Individual Therapy for Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, uncertainty, or perceived danger, but when it becomes overwhelming or constant, it can interfere with your daily life. It might show up as racing thoughts, restlessness, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, or a sense of dread you can’t explain.

Anxiety often stems from an overactive mind trying to stay safe or in control, but it can leave you feeling stuck, exhausted, or disconnected from the present.

What does Anxiety feel like?

When you are anxious, it can be hard to stay present and connected with others. Have you ever felt that pit in your stomach when you’re hurt? The thought of having to express your feelings feels terrifying. You may have learned that it is unsafe to share your feelings because you were made to feel “wrong” for having them in the first place.

These fears can lead to:

  • ruminations keeping you awake at night

  • isolation from others

  • pressure to put on a façade that you are “okay”

  • people-pleasing behaviors

  • perfectionism

Anxiety can manifest physically in our bodies and include:

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headaches

stomach distress

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Black silhouette of a woman sitting on the ground, leaning against a bench, with trees and a building in the background.

irritability

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poor appetite or overeating

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fatigue

sweating

tight chest

racing heart

difficulty falling or staying asleep

Common Anxiety issues I address:

  • Overthinking is when your mind gets stuck in a loop of repetitive thoughts, often worrying about the past, fearing the future, or second-guessing decisions. It can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and make it hard to focus or feel at ease.

    People who overthink are often highly thoughtful and sensitive, but their mind becomes overactive in an attempt to avoid mistakes or emotional pain.

    In therapy, I help clients identify these patterns, understand the fears driving them, and learn tools to calm the mental noise. With support and practice, it’s possible to break free from overthinking and move toward more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

  • People-pleasing is a pattern of putting others’ needs ahead of your own to avoid conflict, rejection, or guilt. While it often comes from a caring place, it can leave you feeling drained, resentful, or unsure of who you are without others’ approval.

    This pattern is common in anxiety, especially when self-worth becomes tied to how others feel about you. It is also a trauma response used to navigate conflict. If you become agreeable, well liked, and easy-going, it is a strategy to minimize upsetting others, therefore reducing abuse, violence, or shame.

    In therapy, I help clients understand the roots of people-pleasing, build healthy boundaries, and reconnect with their own needs and values. It’s possible to care for others and yourself without guilt or fear.

  • Perfectionism is the pressure to meet impossibly high standards often driven by fear of failure, judgment, or not feeling “good enough.” While it may look like motivation or ambition on the outside, it can create constant self-criticism, anxiety, and burnout on the inside.

    Many people with anxiety struggle with perfectionism, believing their worth depends on achievement or being “flawless.”

    In therapy, I help clients challenge perfectionistic thinking, embrace self-compassion, and find a healthier balance between doing well and being well. You can let go of perfection and still succeed, thrive, and feel at peace.

How can therapy help with anxiety?

It is important to learn skills to slow down and tune into your body so you can gain awareness of how to regulate emotions and soothe your nervous system.

Anxiety can become problematic when it effects your life in a negative way, whether at work, home, school, or in your relationships. The goal is to never fully eliminate anxiety, but to make it more manageable. Anxiety can be useful as it can help us prepare for things, survive in a dangerous situation, or work harder to achieve your goals. On the other hand, anxiety can be detrimental in that we can overthink, doubt ourselves, freeze up, or not speak up when we need to. Using evidence-based practices, together, we can identify the sources of your anxiety so that you can learn healthier ways to cope.

If anxiety is holding you back and interfering with your goals, I’d love to guide and support you toward healthier thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

See more about how I work and what to expect in the FAQ.

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