Anxiety

By Alphonso Gaita, LCSW

Anxiety doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it’s loud, panic attacks, racing thoughts, sleepless nights. But often, it’s quiet. A tight chest. A sense that something’s off. The feeling of being on edge, even when nothing’s “wrong.” For many of us, especially those working in schools, caregiving roles, or advocacy spaces, anxiety becomes part of the background noise. We keep going. We show up. But the weight doesn’t lift.

I’ve seen this in my work and felt it in my own body. And while therapy and medication are essential tools, I’ve also found that the lens of positive psychology offers something different: a way to reconnect with what’s good, even when things are hard.

Anxiety Is More Than a Diagnosis

According to Kessler et al. (2005), nearly one in three adults in the U.S. will experience an anxiety disorder at some point. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Anxiety shows up in the body, in sleep patterns, digestion, chronic tension. It shows up in relationships, in how we interpret feedback, in how we brace for disappointment. And for folks navigating trauma or systemic stressors, anxiety isn’t just personal, it’s structural.

What Positive Psychology Offers

Positive psychology doesn’t pretend everything’s fine. It doesn’t ask us to be cheerful or grateful all the time. What it does offer is a shift in focus: from what’s broken to what’s still working. From pathology to possibility.

Research shows that practices like gratitude journaling, strengths reflection, and acts of kindness can reduce anxiety and improve well-being (Seligman et al., 2005; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). These aren’t magic fixes. But they’re gentle nudges, ways to remind ourselves that we’re more than our fear.

A Few Practices That Help

Here are a few things I’ve seen make a difference, for clients, for colleagues, and sometimes for myself:

• Gratitude, in small doses: Not forced positivity. Just noticing one thing each day that felt okay. Emmons and McCullough (2003) found this simple practice can shift mood and reduce anxiety over time.

• Naming strengths: Seligman et al. (2005) showed that using your strengths in new ways can boost happiness. I’ve seen it help people remember who they are beyond their stress.

• Self-compassion: Neff and Germer (2013) found that learning to speak to ourselves with kindness, especially when we’re struggling, can ease anxiety and build resilience.

These practices aren’t about fixing people. They’re about helping us feel more whole.

Why This Matters in Trauma-Informed Work

In trauma-informed spaces, we talk a lot about safety, trust, and empowerment. Positive psychology fits here, not as a shiny overlay, but as a way to honor what’s already strong. When we ask students or families what gives them hope, what they’re proud of, what helps them feel grounded, we’re not just collecting data. We’re building connection.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’re living with anxiety, or supporting someone who is, I hope this offers a little light. Not a cure. Not a checklist. Just a reminder that healing isn’t always about doing more, it’s often about noticing what’s already here.

And if you’re a practitioner, consider weaving these ideas into your work. Not as a mandate, but as an invitation. Ask about joy. Celebrate courage. Make space for story.

Because anxiety may be part of the story, but it doesn’t have to be the whole story.

References

Chrousos, G. P. (2009). Stress and disorders of the stress system. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 5(7), 374–381. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2009.106

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377

Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593

Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self‐compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21923

Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410

Sin, N. L., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). Enhancing well‐being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice‐friendly meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(5), 467–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20593