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ANXIETY MANAGEMENT GROUP

This is your invitation to join an excellent Anxiety Management Group, offered in a psychoeducational format, once per week for 4 weeks.

Held virtually over zoom, this 4 session psychoeducational group is for people wishing to better understand anxiety and learn effective, evidenced-based strategies for managing anxiety and improving their quality of life. Strategies include cognitive behavioral and strategic tools, acceptance-based ideas and mindfulness. All concepts and strategies are introduced from a solution-focused perspective and tailored to people’s individual strengths and preferences.

Using a psychoeducational format, each session will primarily consist of the facilitator presenting information for the majority of the group time, with some opportunities for discussion as a group and one-on-one with the facilitator. There is no expectation for group participants to speak or actively engage with others if they prefer not to.

GUIDE NOTES: Weekly summary notes of the content discussed in session will be provided to participants to remain as a helpful guide after the group ends.

SUPPORT: Participants are welcome to invite one support person to join them for the group sessions, if they wish.

BONUS: Participants are welcome to return and retake this group one more time in the future, at no extra cost, if they would find that useful (provided that a future group is running).

Weekly Content for the Four Sessions:

  • Session One — Physical Sensations and Coping Techniques:

    • Normal physical reactions to stressors: how they sometimes scare us (the panic cycle)

    • Discovering how sensations diminish on their own

    • “Body Reactors” (and “Mind Reactors”)

    • Smorgasbord of coping tools: Belly Breathing, “The Wave” (for panic) Autogenic Training, “Just Because”, and Mindfulness

    • Sampling and Discovering what works for you

  • Session Two — Behavioural Techniques:

    • The Commonsense and the Counterintuitive

    • Exposure and Habituation

    • The Courage Ladder

    • Exposure to sensations (for panic)

    • Variations for other anxiety disorders

    • Discovering what you already know about “Having discomfort and doing it anyways”

  • Session Three — Thinking Techniques:

    • The cognitive perspective: recognizing how thoughts make a difference

    • Accepting (reality and your reaction to it)

    • Changing your thoughts and your relationship to your thoughts - the “third wave cognitive behavioural perspective”

  • Session Four — Life Issues and Anxiety:

    • Pros and cons of managing anxiety – and discovering strategies for coping with “the cons”

    • Ambivalence 101: Mixed feelings are normal

    • How Assertiveness enhances courage, coping, appropriate caution and choice

    • Issues on “the road of life” (independent of anxiety)

    • Appropriate Caution (not “No Anxiety”)

    • Envisioning travel on the “road of life” from this perspective

Facilitator: Dana Rippon, MSW - Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

Group Size: Minimum 2+ group participants and facilitator

Format: 4 weeks, 75 minute session length – meeting virtually over Zoom

Start Time and Dates:

  • Tuesday evenings from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

  • The next 4 week group is set to start mid-November

  • Dates - November 21, November 28, December 5, and December 12

  • Future groups planned for early in the new year. If you are interested in a group offered during the day, please let Intake know your day and time preference.

Fees: $400+HST total.

Join By Emailing: dana.rippon@advancehealth.ca for information.

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Therapists Serving Alberta

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  • With video therapy you can connect anywhere.

  • Our therapists live in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

  • We serve Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

  • Reach out now. Our Intake Coordinator will answer your questions and match you with your therapist.