As far as universal human experiences go, anxiety is usually seen as a heinous beast. Clients hate it and therapists typically offer ways to get rid of it—but not many take the approach that multisensory therapy expert Danie Beaulieu offers.

Danie sees anxiety not as an adversary, but as a friend that can move therapy forward. Take, for example, her client who experienced severe panic every time he climbed into his truck. Truck driving was his livelihood and he depended on it to feed his family, but his panic attacks were so severe that he stopped working for a year and saw over 10 therapists in search of an explanation.

It’s not surprising that when he first started seeing Danie, he viewed anxiety as a roadblock in his life. But with one simple question, Danie began the process of reframing his anxiety as a guide—a GPS-like signal from the body that he needed to reevaluate his life. In this brief video clip, Danie explains how she worked with this client.

 

Rich Simon

Richard Simon, PhD, founded Psychotherapy Networker and served as the editor for more than 40 years. He received every major magazine industry honor, including the National Magazine Award. Rich passed away November 2020, and we honor his memory and contributions to the field every day. 

Danie Beaulieu

Danie Beaulieu, PhD, has been in private practice as a psychologist since 1982. Shes the author of Impact Techniques for Therapists.