What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived danger and can show up in many ways. While it’s normal to feel anxious before important events or when facing challenges, chronic anxiety goes beyond occasional nervousness. It can linger, create mental and physical discomfort, and make daily life feel overwhelming.

Anxiety affects millions of people and can come with various symptoms, like tension, worry, and even physical reactions such as a racing heart or sweating. Understanding anxiety is an essential step in taking control of your well-being and finding the right tools to manage it in addition to anxiety therapy.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Continuous and excessive worry about different aspects of life, from work to personal relationships.
• Social Anxiety: Intense fear or avoidance of social interactions due to worry about being judged or embarrassed.
• Panic Disorder: Repeated panic attacks that strike without warning and come with physical symptoms, like shortness of breath and dizziness.
• Phobias: Irrational fears centered around specific things or situations, such as flying or spiders.

Anxiety Symptoms to Watch For

• Restlessness or feeling tense
• Irritability or mood changes
• Trouble concentrating or staying focused
• Physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive issues, or muscle tension

If anxiety significantly impacts your life and starts to disrupt your daily activities, seeking professional guidance is essential for relief and well-being. Working with a therapist can help you navigate these challenges, uncover the underlying causes, and create an effective plan tailored to your needs.

Can Anxiety Be Treated Holistically?

Absolutely, anxiety can be managed holistically with approaches that nurture the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic anxiety therapy is designed to help you reconnect with yourself in a way that is empowering and nurturing. This approach doesn’t just look at symptoms—it seeks to find the root causes of anxiety, including lifestyle, past experiences, and emotional patterns.

The beauty of holistic anxiety therapy lies in its ability to blend natural, supportive practices that promote healing from the inside out. It’s a journey toward self-discovery and resilience, offering a way to regain balance and control in your life. With the right holistic techniques, you can build a toolkit that not only helps manage anxiety but also supports overall wellness. This method offers hope and a path toward a more peaceful, fulfilled life.

Holistic anxiety therapy reminds us that relief is possible and that we have the inner strength to find calm amidst life’s stressors. The journey may take time, but it is worth it for the renewed sense of hope and empowerment you can gain.

1. Mindfulness

How Mindfulness Reduces Anxiety

Mindfulness trains the brain to be present, which interrupts the cycle of anxious thoughts and brings a sense of calm. It’s a simple yet powerful practice that shifts focus from worries about the past or future to what’s happening right now.

Benefits of Mindfulness for Anxiety

• Reduces mental clutter and racing thoughts.
• Improves emotional regulation, allowing for thoughtful responses instead of automatic reactions.
• Helps develop self-awareness, making it easier to spot triggers early.

Deep Dive: Techniques for Practicing Mindfulness

• Mindful Breathing: Spend 5–10 minutes focusing solely on your breath. Inhale slowly through your nose, let your abdomen expand, and then exhale through your mouth. This can be done sitting down or even during short breaks in your day.
• Body Scan: Lie down or sit comfortably and focus on each part of your body, starting from your toes and moving up to your head. Notice any tension or sensations without judgment.
• Five Senses Exercise: To ground yourself in the present, pause and note one thing you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. This technique helps draw attention away from anxious thoughts and into the moment.

2. Meditation

Benefits of Regular Meditation

Meditation involves training your attention and awareness to achieve mental clarity and emotional stability. It promotes deep relaxation and helps reset the mind to approach stress differently. Research shows that regular meditation can change how the brain responds to anxiety and stress, leading to long-term benefits.

Types of Meditation for Anxiety

• Guided Imagery: Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful setting, like a beach or forest. Picture yourself there and pay attention to the details—how the sun feels on your skin, the sound of waves, or the scent of pine trees.
• Mindful Meditation: Sit quietly and focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders, gently guide it back to your breath without frustration. This builds resilience against anxious thoughts over time.
• Transcendental Meditation (TM): This practice involves silently repeating a word or phrase (mantra) to settle the mind and enter a state of relaxed awareness.

How to Start Meditating

Begin with just 5–10 minutes a day and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable. Use meditation apps or online videos to explore different styles and find what works best for you.

3. Yoga

The Science Behind Yoga’s Effectiveness

Yoga merges physical movement, controlled breathing, and mindfulness, creating harmony between body and mind. The practice stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress hormones.

Yoga Poses for Anxiety Relief

• Child’s Pose (Balasana): A gentle resting position that promotes deep breathing and releases tension from the back and shoulders.
• Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): This simple, inverted pose encourages blood flow and soothes the nervous system.
• Cat-Cow Stretch (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana): A flowing movement that stretches the spine and helps release tension from the body.

Tips for Incorporating Yoga into Your Routine

• Join a local class or follow along with beginner-friendly videos at home.
• Practice for at least 20 minutes a few times a week to experience noticeable results.
• Focus on synchronizing your breath with your movements to enhance relaxation.

4. Breathwork

Why Breathwork Matters

Breathing exercises are powerful tools for quickly calming the body and mind. When anxious, the body’s fight-or-flight response is triggered, leading to rapid, shallow breathing. Breathwork helps shift this response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Techniques to Master

• 4-7-8 Breathing: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. This technique can help lower heart rate and create a sense of calm.
• Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana): Close your right nostril and inhale through the left, then switch and exhale through the right. This practice balances the nervous system and enhances focus.
• Deep Belly Breathing: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Breathe in deeply through your nose, ensuring your belly expands more than your chest. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for several minutes.

Practical Example

If you start to feel anxious during a meeting or while running errands, pause for a few rounds of deep belly breathing to center yourself and regain a sense of control.

5. Somatic Therapy

The Connection Between the Body and Emotions

Somatic therapy is based on the idea that stress and trauma can become trapped in the body, causing physical and emotional symptoms. This approach helps release that tension through awareness and movement.

Techniques Used in Somatic Therapy

• Grounding Exercises: Stand or sit with your feet flat on the ground. Pay attention to the sensation of the floor under your feet. This exercise can help you feel stable and connected.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Tense each muscle group in your body for a few seconds and then release. Start from your toes and work your way up to your head.
• Self-Touch Techniques: Gently place your hands on your shoulders or chest to provide a comforting sense of touch when feeling anxious.

How Somatic Therapy Helps

Somatic practices encourage self-awareness and help individuals understand how their body reacts to anxiety. Over time, these exercises build resilience and support emotional release.

Finding Support for Your Anxiety Journey

While self-guided holistic techniques can be supportive on their own, incorporating the guidance of a holistic therapist can deepen your practice and provide the support needed to fully manage anxiety and enhance well-being. If anxiety continues to disrupt your daily life, relationships, or sense of well-being, reaching out to a professional can provide the guidance and tools you need to move forward with confidence.

Working with a holistic anxiety therapist can help you go deeper, identify underlying triggers, and create a customized plan that integrates these natural techniques into your daily life. You don’t have to navigate this path alone—there is hope and help available.

Your Next Step to Peace and Balance

Imagine feeling more in control of your mind and body, equipped with skills that foster calm and resilience. If you’re ready to take that step toward a more peaceful, balanced life, Marilyn Ashley, LMFT, can help you build the foundation for lasting relief and growth. It’s never too late to seek the support that can transform your relationship with anxiety and empower you to thrive.

Reach out today and discover how holistic anxiety therapy can guide you to a place of renewed hope and confidence.

Begin Healing From Your Anxiety With Anxiety Therapy in Manhattan Beach, CA

If you’re tired of struggling with anxiety alone, consider taking a new approach. Start anxiety therapy to gain the tools you need, while also exploring natural ways to calm your mind and body. Find relief and reclaim your sense of peace with the help of Marilyn Ashley, LMFT. Follow these three simple steps to get started:

• Schedule Your 20-Minute Complimentary Phone Consultation
• Learn More About Me and My Services
• Start healing from anxiety in natural ways!

Additional Services Offered By Marilyn Ashley, LMFT

At my Hermosa Beach, CA practice, Holistic Anxiety Therapy is just one of the services I offer to help you begin healing from your anxiety in natural ways. I also specialize in Life Transitions, Trauma, and Couples Therapy. At my Hermosa Beach, CA Practice, I work with adult clients from Manhattan Beach, Redondo, Beach El Segundo, and the rest of the South Bay area. I also offer online therapy sessions for those located anywhere else in California. By incorporating holistic practices into your daily life, you can support your overall well-being. I’m excited to work with you on your journey towards healing and growth. Together, let’s embrace your anxiety and learn how to thrive, not just survive! Check out my blog for more about holistic healing!