Anxiety Counselling Calgary
Curio Counselling provides anxiety therapy in Calgary for generalized anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, and chronic stress. Anxiety counselling is available in person at our Beltline office at 1414 8 St SW, Suite 200, and online across Alberta.
Our anxiety counselling team includes Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists and Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the CCPA. Curio Counselling uses CBT, EMDR, and somatic therapy to help clients address both the cognitive and physical symptoms of anxiety, including racing thoughts, muscle tension, sleep disruption, and panic symptoms.
New clients can book a free 20-minute consultation to discuss their symptoms, treatment options, and which therapist may be the best fit.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a common response to stress, but when it becomes overwhelming and persistent, it can profoundly disrupt daily functioning.
It presents as excessive worry, fear, or unease about various aspects of life, affecting both mental and physical well-being.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of anxiety is vital: constant anticipation of negative outcomes, physical symptoms like tension and fatigue, cognitive challenges such as racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating, and emotional distress like irritability and a persistent sense of impending doom.
5 Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
Counselling works best when it’s matched to what you’re actually dealing with. The type of anxiety you have shapes how we treat it, so naming it is the first step. We provide counselling for the full range of anxiety disorders, each with its own triggers, symptoms, and treatment approach, including:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Intrusive thoughts leading to repetitive behaviours or mental acts.
- Panic Disorder: Recurrent panic attacks characterized by sudden and intense fear.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Resulting from a traumatic event, leading to flashbacks and emotional distress.
- Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder): Fear of social situations and the potential judgement of others.
Counselling We Use for Anxiety
There’s no single best therapy for anxiety. The right approach depends on what’s driving yours, how long you’ve lived with it, and how your mind and body respond to treatment. Our Calgary therapists draw on several evidence-based methods for treating anxiety, often blending more than one into a single plan, including:
- Psychoanalysis: Exploring unconscious patterns and unresolved conflicts.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT): Addressing and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours.
- Psychodynamic Therapies: Exploring how past experiences influence current emotions and behaviours.
What Do You Learn From Anxiety Therapy?
- Understanding Triggers: In anxiety therapy, you’ll identify and understand the specific situations or thoughts that trigger or activate your anxiety. By gaining insight into these triggers, you can develop strategies to manage them effectively and minimize their impact on your daily life.
- Developing Coping Mechanisms: Anxiety therapy provides a safe space to learn and practice healthy coping mechanisms. From deep breathing exercises to mindfulness techniques, you’ll discover strategies to navigate anxiety-inducing situations with greater ease and resilience.
- Stress Reduction Techniques: Anxiety therapy explores various stress reduction techniques tailored to your individual needs. From progressive muscle relaxation to guided imagery, you’ll explore methods to promote relaxation and overall well-being in your daily life.
- Improving Emotional Regulation: Through anxiety therapy, you’ll gain insights into your emotional responses and learn techniques to regulate and express emotions in a healthier way. By developing emotional awareness and coping skills, you can better manage the ups and downs of anxiety.
- Enhancing Communication Skills: Effective communication is key in managing anxiety and building healthy relationships. In therapy, you’ll develop communication skills to express your needs and boundaries assertively, reducing potential sources of stress and conflict in your interactions with others.
- Setting Realistic Goals: Collaborating with your therapist, you’ll set realistic and achievable goals for your anxiety therapy journey. These goals provide a roadmap for progress, fostering a sense of accomplishment and empowerment as you work towards positive change.
- Creating a Supportive Environment: Anxiety therapy emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining a supportive network. You’ll learn to recognize the value of social connections in managing anxiety and explore ways to cultivate a supportive environment that nurtures your well-being.
Anxiety counselling Calgary at Curio Counselling goes beyond symptom management to empower you with the tools and skills to cope effectively with anxiety. By understanding triggers, developing coping mechanisms, practicing stress reduction techniques, improving emotional regulation, enhancing communication skills, setting realistic goals, and creating a supportive environment, you’ll embark on a journey towards greater resilience, inner peace, and well-being.
Embracing a Balanced Lifestyle
- Prioritizing Self-Care: Recognize the importance of self-care activities to nurture your mental and physical well-being.
- Healthy Habits: Explore and implement healthy habits, including regular exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep.
- Mind-Body Connection: Understand the connection between your mental and physical well-being, fostering a holistic approach to anxiety management.
Anxiety therapy extends beyond the therapeutic sessions. It encourages the integration of a balanced and healthy lifestyle, prioritizing self-care activities, exploring healthy habits, and understanding the mind-body connection to foster holistic anxiety management.
Explore Anxiety Counselling
Overcoming extreme anxiety necessitates a holistic approach. Our anxiety therapists work closely with you to craft a personalized treatment plan that delves into the root causes and equips you with coping strategies. Vital components of this process include identifying and challenging distorted thought patterns and gradually exposing yourself to anxiety-inducing situations.
While medication may be recommended in some cases, therapeutic interventions play a significant role in managing and overcoming anxiety without relying solely on medication. These therapeutic interventions encompass a diverse range of evidence-based techniques, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Through these modalities, you’ll learn valuable skills to regulate your emotions, challenge negative thought patterns, and cultivate resilience in the face of anxiety triggers.
Embarking on the path of anxiety therapy represents a profound investment in your mental and emotional well-being. Our therapy sessions extend far beyond symptom management, offering a transformative journey toward a life where anxiety no longer holds sway over your every move. By choosing to explore anxiety therapy in Calgary, you’re not merely seeking relief from symptoms; you’re opening doors to a brighter future characterized by resilience, inner peace, and a renewed sense of purpose. Take this courageous step toward healing and empowerment today. Your journey awaits, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Book a Free,
20 Minute Consultation
Whether you are considering accessing counselling services for the first time, or hoping to find a therapist who is new to you, we want to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible.
That is why we offer a free, no-obligation, 20-minute phone or video consultation with the Calgary therapist of your choice.
Self-check
Common Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety shows up differently for everyone — in the body, the mind, emotions, and behaviour. Tick anything you've noticed lately. This is a quick awareness check, not a diagnosis, and there are no right or wrong answers.
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Thoughts
Emotions
Behaviour
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Tick the signs you recognise above. Whatever you notice, talking it through with a therapist can help.
This checklist is for general awareness only and is not a diagnostic tool or a substitute for professional assessment. If you're in crisis or need immediate support, please call or text the Calgary Distress Centre at 403-266-4357 or visit your nearest emergency department.
Our Anxiety Therapists
All of our Calgary therapists hold a Master of Counselling degree from an accredited university and are members in good standing with either the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) or the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP).
Counselling Rates in Calgary
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Practitioner Type | Session Rate | Best For |
Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) | $200 | Affordable Calgary counselling support |
Provisional Psychologist | $230 | Psychologist-led care with added supervisory oversight |
Registered Psychologist | $230 | Full psychologist services and insurance coverage* |
*We are able to direct bill for many companies, but coverage varies by insurance plan — most plans reimburse Registered Psychologists and many also cover CCCs and Provisional Psychologists. Check your benefits or ask us.
Registered Psychologist Calgary
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Professional Art Psychotherapist, Counselling Therapist
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Canadian Certified Counsellor, Counselling Therapist
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The Safe Space
Our counselling spaces are designed to make you feel comfortable and safe. Upon entering a counselling room, you are welcome to choose whichever seat you would like. Feel free to put your feet up, drape a blanket over yourself, or even lie down.
Our Location in Calgary, AB
You can expect to be greeted by our receptionist, invited to take a seat in our waiting area, and offered a beverage.
Anxiety Therapy Calgary: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does anxiety therapy cost in Calgary?
Sessions at Curio Counselling cost $200 with a Canadian Certified Counsellor and $230 with a Provisional or Registered Psychologist. Your first step is free: a 20-minute phone or video consultation with the therapist of your choice, with no obligation to book further sessions.
Is anxiety counselling covered by insurance in Alberta?
Most extended health benefit plans reimburse sessions with a Registered Psychologist, and many also cover Canadian Certified Counsellors and Provisional Psychologists. We can direct bill many insurance companies. Coverage varies by plan, so check your benefits or ask us before your first session. Counselling fees may also qualify as a medical expense on your tax return.
What type of therapy works best for anxiety?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has the strongest research support for anxiety, but the best approach depends on what is driving yours. Our Calgary therapists also use EMDR, somatic therapy, and psychodynamic approaches, and often combine methods in one treatment plan. Your therapist will recommend an approach after your first session.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no fixed number. Many clients notice meaningful change within 6 to 12 sessions, while longstanding or more complex anxiety can take longer. You and your therapist review progress together as you go, and there is no minimum commitment.
Do you offer online anxiety therapy?
Yes. We offer secure video and phone sessions to clients anywhere in Alberta, along with in-person appointments at our Beltline office at 1414 8 St SW, Suite 200, Calgary. Evening and Saturday times are available for both.
Do I need a doctor's referral to see a therapist for anxiety?
No. You can book directly online or call us at 403-243-0303. A small number of insurance plans require a physician's referral for reimbursement, so it is worth checking yours, but nothing is needed to start therapy with us.
How do I know if it's anxiety or just stress?
Stress usually eases once the situation causing it passes. Anxiety tends to stick around, shows up without a clear trigger, and starts interfering with sleep, work, or relationships. If worry has been affecting your daily life for several weeks, a free consultation is a low-pressure way to talk it through with a therapist.
Can counselling help with panic attacks?
Yes. Therapy for panic focuses on two things: practical techniques to calm your body during an attack, and work on the underlying thought patterns and triggers so attacks become less frequent and less intense. CBT and gradual exposure are the most common approaches we use.
What happens in the first session?
Your first session is about getting comfortable and giving your therapist the full picture: what brings you in, how anxiety shows up for you, and what you want to change. Together you set goals and sketch out a treatment plan. You will not be pushed to share anything before you are ready.
Should I see a psychologist or a counsellor for anxiety?
Both are trained to treat anxiety, and all of our therapists hold a Master of Counselling degree. The practical differences are cost and insurance: psychologist sessions are $230 and reimbursed by most benefit plans, while Canadian Certified Counsellor sessions are $200 and covered by many plans. Fit with your therapist matters more than the title, which is why we offer a free consultation with any therapist you choose.
References & Further Reading
Anxiety Canada. (n.d.) Anxiety in Adults. https://www.anxietycanada.com/learn-about-anxiety/anxiety-in-adults
Kelly, O. (2022, May 14). What are anxiety disorders? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/anxiety-disorder-2510539
Mayo Clinic (n.d.). Anxiety disorders. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety