Serving Greater Boston and surrounding areas | mbloom@ptbtherapy.com | (617) 863-7162
Specialties
When something feels bad, anxiety grabs our attention and urges us to act. Worrying is our brain’s natural response to uncertainty. Anxiety’s main job is to protect and keep us safe.
You may be wondering, ‘If anxiety is so protective, why am I struggling so much?’
With the best of intentions, the mind treats all threats—real or perceived—similarly. The more attention we give to the threat, the more ‘real’ it can feel. Add in the uncomfortable and often terrifying physical sensations that can accompany anxiety, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, and rapid heart rate, and our minds go on high alert, urging us to act. Our brain and body are quite literally preparing for battle. Unfortunately, in a heightened state of arousal, the mind can’t differentiate between whether an actual battle is taking place.
This may look like experiencing panic, assuming and planning for the worst-case scenario, all-or-nothing thinking, obsessing, ruminating, excessive planning, mapping escape routes, avoiding situations altogether, and the list goes on. In the context of facing a threat, it makes sense that our minds work tirelessly to protect us from danger. In the short term, these defenses typically work—it’s the reason we keep using them. Unfortunately, my guess is that despite our best efforts, the actual problem has persisted long-term.
Anxiety is never the problem; control is.
Through evidence-based modalities, I specialize in treating anxiety and other emotional disorders, including but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- OCD
- Social Anxiety
- Eating Disorders
- Trauma
- Life Transitions
- Relationship Challenges
- Personality Disorders
- Confidence and Self-Esteem Issues
- Perfectionism