Worry that won't switch off, panic that seems to come out of nowhere, or a steady hum of stress. Anxiety therapy can help you understand what your mind and body are doing, and respond differently.
What anxiety therapy looks like
Anxiety is a normal response to uncertainty. It becomes a problem when it stays switched on long after it's useful, crowding out sleep, focus, relationships and the things you care about. One informal way psychologists in the collective explain worry (a teaching framework, not a diagnosis) is the difference between content anxiety, tied to a specific situation, and process anxiety, the open-ended worry about things you can't control.
Sessions combine understanding with practical skills: grounding techniques that can help you feel more present, ways to notice and question catastrophic thoughts, and gradual, planned steps back toward the situations and activities anxiety has taken from you. The goal isn't to wait until anxiety disappears; for many anxiety problems, treatment involves learning to approach what you've been avoiding while some anxiety is still there.
Approaches we use
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify anxious thinking patterns and test them against the evidence
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to make room for uncomfortable feelings while moving toward what matters
- Mindfulness and grounding, such as abdominal breathing and the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise
- EMDR when anxiety is rooted in distressing past experiences
Who we help
Adults, teens and couples dealing with generalized worry, panic attacks, social and performance anxiety, health anxiety, perfectionism, burnout and impostor syndrome. Anxiety often travels with depression, chronic illness or relationship stress, and we work with the whole picture.
Clinicians who offer anxiety therapy
Where we offer anxiety therapy
In person
- Anxiety therapy in Berkeley
- Anxiety therapy in Kensington
- Anxiety therapy in the East Bay
- Anxiety therapy in Marin
- Anxiety therapy in Sonoma
Online
- Online anxiety therapy in California
- Online anxiety therapy in New York
- Online anxiety therapy in Florida
- Online anxiety therapy in Virginia
- Online anxiety therapy in Hawaii
San Francisco residents can meet online or in person in the East Bay or Marin; in-person sessions in San Francisco are coming soon.
Related reading
Questions about anxiety therapy
Do I need a diagnosis to start anxiety therapy?
No. Many people reach out because worry or stress is getting in the way. A free consultation is a chance to talk through what's going on and whether we're a good fit.
Can anxiety therapy be done online?
Yes. All four psychologists offer online therapy in California, and some also see clients online in New York, Florida, Hawaii and Virginia.
How long does anxiety therapy take?
It varies. Some people find relief from skills-focused work in a few months; others prefer longer-term therapy. Your clinician will talk with you about goals and progress along the way.
Schedule your free consultation
Book in real time with any available clinician in the collective.