The definition of cure is not absence of pain or anxiety but the effective management of these conditions so the patient can live an expansive, unrestricted life.
- Howard Liebgold, M.D.

 

The only way to cope with anxiety is to observe it, understand it, and allow it to disappear after we acknowledge receipt of its messages.
- Christopher J. McCullough, Ph.D. and Robert Woods Mann

 

If only I could gather you all together and really drive the message home that recovery lies in your understanding of acceptance and practicing it and not in your expecting an outside miracle.
- Dr. Claire Weekes

 

The harder you try to control or get rid of your anxiety, the more anxiety you seem to have.
- Chad Lejeune, Ph.D

 

The only way out of fear is through it.
- Dr. Claire Weekes

 

By getting more in touch with a larger senes of purpose, and, where appropriate, cultivating your spirituality, you can gain a sense of meaning that will help to diminish your problems with anxiety.
- Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.



Panic Disorder, Anxiety, Agoraphobia Help, Info, Support...


Letter From The Founder


Dear Friends:

I welcome you to this web site, and I hope you find the information, inspiration, and ideas you are seeking. We have been online since 1997 and are pleased to be available as a part of your personal journey!

More

This site is the result of having published the Encourage Newsletter (a printed publication) for over eight years, reaching many subscribers around the globe. We are not affiliated with any particular treatment programs or approaches; we choose to offer a broad array of information and viewpoints to our visitors.

Encourage Connection is dedicated to providing quality information, inspiration and ideas for those working toward recovery from excessive anxiety, panic and agoraphobia. In so doing, we are committed to sharing supportive material with the expectation that our readers will feel uplifted, empowered and appreciated.

As someone who has experienced panic disorder and agoraphobia personally, it is my heartfelt desire to bring hope and healing to others. Along with my husband Will, and our many colleagues and friends who have influenced us positively over the years, we reach out to you on this incredible worldwide web, offering what information and wisdom we can.

We strive to instill a proactive faith that healing comes in due time, in many ways. Join Us!

Pat Merrill, Founder
Encourage Connection

 

Blogs, Articles and News

enimagehockey

Kendra Fisher, Canadian Hockey Player, Discusses Recovery from Anxiety

January 18, 2012 By

More and more people are “coming out of the closet,” so to speak, to share their experiences with anxiety. When those in the public eye are willing to expose their own challenges with anxiety disorders, it can be incredibly healing for those who may look up to them in one way or another. This video [...]

timebombbluesky

Do Panic Attacks Really “Come Out of the Blue?”

October 7, 2011 By

Many panic attack sufferers report that panic hits them with no warning at all; others do have a sense of building panic leading up to a full-blown attack. According to a recent study reported at Science Daily (www.sciencedaily.com), there appears to measurable physiological changes occurring for at least an hour preceding a panic attack.  This [...]

ladywithbooks

Bibliotherapy for Anxiety Disorders

October 2, 2011 By

Hello, everyone! I must confess, I’m a “bookaholic!”  I have loved to read all of my life.  LOVE it! Have you heard the term “bibliotherapy?”  It actually has a few slightly different meanings, but I find it to be a fantastic form of therapy, no matter how defined. Which is why you’ll see a lot [...]

thermographicwomanimage

Our Genes, Our Chemistry, Our Thoughts …

October 2, 2011 By

Over the many years of keeping up with treatment trends and scientific discoveries in the field of anxiety disorders, I’ve found it especially interesting to see all the “newer” attention on the brain. Initially, when people were told that emotional and/or mental issues were “all in the head,” it was inferred that we could or [...]

Thoughtful lady

Waiting and Procrastinating?

October 2, 2011 By

With so many years behind me now, of being in touch with the community of people experiencing anxiety disorders, I can say with some certainty that most of us prefer an easy route.  So we wait to find one… And who wouldn’t? You have every right to decide when, where and how you will approach [...]