Holistic Anxiety Therapy for Teens and Adults in Los Altos and across California

“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.”

– THICH NAHT

Do you find yourself constantly worrying about something bad happening?

Do you obsess over details from the past or panic about the future?

Do you struggle with the “what if” syndrome? Like, what if I fail my exam? What if I make a horrible mistake?

If any of these resonate with you, worry may be impacting your everyday life.

Even when things may seem relatively stable, you may feel a perpetual restlessness inside that just won’t quit. Anxiety can affect every aspect of your life. Simply recognizing your anxiety doesn’t always lead to change, and overcoming deeply rooted patterns can feel daunting (and scary!).

You are not alone.

Research shows that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States, affecting 19.1% of adults and about 31.9% of teens. Approximately 7% of children and teens aged 3-17 experience anxiety issues each year, with most symptoms developing before age 21.

I will help you learn how to manage your anxiety with a holistic approach using various techniques including mindfulness, breathing exercises and integrative practices. Together, we’ll explore how your anxiety manifests in your life, and practice new ways of responding and managing those stressful feelings.

Generalized Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition marked by persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of everyday life, including work, relationships, health, home responsibilities, and more.

This ongoing anxiety can feel overwhelming and difficult to control, often leading to feelings of restlessness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. For example, you might wake up anxious about a work presentation, then worry about the chest tightness it causes. This spirals into fears of not being a good enough parent or giving your child enough attention—continuing the cycle of worry.

As a teen you may constantly worry about fitting in at school, comparing yourself to others or feeling a need to be perfect, all leading to self-doubt and a fear of being excluded. Fear of missing out (FOMO) on social events or trends can also contribute to heightened social anxiety.

COMMON GENERALIZED ANXIETY SYMPTOMS VARY, BUT THEY MAY INCLUDE:

  • A constant sense of dread 

  • Panic attacks

  • Sleep problems (insomnia, nightmares)

  • Persistent chest tightness

  • Avoidance behaviors (avoiding the people or situations that trigger anxiety)

  • GI issues

  • Difficulty focusing

Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary thoughts or impulses that can cause distress.

Many times, these thoughts happen spontaneously and go away on their own or constantly reoccur. In some cases, these thoughts may interfere with your overall well-being and prevent you from functioning with a clear mind in your daily life. This can occur if your intrusive thoughts are connected to conditions like PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, and/or other anxiety disorders. 

Low Self-Worth

If you often feel like you’re not good enough, you may be more vulnerable to experiencing anxiety.

Similarly, if you feel anxious all the time, it’s really hard to believe in yourself! It can be such a vicious cycle where anxiety undermines your self-esteem. 

YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH SELF-WORTH IF YOU:

  • Find it difficult to identify or assert your needs 

  • Engage in people-pleasing behaviors

  • Feel overly sensitive to criticism

  • Depend on external validation to feel good about yourself

  • Frequently struggle to take care of your physical or emotional health

  • Often blame yourself when things go wrong

Social Anxiety

While it's common to feel nervous in social settings, social anxiety involves intense fear of judgment, embarrassment and self-consciousness.

When in public, you may harshly judge your behavior which may lead to avoiding social situations, relationships and negatively affect your life. 

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are intense physiological reactions (can feel like a heart attack) that are sudden and scary when there isn’t any real danger or specific cause.

Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks can lead to panic disorder, a condition that may impact your overall quality of life. The good news? Anxiety treatment can be very effective and it’s possible to eliminate these panic attacks.

COMMON PANIC ATTACK SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

  • Racing heartbeat

  • Thinking you’re dying

  • Sweating and trembling

  • Chest tightness

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Feeling like you’re losing control 

Therapy for Anxiety in Los Altos and Throughout California

Therapy for anxiety helps you better understand your symptoms and patterns. We can collaborate to help reduce your anxiety and feel more empowered and grounded as you move through life. You can get to a place where you can recognize and change how you respond to fear when it arises.

I offer convenient, online therapy throughout California. My style is collaborative, warm, and curious, and I value bringing my own humanity and experiences into my work. I offer free consultations to new clients and I look forward connecting!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Several factors may cause anxiety including trauma, genetics and environmental influences. Trauma occurs at varying degrees of severity, and it can be the result of physical, sexual or psychological abuse. Other examples include having lost your house in a fire or hurricane, lived through a devastating earthquake or lost a parent to cancer at a young age. It can also be a learned behavior like growing up with an anxious parent.

  • I treat symptoms of generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic attacks which may become a panic disorder with recurrent panic attacks. If you simply resonate with being “worried too much of the time,” I encourage you to reach out! 

  • Many people start experiencing relief fairly quickly when using the new tools, though it’s common to feel worse before feeling better as you confront your painful emotions. It can be cathartic to simply have space to express your emotions and needs. That’s because you’re confronting painful feelings and practicing vulnerability - both of which can be challenging and rewarding.

  • Together we’ll explore the function of your anxiety and its role in trying to keep you safe. I’ll offer you different coping strategies and tools to use when you feel stressed - the more you implement them, the more grounded and regulated you will feel, thus reducing your anxiety. You’ll also be able to practice self-compassion during those times when you inevitably do get stressed. 

  • I use a holistic and multifaceted approach tailored to you, integrating psychodynamic therapy, CBT, strength-based methods, and internal family systems. We’ll collaborate to determine the best methods for your treatment. My goal is to empower you to reduce and manage your anxiety.