People with health anxiety worry constantly about their health. Health Anxiety is a psychological disorder characterized by irrational and obsessive fears about having a serious illness or being infected. Living with untreated health anxiety has adverse impacts on well being and relationships.

There are a multitude of ways to practice mindfulness from eyes open to eyes closed, from practices called “do nothing” of the Zen tradition (literally sitting and doing nothing), to practices where we actively cultivate heart energy (Metta) to visualizations to mantras. The list goes on. Many counsellors, myself included, look to Buddhism to inform their therapeutic practices

While everyone has had at least one experience of intense worry or fear in their lives, clinical anxiety disorders affect about 2 in 10 people in BC and the numbers are even higher for youth and young adults. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to understand and treat anxiety.