Brian Sellers understands the pain,
suffering, and fear associated with anxiety and panic disorder.
During his late adolescence and early adulthood, Brian experienced
distressing symptoms and persistent panic attacks, with many
symptoms and attacks coming “out-of-the-blue” and
at anytime. While his condition was difficult, it was most problematic
while he was driving. Many times Brian would pull over on the
side of the road or turn around and cancel his trip because of
the overwhelming symptoms and fear.
As Brian’s anxiety condition escalated, he became fearful
that something terrible would happen to him. He became obsessed
with thoughts about death and dying. Convinced that he would
never overcome his condition and that he would always struggle
with his dreadful thoughts and feelings, Brian felt ashamed
and thought that he was different from other people his age.
While he desperately wanted to get rid of his condition, he
didn’t know how.
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In spite of Brian’s
best efforts to eliminate his anxiety condition, it persisted
throughout his college years. Afraid of being ridiculed and laughed
at, Brian avoided talking about his thoughts and experiences.
Consequently, he continued to struggle in silence.
A turning point came for Brian, however, in the fall of 1997.
During a panic attack while driving, Summer, Brian’s wife
who was his girlfriend at the time, asked him to challenge his
fearful thinking, and that even though he felt awful he wasn’t
going to die. Encouraged by Summer’s reassurance, instead
of withdrawing in fear, Brian challenged his fearful thinking
and soon learned that he could control his symptoms and fears,
and consequently, his panic attacks. Over time, Brian fully conquered
his panic disorder and returned to normal health. Brian has been
panic attack-free for over ten years.
Wanting to help others, in 2004, Brian began working toward
a master’s degree in counseling at the University of Montevallo
in Montevallo, Alabama. In the fall of 2006, Brian and his family
moved to Mississippi where he completed his Internship and began
working as a counselor at Turning Point Counseling in the area
of drug and alcohol addiction.
In addition to Brian’s experience and training, Brian
also has experience working with adolescents who have been physically
and sexually abused, adolescent sexual offenders and their parents,
as well as others who have experienced anxiety and depression.
Brian and Summer have two children and live in Mississippi,
USA, where they attend Longview Church.
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