrontal cortex turns off, which is why rational thought becomes so hard in the midst of a panic attack. Who knew?! She also gave some really simple, practical tips for dealing with anxiety and panic, like a simple phone app or finger tapping technique to distract my anxious brain. More than anything it was just really nice to talk to someone who understood what I've been going through and could relate. I've found my anxiety to have improved significantly, and I credit a lot of that to the knowledge I gained from talking to Gila and feeling more confident in my ability to handle my anxiety symptoms as they come up.
- M. M., Lawyer

“I found Gila's calm demeanor and informed point of view incredibly comforting. Seeing and hearing someone who experienced something so similar to me explain that everything I was saying was normal, I'm not losing it, was incredibly helpful. Learning more about the science of my symptoms was a game changer. She helped ease my fears around the derealization I've been experiencing, which is a key component to alleviating it altogether. The follow-up email I received from Gila was full of helpful tools and information to keep me progressing through my recovery process and was above and beyond anything ever provided to me from the many doctors and therapists I've seen in the past. Since speaking with Gila, my fear has continued to diminish and my symptoms have started to alleviate. I've prioritized relaxing my mind and body and am encouraged by the continual progress I'm seeing on a daily and weekly basis. It's also comforting to know I have someone to reach out to if things were to get bad again.”
- A.C., Copywriter 

I have seen a ton of changes since I started talking to Gila. It was very helpful to know scientifically what was happening to me, because then I knew that I wasn't going insane, it was just a chemical imbalance/surplus. Not only was just talking to someone that deals with the same thing I have helpful, but also the tips and emails were very helpful. If I ever needed reassurance, I look back at her emails which helped because I can't always think straight when I'm in the moment. When I have something written down, it helps a lot. It is very helpful to know that many other people deal with depersonalization, that way I know that I'm not alone. The changes I've seen consist of being able to think more positively, training myself to know what to do when I'm feeling anxious, and being able to know that I can get through the episode. 
- R.L, High School student

“Thank you so much, Gila. Talking to you has made me feel so much better and words can not describe how much I appreciate the conversation with you. I will definitely schedule another session soon to discuss my progress.”
- R.K., college student

Phone/Skype sessions are on a sliding scale for an hour-long phone or video call, which includes follow-up emails, resources, and email/text support. Email me here to inquire about scheduling and rates.

 
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Anxiety Resources

You can find a list of my favorite anxiety books here. Below are some I find particularly useful.

DARE is the most helpful book and system I’ve found that explains anxiety and its related disorders, like agoraphobia, panic attacks, derealization, and the best ways to manage them. Barry McDonagh’s approach is to normalize anxiety and to stop taking it so seriously. In chapter one he writes, “I know you might think your anxiety is very unique and singular to you, but I’m sorry to burst your bubble. It isn’t. It’s not one bit unique at all. In fact, it’s as boring, ordinary, and common as everyone else’s anxiety. There are literally millions of perfectly sane, normal people have the exact problem as you do.” He describes anxiety as “nothing more than nervous energy in your body. This energy rises and falls just like waves on the ocean.” People with anxiety disorders misinterpret this nervous energy as dangerous, which can cause adrenaline to dump and anxious thoughts and feelings to spiral out of control, climaxing into a panic attack. You can also download the very helpful and free DARE App with relaxation exercises, affirmations, and SOS scripts to de-escalate panic attacks. You can choose from audio files like “Help! I Need Reassurance!” “Help! I’m having a panic attack!” “Help! My mind is racing!” and more. They run from about 8 minutes to twelve minutes and help to de-escalate panic attacks, feelings of unreality, jittery morning anxiety, and racing medical worries. You can also get DARE Workbook: New Brave Tools to End Anxiety to accompany the book and further your progress.

My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind Humorous, honest, and meticulously researched, what I loved most about Scott Stossel’s memoir was the weaving of his harrowing journey with anxiety (panicking at his wedding, crippling phobias of vomiting, germs, flying, fainting, and more – all while successfully maintaining his responsibilities as editor of The Atlantic, and as a father, husband, and friend), with profound philosophical and cultural questions of what anxiety is and what significance it holds. Think: Hippocrates, Kierkegaard, Darwin, Freud, and Winnicott walk into a bar. Stossel comes at anxiety with both a journalist’s and an intellectual’s relentless curiosity, circling it from all angles – medical, chemical, genetic, artistic, philosophical – and what these mean in terms of treatment.

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety The Chinese believe that before you can conquer a beast, you must first make it beautiful. Sarah Wilson first came across this Chinese proverb in psychiatrist Kay Redfield Jamison's memoir An Unquiet Mind, and it became the key to understanding her own lifelong struggle with anxiety. Wilson, bestselling author, journalist, and entrepreneur has helped over 1.5 million people worldwide to live better, healthier lives through her I Quit Sugar books and program. And all along, she has been managing chronic anxiety. In First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, Wilson directs her intense focus and fierce investigating skills onto her lifetime companion, looking at the triggers and treatments, the fashions and fads. She reads widely and interviews fellow sufferers, mental health experts, philosophers, and even the Dalai Lama, processing all she learns through the prism of her own experiences.

Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry A fantastic book to understand how anxiety affects your brain and how you can combat feelings of panic and terror through a better grasp of your neurochemistry. Many people with anxiety and panic disorder find great comfort in understanding what is happening in their bodies, as the experience of anxiety disorders are often marked by feeling incredibly out-of-control and in the dark about what’s happening in the body and mind. Though it’s about neuroscience and chemistry, this book is incredibly readable, compelling, comforting, and readily digestible for the average reader who wants to understand more about her anxious body and mind. 

The Anxious Truth: A Step-By-Step Guide To Understanding and Overcoming Panic, Anxiety, and Agoraphobia The author of this book, Drew Linsalata, hosts an incredibly useful podcast, The Anxious Truth, about anxiety, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and best practices for treatment and recovery. This book is a step-by-step guide breaking down exactly how to implement the strategies he discusses in his podcast, and instrumental in understanding and overcoming anxiety. Linsalata gets what it’s like to suffer from these conditions. He was debilitated by severe anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, and depression over a 20-year span, but has been symptom-free and fully functional since 2008. Based on research-backed cognitive behavioral strategies, this book is informative, empowering, and potentially life-changing.

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook Living with anxiety, panic disorders, or phobias can make you feel like you aren't in control of your life. Tackle the fears that hold you back with this go-to guide. Packed with the most effective skills for assessing and treating anxiety, this evidence-based workbook contains the latest clinical research. You'll find an arsenal of tools for quieting worry, ending negative self-talk, and taking charge of your anxious thoughts, including: Relaxation and breathing techniques, New research on exposure therapy for phobias, Lifestyle, exercise, mindfulness and nutrition tips. Written by a leading expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this fully revised and updated seventh edition offers powerful, step-by-step treatment strategies for panic disorders, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), worry, and fear. You will also find new information on relapse prevention after successful treatment, and updates on medication, cannabis derivatives, ketamine, exposure, nutrition, spirituality, the latest research in neurobiology, and more. Whether you suffer from anxiety and phobias yourself, or are a professional working with this population, this book provides the latest treatment solutions for overcoming the fears that stand in the way of living a meaningful and happy life. This workbook can be used on its own or in conjunction with therapy.

Five books by Dr Hazel Claire Weekes, an Australian doctor and health writer who many consider to be the pioneer of modern-day anxiety treatment. Many of the other books I’ve listed here cite her work as seminal in today’s best-evidenced treatments for anxiety, panic, phobias, and OCD. The anxiety specialist David Barlow, professor emeritus of psychology and psychiatry at Boston University, whose anxiety and phobia workbook I’ve listed just before this, said Weekes, “created a treatment protocol to the unending benefit of tens of millions of patients over the years.” Her books include:
Hope and Help for Your Nerves: End Anxiety Now
Pass Through Panic: Freeing Yourself from Anxiety and Fear
Freedom from Nervous Suffering
Peace from Nervous Suffering
Essential Help for Your Nerves : Recover from Nervous Fatigue and Overcome Stress and Fear

Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death Dr. Yalom helps us recognize that the fear of death is at the heart of much of our anxiety. Such recognition is often catalyzed by an "awakening experience"--a dream, or loss (the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job or home), illness, trauma, or aging. Once we confront our own mortality, Dr. Yalom writes, we are inspired to rearrange our priorities, communicate more deeply with those we love, appreciate more keenly the beauty of life, and increase our willingness to take the risks necessary for personal fulfillment.

On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety An excellently reported, researched, and recounted memoir of anxiety by the Wall Street Journal’s science and health reporter. Petersen's expertise in psychology, health, and neuroscience make this book an easy and informative read covering historical understanding of anxiety, science of anxiety and panic, genetics, biological and societal factors, her personal and familial accounts of anxiety, and treatment options. Where it stands out from other books is in its exploration of anxiety and gender. Peterson writes, “There is no greater risk factor for anxiety disorders than being born female. Women are about twice as likely as men to develop one, and women’s illnesses generally last longer, have more server symptoms, and are more disabling.” She investigates possible causes for this, including different attention between the genders in infancy (baby boys tend to be more colicky, therefore getting more attention); differences in child rearing, responding to children’s fears (girls are taught more empathy much younger which could cause them to internalize threats they perceive in the world around them, girls are coddled more with their fears, teaching they can’t handle them on their own, while boys are encouraged to “suck it up); fluctuating hormones as girls become women, and then monthly and if they become pregnant, estrogen linked to fear response in brain, as well as societal factors (unequal pay, sexual harassment, rape, misogyny). 

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions "Buck up." "Stop feeling sorry for yourself." "Don't ruin everything." When you are anxious, sad, angry, or lonely, do you hear this self-critical voice? What would happen if, instead of fighting difficult emotions, we accepted them? Over his decades of experience as a therapist and mindfulness meditation practitioner, Dr. Christopher Germer has learned a paradoxical lesson: We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in--and responding compassionately to our own imperfections, without judgment or self-blame--are essential steps on the path to healing. This wise and eloquent book illuminates the power of self-compassion and offers creative, scientifically grounded strategies for putting it into action. Free audio downloads of the meditation exercises are available at the author's website: www.chrisgermer.com.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments--from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga--that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal--and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.

Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic: Workbook Do you have rushes of fear accompanied by a pounding heart, trembling, dizziness, and feelings of unreality that make you think you're sick, dying, or losing your mind? Do these feelings interfere with your normal daily routine, or prevent you from doing things you would normally do? If you are prone to panic attacks and constantly worry about when the next attack may come, you may suffer from panic disorder and/or agoraphobia. Though panic disorder seems irrational and uncontrollable, it has been proven that a treatment like the one outlined in this book can help you take control of your life. Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic, Workbook has been updated to include strategies and techniques for dealing with both panic disorder and agoraphobia. The program outlined is based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and is organized by skill, with each chapter building on the one before it. You will learn the importance of record-keeping and monitoring your progress, as well as breathing techniques and thinking skills. The main focus of treatment involves learning how to face agoraphobic situations and the scary physical symptoms of panic from an entirely new perspective. Self-assessment quizzes, homework exercises, and interactive forms allow you to become an active participant in your treatment. Over time, you will learn to manage your panic attacks, anxiety about panic, and avoidance of panic and agoraphobic situations.

Anxietycentre.com has excellent information about anxiety and panic. In dealing with anxiety, knowledge is power. Learn what is happening in your body and brain and why to de-mask the frightening physical and emotional sensations of anxiety.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America resources for understanding anxiety, depression, and co-ocurring disorders. Links for peer support groups both virtual and in person and to find therapists and health care providers.