Therapy for Anxiety and Trauma

Anxiety can take many shapes. For some people, it is a constant low-grade hum of worry that makes it hard to relax or be present. For others, it shows up as racing thoughts at three in the morning, a knot in the stomach before social situations, or a sense of dread that arrives without an obvious cause. Whatever form it takes, anxiety has a way of narrowing your world over time — shrinking what feels possible, what feels safe, and what you feel free to do.

I help adults across California work through anxiety and trauma using an integrative, evidence-based approach. My work draws primarily on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has decades of research supporting its effectiveness for anxiety, combined with relational and trauma-informed techniques that address the deeper patterns and experiences often driving symptoms.

Anxiety Disorders I Treat

Within my practice, I work with the full spectrum of anxiety presentations, including:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) — chronic worry across many areas of life
• Social anxiety disorder — fear of judgment or scrutiny in social situations
• Panic attacks and panic disorder
• Health anxiety
• Performance and work-related anxiety
• Anxiety related to life transitions, relationships, or chronic stress
• Trauma-related anxiety, including symptoms of PTSD

Common Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety expresses itself both physically and emotionally. The people I work with often arrive carrying some combination of persistent worry that is hard to switch off, difficulty falling or staying asleep, muscle tension, headaches, stomach issues, a racing heart or shortness of breath, irritability, trouble concentrating, avoidance of situations that feel overwhelming, and a general sense of being on edge. When trauma is part of the picture, intrusive memories, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or difficulty trusting others may also be present.

About Trauma and PTSD

Trauma is not only the result of large, identifiable events. It can also stem from ongoing experiences — an unstable home environment growing up, a long relationship that eroded your sense of self, a workplace that consistently dismissed your needs. These less-visible forms of trauma often surface later as anxiety, depression, self-doubt, or difficulty in close relationships. Trauma-informed therapy approaches symptoms with an understanding of their origins, which tends to make change more durable than working on symptoms alone.

My Approach to Treatment

Therapy with me is collaborative and active. Together we will identify the specific patterns keeping anxiety in place — the thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that fuel it — and build a set of tools you can use both during sessions and in daily life. We will also make room to understand where these patterns originated, because lasting change usually requires both. My goal is for you to leave therapy with a clearer sense of yourself, better tools to manage what arises, and more freedom to engage with your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does anxiety therapy take to work?
Many clients begin to notice meaningful shifts within 8 to 12 weekly sessions, though the timeline varies based on the type and severity of anxiety and individual goals. CBT in particular has strong evidence for producing results within a relatively short timeframe.

What is the difference between anxiety and trauma?
Anxiety is an acute or ongoing pattern of worry, apprehension, or physical tension, often in response to a triggering event or ongoing stress. Trauma refers to the lasting psychological impact of a specific overwhelming event or chronic experience. The two frequently overlap, since unresolved trauma is a common driver of chronic anxiety, and trauma-informed therapy addresses both..

Is online therapy effective for anxiety and trauma?
Yes. Research consistently shows that telehealth-delivered CBT and trauma-focused therapy produce outcomes comparable to in-person treatment for most clients. Telehealth also offers consistency and accessibility that often makes treatment easier to sustain.