General anxiety therapy - san francisco bay area & California

Does Anxiety Make It Difficult To Trust Your Feelings?

Are you living in a constant state of worry, fear, or dread that disrupts your ability to feel safe or at peace in this world? Do you find yourself continuously checking in with yourself, wondering: Is everything going to be okay? Am I going to be okay?

Maybe you’re so focused on what could go wrong that you can never let your guard down and just relax. Or perhaps you shy away from people or situations that may trigger a panic attack, and you’re hoping anxiety treatment will give you the strength and courage to start living again. 

Anxiety Can Often Show Up In Your Life In Subtle Ways

Besides the typical symptoms, anxiety can also manifest as an inability to enjoy the things you once loved. You may feel isolated and misunderstood—as if you’re weak, strange, or even unlovable. 

Self-judgment and internal criticism could be causing you to second-guess your words or how others interpret your actions or intentions. And on a physical level, you may be experiencing insomnia, muscle tension, digestive issues, or tremors. With all of these factors at play, you may have even created a negative narrative about yourself that you are incapable or somehow “less than.” 

Despite the fear and self-doubt, you deserve to trust yourself and feel safe in this world, and that’s why I am here. With my compassionate and empathetic approach to anxiety therapy, I truly believe you can learn to love yourself and enjoy a fulfilling life of happiness and peace. 

People From Any Walk Of Life Can Experience Anxiety

Virtually every human being, regardless of age or demographic, will experience anxiety at some point in life. And although 31 percent of US adults will develop some sort of an anxiety disorder within their lifetime—social anxiety being the most prominent—only a fraction will seek treatment. That means a lot of people are suffering in silence.

There’s also good reason why anxiety is so prevalent: our modern lifestyle places undue pressure on us to perform for our peers and families, at school, and in our careers. We’re constantly tempted by TV shows, advertisers, and social media to compare ourselves to others. And while anxiety often stems from stress, sometimes it’s the result of early life experiences, such as bullying, rejection, or trauma.

With all of these intrinsic forces at play, it’s easy to assume that we are not good enough or doing enough. Moreover, we’re still dealing with the aftermath of Covid, which has caused so much fear and isolation that our minds and bodies are on high alert full time now.

Although distractions like binge-watching shows, eating comfort foods, and turning to alcohol or other substances provide some temporary respite, they only make matters worse in the end. However, working with an anxiety counselor can free you from loneliness, self-doubt, and fear—empowering you to start living the life you were meant to. 

Therapy Can Free You From Anxiety And Teach You To Love Yourself

Usually, anxiety is an act of self-preservation—a protective measure that was necessary at some point but became stuck in time even though circumstances changed. Anxiety counseling allows you to understand that mechanism and the purpose it serves while providing you with healthier, more satisfying strategies for fostering a greater sense of security, freedom, and confidence. 

I want to help you deconstruct any negative, anxious narratives about yourself by building an understanding of how they first formed and what their original functions were. In doing so, you can rewrite your story and replace self-critical thoughts with a kinder, more positive inner experience and reflection of yourself.

Take A Look Inside Our Anxiety Therapy Sessions

Anxiety usually has a positive intention, so rather than criticizing it, it’s important to understand where that fear and worry are coming from and why. So, first, I want to explore a little about your background, including your thoughts, beliefs, and personal experiences—anything that might shed some light on your anxiety’s roots.  

For instance, maybe you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or you were bullied in your youth, so you developed social anxiety or became convinced that you were somehow “less than.” Using that insight, I can help you externalize and view your anxious, negative thoughts not as a true objective reality but as something borne out of a painful experience.

I also can provide you with tools for independently checking in with and breaking down those feelings and beliefs to find out if there is evidence to support them. Ultimately, I want to help you become a caring friend to yourself, enabling you to replace impossible expectations and mistrust with appreciation and confidence in who you are. 

Some Of The Tools We May Use In Anxiety Treatment

I use a holistic, mind-body-spirituality approach to anxiety therapy that takes into account various aspects of a person’s makeup. That involves integrating elements of somatic, relational, emotion-focused, and existential therapeutic philosophies. I also draw from transpersonal theory, Gestalt psychology, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP).

Implementing these strategies helps me get to the core of anxiety and treat it at its source. They also enable me to nurture a client’s sense of comfort and self-empathy (versus fear or self-judgment) so they can feel safer and more secure. By connecting with my clients on a deeply human level, I can support them in accessing a higher quality of life where they trust themselves and feel calmer, happier, and more in control. 

I know that you carry a heavy burden, but with therapy, anxiety is one of the easiest mental wellness challenges to treat. Just like going to the gym to get stronger and healthier, all you need is a welcoming, safe, and dedicated space where you can establish new, more effective habits. 

With a little time and consistency, therapy can offer immediate and long-term relief from the pain and frustration of anxiety. I truly believe that with the support of a kind and caring therapist, anxiety counseling can help you feel more at home in this world. 

Perhaps You’re Considering Anxiety Counseling But Still Have Some Concerns…

How long does therapy for anxiety take?

It's hard to say exactly because every person's experience is different. Some anxiety issues only involve a couple of factors that can be addressed relatively quickly; others have deeper roots and take more time. 

So therapy requires us to be patient and explore and deconstruct thought patterns and experiences so that we can treat the root cause and integrate new, healthier emotional patterns. Given that it often takes a couple of months to learn a new habit, I recommend preparing for 8 to 10 sessions.

I've never done therapy before and I'm very anxious about starting.

Trying something new almost always creates a little anxiety, and that naturally includes therapy. So please know that when we meet, I will embrace all that is you, including your pain. Throughout the therapeutic process, I will gently check in to see how you are feeling, validate your concerns, and adjust our pace or strategy according to your comfort level. 

I also offer therapy for anxiety online so you can meet from wherever you feel safe and comfortable. The truth is that the hardest part of anxiety is often having to hide it from others, but here, you are welcome and accepted unconditionally for who you are. 

Why work with you when there are lower-fee subscription services like BetterHelp or TalkSpace?

Online anxiety counseling services, such as these, are essentially corporations, and they need to supplement the lower fees they offer by selling users' personal information. I, on the other hand, will never sell your information and everything we discuss will be confidential. 

These companies are geared toward a quick-fix treatment format, focusing only on addressing symptoms—not the root cause of anxiety. My holistic, depth-oriented approach to anxiety treatment helps you heal your core emotional wounds and vulnerabilities so that you can experience true and sustainable change.

Let Me Help You Restore Faith In Yourself And This World

If you’ve struggled with fear and worry long enough, I want to help you learn to live with greater conviction, self-compassion, and peace. Please click on the Book Consultation link to schedule your free, 15-minute consultation and see how anxiety therapy can improve your life. 

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