COUNSELING FOR ANXIETY

 

What if your anxiety isn't something you need to fight, but something you can learn to understand?

Maybe your mind rarely feels quiet.

You replay conversations after they happen. You think through every possible outcome. You worry about things that haven't happened yet—or things you know, logically, are probably going to be okay.

You may find yourself asking for reassurance, checking, researching, overthinking, planning, or trying to anticipate what could go wrong.

And even when someone tells you, "Don't worry. It's going to be fine," your body doesn't always believe them.

You know you're safe, but you don't feel safe.

Anxiety can be exhausting.

And sometimes the hardest part is feeling like you should be able to control it.

When Your Mind Won't Let You Rest

Anxiety doesn't always look like panic.

Sometimes it looks like:

  • Constant overthinking

  • Worrying about the "what ifs"

  • Difficulty making decisions

  • Replaying conversations

  • Seeking reassurance

  • Fear of making the wrong choice

  • Feeling responsible for things outside of your control

  • Difficulty relaxing or being present

  • Trouble sleeping because your mind won't shut off

  • Feeling on edge or waiting for something to go wrong

  • Avoiding situations that make you uncomfortable

  • Becoming hyperaware of physical sensations

  • Irritability or emotional overwhelm

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself

  • Physical tension, including tightness in your jaw, shoulders, or chest

Sometimes anxiety becomes so woven into your everyday life that you don't even realize how much energy you're spending trying to prevent something bad from happening.

When Your Body Feels the Anxiety, Too

Anxiety isn't just something that happens in your thoughts.

Your body may experience it, too.

Your heart may race.

Your stomach may tighten.

Your muscles may tense.

You may feel restless, shaky, nauseous, dizzy, or short of breath.

You may feel an intense urge to escape, fix something, check something, or make sure everything is okay.

This is why I incorporate somatic work into therapy. Rather than only talking about anxiety, we can become curious about how anxiety shows up in your body and help you develop a greater sense of safety and awareness from the inside out.

Understanding What's Beneath the Anxiety

Sometimes anxiety is trying to protect you.

It may be saying:

"If I think through every possible scenario, maybe I can prevent something bad from happening."

"If I keep everyone happy, maybe nothing will go wrong."

"If I know exactly what is going to happen, I'll feel safe."

"If I can just figure this out, I can finally relax."

But constantly trying to eliminate uncertainty can actually keep the anxiety going.

In therapy, we can become curious about what your anxiety is protecting you from—and what it might be asking you to pay attention to.

Rather than judging yourself for being anxious, we can work toward understanding your patterns and developing new ways of responding.

Anxiety, Control & Uncertainty

For many people, anxiety becomes an attempt to create certainty in an uncertain world.

You may find yourself trying to control:

  • What other people think of you

  • Whether something bad will happen

  • Your health or physical sensations

  • Your relationships

  • Your children's safety

  • Your future

  • Whether you've made the "right" decision

  • How others respond to you

But there are some things we simply cannot control.

Therapy can help you build your ability to sit with uncertainty without allowing it to take over your life.

The goal isn't to make you never worry again.

It's to help you develop greater confidence in your ability to feel uncertainty, tolerate discomfort, and respond to what is actually happening rather than everything your anxiety tells you might happen.

When Anxiety Has a Story

Your anxiety didn't develop in a vacuum.

Your experiences, relationships, family dynamics, stressful events, and the ways you learned to protect yourself can all influence how your nervous system responds today.

Maybe you learned early that you needed to anticipate other people's moods.

Maybe you experienced situations where being prepared helped you feel safe.

Maybe you learned that mistakes weren't okay.

Maybe you've experienced loss, trauma, or uncertainty that made it difficult to trust that things will be okay.

Understanding where your anxiety comes from doesn't mean staying stuck in the past.

It can help you understand yourself with greater compassion.

What We Can Work Through Together

I work with women experiencing anxiety related to:

  • Generalized worry and overthinking

  • Health anxiety

  • Panic and panic attacks

  • Relationship anxiety

  • Fear of abandonment or rejection

  • Anxiety around uncertainty

  • Perfectionism

  • People-pleasing

  • Social anxiety

  • Specific fears and phobias

  • Intrusive thoughts

  • Reassurance-seeking and checking behaviors

  • Life transitions

  • Parenting and fears about loved ones

  • Feeling overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities

  • Anxiety connected to past experiences or trauma

My Approach to Anxiety Therapy

My approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in understanding the whole person, rather than treating anxiety as something that needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

I draw from AEDP, Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), narrative therapy, somatic approaches, and trauma-informed care.

Together, we may explore:

What is your anxiety trying to protect you from?

What happens in your body when anxiety takes over?

What beliefs have developed around safety, control, and uncertainty?

What experiences shaped the way you respond to fear?

What would it feel like to trust yourself even when you don't have certainty?

We can work toward helping you feel more grounded, connected, and capable of moving through uncomfortable emotions without allowing anxiety to make every decision for you.

You Are More Than Your Anxiety

You are not your anxious thoughts.

You are not your panic.

You are not your need for reassurance.

And you don't have to spend the rest of your life organizing your world around avoiding anxiety.

There may always be moments of uncertainty, fear, and discomfort.

The work is learning that you can experience those feelings without them having to control your life.

Getting Started With Anxiety Therapy

Living with anxiety can be exhausting. Maybe your mind rarely slows down, you find yourself anticipating what could go wrong, or you spend more time worrying about the needs and expectations of others than attending to your own. Even when things seem fine on the outside, you may feel overwhelmed, tense, or unable to fully relax.

You don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable to seek support. Therapy can offer space to understand what you’re experiencing, explore the patterns that contribute to your anxiety, and develop a different relationship with your thoughts and emotions.

I offer individual therapy for adult women in Florida, with in-person session in Oviedo and telehealth for clients located throughout Florida.

Session fee: $140 per session.

I am in network with select insurance plans. If you plan to use insurance, please reach out to discuss current coverage options and see our rates and insurance page. If you have out-of-network benefits, your plan may reimburse a portion of the cost of therapy. Reimbursement varies by plan, so I encourage you to verify your benefits directly with your insurer.

If you’re wondering whehter therapy might be a good fit, I invite you to schedule a brief consultation. We can discuss what you’re looking for, answer initial questions, and explore whether working together feels right for you.

Schedule a Free 15 Minute Phone Consult

You deserve a life that feels like more than managing your worries.