Feelings of anxiety and or the experience of panic attacks is a problem which frequently leads people to seek treatment. Often people experience these feelings as “coming out of the blue” and the perceived unpredictability exacerbates the difficulty. Anxiety and panic typically stem from thoughts, feelings, and concerns that one’s environment, relationships, life circumstances are beyond one’s ability to manage or control and that the outcome will in some way be catastrophic. Dr. MacRoy approaches this problem by reviewing with clients their history and circumstances in which they have experienced anxious and panicky feelings to better understand what “triggers” the responses. Often relaxation techniques are introduced to help alleviate anxious feelings or impending panic. Treatment emphasizes the capacity and ability of people to effectively manage their fears, concerns, and stresses.
When appropriate, Dr. MacRoy collaborates with a client’s physician or psychiatrist to monitor the effectiveness of medications prescribed for anxiety or panic. Often people experience improvement without medication or when used short-term if symptoms are especially disruptive. The research data strongly indicates that psychotherapy for anxiety and panic produces positive results. Furthermore, research indicates that relapse is much greater for people who only use medication.