My name is Shubhechha Dhar; I'm a writer and the new author of "Treating Anxiety." Through my blog posts, I hope to create a safe space for everyone struggling with anxiety to feel seen, understood, and heard. After being diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, I spent a year in group therapy and learned coping techniques that helped me thrive with my disorder. My life's purpose is to use my writing to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

My name is Rizza Bermio-Gonzalez and I am very excited to join HealthyPlace and co-author the "Treating Anxiety" blog. I have been dealing with chronic anxiety since I was very young, and for many years I struggled with relating to others around me. I constantly worried about things that others didn’t seem to be worried about. I started having repeated headaches when I was in middle school, and the doctors could not find anything wrong with me. As I got older, I became even more aware of the physical symptoms that I would experience along with my constant sense of dread, worry, and nervousness.

When it comes to self-care and treating anxiety, we need to know when it’s time to let go and say goodbye to certain obligations. If we don’t learn to let go of some things, we can spread ourselves thin and run ourselves into the ground. While it is bittersweet to announce my departure from HealthyPlace, I know letting go is vital to my mental health in order to prioritize and reduce some of my own anxiety.

Stress amplifies anxiety. Part of self-care is managing that stress and doing what we can to keep ourselves from feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes this means reducing our activities and obligations, even ones we like and would prefer to keep. It is for this reason that my time writing the Treating Anxiety blog must come to an end.

I’m Melissa Renzi, and I’m excited to write for the Treating Anxiety blog at HealthyPlace. While I’m a licensed social worker and yoga teacher, my greatest credential is my personal story as a sensitive soul learning to transform the anxiety I’ve experienced since early childhood. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and alone as we cope with anxiety. I believe there is great strength and healing in sharing vulnerability and I truly look forward to connecting with you and hearing your story.

I’m Sarah Hackley, and I am thrilled to join the Treating Anxiety blog at HealthyPlace. Anxiety is a fickle illness. It shows up in many forms, frequently changes on us, and creates havoc in a myriad of ways, some of which are difficult for us to pinpoint–especially when our symptoms peak. Throughout my years of living with anxiety and studying, researching, and writing in the mental health field, I’ve learned how to identify the symptoms of anxiety and how to effectively manage them.

Hello, I am Whitney Hawkins. I am both excited and anxious to be writing for Treating Anxiety. If I’m being honest, this is the first time I have publicly admitted that I have struggled with anxiety. After years of panic attacks, some therapy, and a lot of breathing into paper bags, I am here to set the record straight about mental illness stigma and deliver my own anxiety management strategies and techniques.

As 2015 winds down, let me start by wishing all of you a Happy New Year in 2016 from the Treating Anxiety Blog. 2015 was difficult for me, and I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. But, I also end it on a hopeful note due to all I've learned about myself, living with anxiety, and simply being human. Which, sadly, leads me to my second wish. I also wish you all a fond farewell. This will be my last post from Treating Anxiety.

Treating Anxiety is Not Something We Can Do Alone First of all, let me say how exciting it is to be blogging at HealthyPlace. I’m honored, and will I do my very best to live up to the privilege of being asked to join this amazing community. Speaking of community, sharing what it’s like to have generalized anxiety disorder with others who “get it” has been essential in the treatment of my own anxiety. There simply is no substitute for sharing our experiences with others like us in an environment that’s free of shame, judgment, and stigma. The healing power of being understood and accepted is truly incredible, and I intend to make it the foundation of the Treating Anxiety blog.