There are a lot of ways to help reduce anxiety. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), mindfulness (especially MBSR, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), and emotional regulation can absolutely change your life for the better if you’re struggling with anxiety.
There are also plenty of ways to get creative when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
- Journaling is one powerful way to help calm your nervous system and manage those anxiety gremlins.
- Bringing your mind back home to the present moment is a simple, effective way to ride the wild horse of your anxious mind, even if it’s just for a sec.
- Music is super-powerful for self-soothing an anxious mind. Sometimes when my mind is scurrying around in too much worry, I listen to quiet jazz (or classical and all dance music, from 60s soul to contemporary salsa). Find your happy place with music and listen away (yep, I had to get up offa’ my thing and dance listening to this!).
- Finally, if you’re curious about divination tools such as Tarot cards, the I-Ching, Runes, or astrology, learning more about whatever’s calling you can also provide creative ways to work with anxiety.
Note: if anxiety symptoms are getting in the way of work and relationships or causing health issues, please talk to a professional anxiety counselor and get help.
Can Astrology Help Reduce Anxiety?
Maybe. Sometimes. Sometimes a lot.
I recently spent an hour interviewing the nationally known astrologer Elizabeth Grace. We talked a lot about events and people in the news. We also talked about how understanding the bigger astrological picture of why things happen the way they do can help you feel less anxious.
In my experience, it can be a helpful tool along with psychotherapy when struggling with how to reduce anxiety. And according to The Atlantic, astrology is having a moment.
Astrology offers an understanding of the planetary patterns that reflect your life’s potential.
Another way it can be helpful is that, once you understand those planetary patterns reflected in how you make choices, you can learn how to surf the waves of the inevitable life changes and curve balls everyone has to deal with.
Elizabeth and I talked about the chaos that seems to be happening these days. She mentioned the esteemed American historian Heather Cox Richardson (her free Facebook page; her paid substack page). If you’re interested in current events and politics and how history repeats itself, check her out.
In the second half of the episode, I get personal with part of my astrology chart so Elizabeth could explain how a chart works.
Here’s the podcast link for you to enjoy.
In the second half of the episode, I even get a little personal with part of my own astrology chart so Elizabeth could explain how an astrology chart works.
Here’s the podcast link for you to enjoy.
More Creative Ways to Manage Anxiety and Overwhelm
Notice that the sub-head doesn’t say “manage your anxiety” … it says “manage anxiety.” That’s because you aren’t the anxiety. You are you. The anxiety is the anxiety.
You aren’t the anxious thoughts. Thoughts aren’t even always true. Lots of time, they’re just the noise of monkey mind.
Understanding your monkey mind and its constant, mostly yucky thoughts is another simple, creative way to help reduce anxiety and overwhelm.
Another creative tool is paying attention to what you’re eating and drinking. This just doesn’t get talked about enough, at least not in ways that seem relevant to daily life. But it’s a big one. 
There’s a lot of scientific data now that show the strong correlation between too much sugar and carbs and not enough healthy fiber and protein, and anxiety (a lot of other not-so-great stuff, too).
Finally, if work is makes you anxious, here’s a good article that’s got lots of ideas for managing on-the-job challenges.
What’s Intuition?
Understanding how to hear and trust your intuition is another creative way to help reduce anxiety. Some of the reasons that using your intuitive wisdom can help include the following.
- You have to get out of your head and into your physical body to hear/feel/sense what your intuition is trying to tell you. It’s helpful to be connected to your physical body, which most of us forget.
- You might have to do a little bit of deep, low-belly breathing to access your intuition. Low-belly breathing helps reduce anxiety.
- When you can access your intuition, you’ve got a constant, on-call internal guide to help you figure things out. That inner guide can be a powerful ally for you. Knowing you’re connected to this inner guidance can increase self-esteem and self-confidence and lower anxiety.
And guess what? Intuition isn’t woo-woo, or crystal mama, or New Age or any other shaming name-calling thing. It’s a reality that everyone can learn how to access.
I found a quote from an interesting website while researching this post.
Many scientists and researchers are now referring to intuition as the highest form of intelligence we possess.
In other words, intuition is no longer limited to the new age world of magical thought; it is increasingly being seen as a legitimate way to make judgments and decisions.
Unsurprisingly, spiritual traditions for thousands of years have all known and revered the powers of intuition.
Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu, and Western philosophy have all connected intuition with planes of higher consciousness or the Soul. The Advaita Vedānta for example (a school of Hindu thought) values intuition as an experience through which a person can contact and experience Brahman (Spirit/God).
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung also believed that intuition is a powerful force, once writing,
Intuition gives outlook and insight; it revels in the garden of magical possibilities.
Personally, I see intuition as the “Soul’s GPS” which can help us to discover our life purpose, make wise decisions, and lead fulfilling lives. In this article, I’ll show you how to trust your intuition and break through the fearful voice of the mind.
Self-Awareness, Self-Empowerment, Self-Confidence
These three things — self awareness, self empowerment, and self confidence — are strong indicators that you’re not struggling with overwhelming anxiety.
Anxiety is a form of fear. The fear is generated in your mind as it’s desperately trying to keep you safe from a world it thinks is dangerous. ‘Cause it thinks that’s its job. You’re going to feel anxious once in a while; it’s normal.
The problem is that most of the time, everything’s rockin’ and rollin’ along just fine, but your mind has a hard time letting go of the built-in fear response.
The good news is that you can learn how to work with your mind using the strategies in this post (and a bazillion others!).
You can learn to deepen your self-awareness using tools like astrology, strengthen your sense of self-empowerment, and live your life feeling confident that you’ve got this life thing.
And when you know how to trust yourself because you know
- who you are and what you want (self-awareness),
- how to begin making a plan (self-empowerment),
- and following through with it (self-confidence) …
… you’ll be waving buh-bye to anxiety and overwhelm.
How The Santa Fe Therapist Can Help With Anxiety
I’m Melanie, the Santa Fe Therapist. I love working with *stressed* women struggling to get to the other side of crazy anxiety and overwhelm. 
Profoundly positive things begin happening when you learn how to calm down your nervous system and understand how to manage your emotions.
Together, we’ll figure out what’s going on and what you need to begin feeling more in control and less stressed and overwhelmed. All the new neuroscience research gives us better and more effective ways to work with anxiety.
One of the most powerful ways to do that is to understand how your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are intertwined. When you learn how to
- make friends with your feelings,
- manage your thoughts,
- explore new anxiety management behaviors in a safe setting —
- your life will begin changing in positive, healthy ways.
You’ll start believing in yourself again.
In balancing the science of therapy with the art of healing, I’ll create an innovative program for you that sets you on a path of success from the very first session.
Neuroscience, Eastern Wisdom, & Earth-based Practices
My compassionate, creative approach weaves together my ability to hear below the surface of the words, advanced degrees, years of specialized training, professional experience, and my own personal healing around anxiety and overwhelm.
One of my specialities is giving women the tools to cope with intense emotions. I use the latest neuroscience findings, and combine Western systems, Eastern wisdom, gentle Earth-based practices, as well as creative, innovative ideas to help you feel better as quickly as possible.
If you’re interested in working with a spiritual therapist, I can help you.
My clients usually work with me weekly for 6 to 12 months. As we work together, you’ll be getting tools for long-term success and learning and using strategies and techniques to serve you for many years.
You’ll work hard for sure. But won’t all be horrible and terrible! I love sharing ideas about good books and films and laughing together once in a while.
My hope for you is that you’ll feel safe every step of the way.
How to Get Anxiety Counseling in Santa Fe, NM
You don’t have to struggle alone anymore with feeling overwhelmed, irritable, cranky, constantly worrying, too restless to be quiet and calm, or sleepless nights. 
Counseling for anxiety can make a world of positive difference in your life. When you reach out for anxiety help in Santa Fe NM, you’re making an investment in yourself that can change in your life in the best of ways.
All you have to do is send me an email to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation: melanie@melanieharth.com. Let’s get you feeling better as quickly as possible.
The Santa Fe Therapist Offers Online Counseling in New Mexico
Online therapy helps busy women find the time away from day-to-day pressures to calm their nervous systems. It also makes it easy and convenient to process emotions and learn new neuroscience techniques to cope with challenges, heal the past, and begin building your future.
I strongly believe in the power of online counseling. Along with the research that proves its effectiveness, I see the positive benefits for clients every week. Click here if you’ve got questions about online therapy.
Online counseling from anywhere in New Mexico, including Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, Los Alamos, Pecos, Las Vegas, Tesuque and El Dorado.
Other Services From The Santa Fe Therapist
The Santa Fe Therapist specializes in several areas of health, wellbeing, healing and recovery. I know that one size never fits all. My services are individualized to each client, and are based on your values, your needs and desires, and your goals.
I offer individual adult counseling and guidance in Santa Fe NM for:
- dealing with overwhelming angst and despair
- anxiety help
- depression help
- emotional and spiritual healing
- processing grief
- overcoming low self-esteem
- learning how to make peace with the present
- PTSD and CPTSD/trauma
- helping you manage stress
- online therapy
