What We Do

Specialty

Anxiety

Anxiety is both a mental and physical state of negative expectation. Mentally it is characterized by increased arousal and apprehension tortured into distressing worry, and physically by unpleasant activation of multiple body systems—all to facilitate response to an unknown danger, whether real or imagined. The cognitive feelings of dread in anticipation of some bad outcome, and physical sensations such as jitteriness and a racing heart are designed for discomfort.

Anxiety is meant to capture attention and stimulate you to make necessary changes to protect what you care about. Occasional bouts of anxiety are natural and can even be productive. Anxiety can be considered the price we humans pay for having the ability to imagine the future. But persistent, pervasive, or outsize anxiety can disrupt daily life, whether at school, work, or with friends—the mark of an anxiety disorder. Nearly one-third of adults in the U.S. will grapple with out-of-control anxiety at some point in their life.

Anxiety is often accompanied by depression, and the two share many symptoms and involve many of the same brain pathways. Biology can contribute to vulnerability to anxiety, as can childhood experiences such as early trauma and parenting practices such as overprotection.

Treatment is geared to keeping anxiety at manageable levels. Anxiety can be treated successfully using therapy, medication, or both. Lifestyle measures, such as regular exercise and deep-breathing, are also extremely important in controlling anxiety.

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Our Specialists in this field

Dylan Abrams, PhD

Genevieve Askin M.A./Ed.S.

Lily Baker, MSW

Micaela Bates, Psy. D

Marisa Beck, MS

Liz Bordogna, MA

Nikki Bowles, LCSW

Matthew Browning, LPC

Deborah Bukolt, LCSW

James Czywczynski, LPC

Matthew Dean, MA

Amanda Ercilla Trevino, LCSW

Julianna Foster, MA

Addison Halverson, MFT, MS

Yolanda Hidalgo, MA, MFT

Hillary Johns-Parson, LCSW

Terah Johnson, MSW

Morgan Lanier, LPC

Sarah Lotchin, LCSW

Caroline Megargel, MSW, LCSW

Kristin Miller, MA, NCC

Randall Nolt, MSW

Oak Reed, Ph.D.

Sarah Robeson, BSW, MSW Intern

Alexandria Schenk, LPC

Brittany Sullivan, MA

Kathleen Van Allen, LPC

Alexandra Werntz, Ph.D

Naomi Yohannes, MS

Constance Zubairu-Kanu, LMSW