Anxiety, burnout & chronic stress
Anxiety & Chronic Stress Management in Calgary
Break free from relentless overthinking, physical tension, and emotional exhaustion with practical, nervous-system-informed counselling.
From the outside, you look like you have it all together. You are dependable, capable, and meet every professional and family deadline. But on the inside, you are operating on pure adrenaline and quiet panic.
Your mind races ahead to the worst-case scenario. You re-read emails five times before sending them. You lie awake at night reviewing conversations, and even when everything on your checklist is done, you feel an uncomfortable buzz of dread—as if you forgot something critical.
At Shi(f)t Happens Clinic in Calgary, we know that anxiety is not a personal failure or a lack of discipline. It is an over-functioning alarm system.
We help high-achievers, professionals, and adults quiet cognitive chatter, release physical tension, and regain genuine presence in their daily lives.
In-person sessions in South Calgary (Thrive Business Centre) and secure virtual therapy across Alberta.
The high-functioning paradox
The Faces of Chronic Stress & Anxiety
High-Functioning Anxiety
You don't freeze; you over-prepare. Driven by fear of failure or judgment, you say yes to every request, hold yourself to impossible standards, and struggle to delegate. You are successful, but completely exhausted.
Depressive Burnout & Shutdown
When anxiety runs unchecked for months or years, the nervous system eventually protects itself by pulling the emergency brake. This manifests as heavy brain fog, losing interest in hobbies, emotional numbness, and difficulty getting out of bed.
Relational & Health Anxiety
Constantly tracking a partner’s emotional state, feeling like everyone is secretly frustrated with you, or hyper-focusing on physical symptoms. Every minor change feels like an emergency requiring immediate reassurance.
Body & mind
What We Address in Anxiety Counselling
Cognitive Catastrophizing
Interrupting the “what-if” loops that spiral into panic before they hijack your day.
Somatic Down-Regulation
Calming the physical symptoms of anxiety—racing heart, shallow breathing, chest tightness, and nausea—using bottom-up vagal exercises.
Perfectionism & Boundary Guilt
Learning to say “no” without spending the rest of the evening agonizing over whether you disappointed someone.
Impostor Syndrome
Dismantling the internal belief that your success is just luck and that you will eventually be “found out.”
Recovering Emotional Energy
Moving out of survival-driven busyness and establishing sustainable rest habits.
Clinical strategy
Our Evidence-Based Clinical Approach
Real relief requires working with both the stories your mind tells and the physical sensations your body feels:
Targeting Thought Loops (CBT & ACT)
We identify catastrophic interpretations and cognitive distortions, helping you unhook from worst-case thoughts rather than wrestling with them endlessly.
Soothing the Alarm (Somatic Regulation)
We integrate real-time nervous system resets so that when anxiety strikes during your workday or home life, your body knows how to return to biological baseline.
Values-Driven Action
Instead of making decisions based on avoiding discomfort, we help you make choices aligned with your values, relationships, and well-being.
Investment & extended benefits
$235 / 50-minute session
Individual counselling: $235 per 50-minute clinical session. Covered by most extended workplace health benefit plans in Alberta (Provisionally Registered Psychologist).
Direct billing providers:
- Alberta Blue Cross
- Medavie Blue Cross
- Sun Life
- Green Shield Canada
Official clinical receipts issued for all other providers.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I'm not having full-blown panic attacks—is my anxiety still valid?
Anxiety rarely requires panic attacks to be disruptive. In fact, most people who seek therapy experience low-grade, chronic hypervigilance: racing thoughts, gastrointestinal tension, trouble sleeping, and an inability to be present. If stress is draining your enjoyment of life, counselling can help.
Will therapy make me lose my productive edge?
This is the number one fear of high-achieving professionals. You do not need panic to be successful. We help you transition from being fueled by anxiety and fear of failure to being propelled by genuine confidence, focus, and sustainable energy.
Do you offer evening or online appointments?
Yes. We offer both in-person appointments at our South Calgary office and secure virtual sessions for individuals located anywhere in Alberta.
Is anxiety counselling covered by insurance, and can you direct bill?
Sessions are covered by most extended workplace health benefit plans in Alberta (Provisionally Registered Psychologist). We direct bill to Alberta Blue Cross, Medavie Blue Cross, Sun Life, and Green Shield Canada, and issue official clinical receipts for all other insurers.
Quieten the Noise
You do not have to live at the mercy of a racing mind. Let us help you find genuine calm and focus.