Outline

The nervous system of anxiety.

• Cognitive & amygdala pathways to anxiety
• Autonomic nervous system responses
• Polyvagal Theory
• Serotonin, dopamine and neurotransmitters
• The role of brain derived neurotropic factors
• The impacts of sleep and nutrition on the anxious brain

There is an assessment and a differential diagnosis.

• DSM-5 classification of anxiety Disorder
• Assessment from the whole person perspective
• Clinical approaches for ambiguous anxiety presentations
  • Phobia vs. OCD
  • Trauma, Axis II, or both?
  • Distinguish anxiety from agitated depression

The effects of drugs on anxiety.

• How medication impacts neuroplasticity
• Frequently prescribed medications
• Common side effects
• Evidence-based supplements

Strategies to engage and sustain client motivation are from avoidance to activity.

• Illustrate neuroscience concepts with stories & metaphors
• Link contemplative practices to brain change
• Address impasses with awareness based interviewing
• Reframes – replacing old neural patterns
• Co-create meaningful, values based-goals

Motivational interviewing for treatment of anxiety.

• Elicit change talk
• Elaborate on change indicators
• Coalesce motivation for exposure treatment
• Renew motivation when fear arises

There are ways to address the cognitive pathway to anxiety.

• Strategies to dismantle automatic thoughts, core beliefs
• How to unwind troublesome thinking patterns
• When life feels overwhelming – stemming the tide techniques
• Apply Chain Analysis – when and how

Helping clients develop an anxiety resistant brain is a relaxation skills.

• Wire in relaxed, alert mood with deep relaxation
• Letting go with moment to moment exercises
• Breath and movement strategies to deactivate panic

Antidotes to shame, guilt, and self- judgement.

• How shame and self-judgement exacerbate anxiety
• Tools to identify anxiety fuel
• Appropriate & inappropriate guilt
• Anxiety interventions for the shame prone client
• Ease shame intensity with body witnessing and observing skills
• Self-compassion inquiry – inviting in parts of the self
• Counteract anxiety with gratitude

Attachment anxiety.

• Untangle developmental roots
• Contemplative applications – the Polyvagal Theory
• Techniques to prime secure attachment

There are movements and visual meditations for anxiety relief.

• Visual meditations for specific clinical concerns
• Prepare with movement, imagery and sound
• Draw from inner resources
• Instill a new perspective with movement and writing
• Individualized follow-up assignments

There are recovery tools for social anxiety and GAD.

• Three steps for moving from reactivity to responsiveness
• Interrupt the worry cycle: from the meditation cushion to daily life
• Mindful exploration – predictions vs. what happened
• Bring curiosity to perceptions
• Prime secure attachment for social anxiety

There is meditation for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• How clients can recognize excessiveness
• Titrate exposure with breathing practices
• Reduce repetition with mindful response prevention
• Overcome obsession with mantra & breath

Limitations and research.