Anxiety Therapy Oakland

What is best for you will depend on your unique needs and your preferences.  Speaking to a therapist can help you determine the best approach for your situation.  Some things you’ll want to think about is what is driving your anxiety, the severity of your symptoms and how it is impacting your life.  Here are some types of psychotherapy that are effective for treating anxiety:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  (CBT)

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Exposure Therapy

Anxiety is the most common mental health issue people struggle with so, if you’re feeling anxious, it's important you know that you’re not alone. I want you to feel safe and encouraged as we work together to foster self-compassion and curiosity about your anxiety.

I use a warm and supportive approach to help you navigate anxious feelings.  Here is how I'll help you with processing and understanding your feelings more fully.  

In our sessions, I will draw from various techniques to find what works best for you. We will focus on understanding how our past experiences, especially early relationships, shape the way we feel and respond to life today (Psychodynamic Psychotherapy). I may also use some techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify negative thought patterns and help you reframe them. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) could be useful in creating more acceptance and self-compassion and Mindfulness practices and grounding exercises are tools that may help you feel more centered and calm.

My goal is for you to leave our sessions feeling lighter, more understood, and equipped with practical tools to manage your anxiety. Whether you’re dealing with generalized anxiety or social anxiety, I’m here to support you without judgment to find a path toward more a more peaceful life.

Most people with an anxiety disorder can be helped by professional care. The success of any therapy varies depending on your individual circumstances, the severity of your symptoms, whether you have other medical or mental health conditions and your ability to access care. This is why it’s important to work closely with your therapist to determine the best approach that’s tailored specifically to your needs.

I will make sure that I'm checking in from session to session with deeper check-ins every 2-3 months. You can let me know how things are going and what is working for you. And, if what we're doing isn't working, I'll do my best to change things up to give you what you're needing.

It’s important to see a licensed mental health clinician who specializes in anxiety and is trained in evidence-based treatments. A wide range of mental health professionals including clinical social workers (LCSW), marriage and family therapists (LMFT), psychologists (PsyD), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC), psychiatrists (MD), and psychiatric nurses can treat anxiety disorders. Your primary care physician can also diagnose and prescribe medication for anxiety.

I am a licensed clinical social worker and anxiety therapist in Oakland who specializing in helping people break through anxiety while living in society that wasn't necessarily made for you. It’s super important that you feel safe talking about the anxiety you are experiencing. It's okay to feel anxious in therapy, but you don't want therapy or your relationship with your therapist to become a new source of anxiety for you. 

Anxiety isn’t really something that can be “cured” because it’s our body’s normal way of responding to stress.  However, it should come and go once whatever is the source of your stress resolves. If you have more intense anxiety - chronic, persistent and excessive anxiety- anxiety therapy can help you significantly reduce or manage your anxiety.

As an anxiety therapist, I have supported many people with regaining control over their anxiety and become more present to living and enjoying life.

Anxiety disorders that go untreated can worsen over time. It’s important to seek professional support from an anxiety therapist if your symptoms are interfering significantly with your day-to-day daily life. 

Physical Symptoms

Shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling dizzy, shortness of breath, trembling, headache, nausea, tension and muscle aches, constant fatigue, difficulty relaxing, gastrointestinal issues (nausea, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome)

Mental Symptoms

Persistent feelings of worry or fear that is difficult to control, irritability, feeling tense, nervous, restless,  having a hard time concentrating or making decisions

Sleep Disturbance

Insomnia, frequent waking, trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep

Difficulties with Daily Life

Struggle with taking care of yourself and your basic needs (eat, sleep, exercise). Difficulty at work or holding down your job, etc.

Avoidance Behaviors

Avoiding certain places, activities or situations because you feel overwhelmed by fear or excessive worry.

I help people with reduce anxiety by examining environmental factors, lifestyle, your own temperament and personal history. Together we'll figure out the most doable and effective way to get started on reducing your symptoms without overburdening you with adding more to do!

Psychotherapy, medication or both.  The treatment that’s best for you will depend on how severe your anxiety is and the type of anxiety you have (generalized anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, etc.)   It's best to consult with an anxiety therapist to decide on the approach that will work best for your personal situation.

Collaborating with you, your doctor or psychiatrist, and other healers will give you the best care and results. I can help you seek medication too if you need it.

Look for a therapist who specializes in and has experience in treating people with anxiety.  You’ll want to feel comfortable with your therapist - that you can trust them and you feel they care about supporting you.  Good communication, warmth and familiarity with your identities are all important in the professional you decide to work with.  Someone who fits within your budget (or insurance plan), your schedule, is conveniently located and is willing to collaborate with other providers is also key.

As an anxiety therapist in Oakland, I specialize in working with adults who are functioning at a high level but really suffering from carrying so much anxiety.

Mixed race and multiculturally trained therapists are still a minority, but we are out there and on the rise!  Working with a therapist who has familiarity with your culture(s) or who specializes in culturally competent care, while not a guarantee, is likely to make you feel more comfortable and safer in seeking mental health support. Finding someone you trust and who respects and acknowledges your identities can make a big difference in you getting what you need from therapy. You can look search for culturally informed therapists here: Inclusive Therapists, Therapy for Black Girls, Asian Mental Health Collective, Therapy for LatinX, OKclarity and Pink Therapy.  

I have mixed heritages, am a child of an immigrant and was raised in a mixed religious household. As a an anxiety therapist, I love supporting individuals whose anxiety may stem from historical and on-going discrimination and structural oppression.