Although fears about safety while driving,  injury during sport activities or even financial worries are normal types of ‘anxiety’, many people suffer from a sensation and level of fear that is disproportionate in terms of intensity, frequency and duration. General Anxiety Disorder diagnoses (Coded: F41.1) present in many forms:

• Constant worry about specific problems: money, career, health, relationships…..
• A jittery feeling for no specific reason
• Fears about judgment in social and work settings
• Anticipatory fears about future events

This ‘Clinical Anxiety’ represents an enhanced wiring of the brain towards fear, threat and even paranoia, often in response to traumatic or upbringing experiences. It can be viewed as a component of a person’s personality. Therapy works to ‘rewire’ these circuits, and create a mindful sense of safety and realism. 

Finding Relief Through Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

Anxiety has many forms and can feel overwhelming..

• Social Anxiety – fear and avoidance of social situations and interactions
• Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks – sudden episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – anxiety and distress following traumatic experiences
• Generalized Anxiety – persistent, excessive worry about everyday matters

My Approach to Treating Anxiety

I use proven, evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to your unique needs. My treatment combines several powerful modalities that work together to help you understand, manage, and ultimately reduce your anxiety symptoms.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills: DBT provides practical skills that are particularly effective for managing intense anxiety and emotional distress. Through DBT, you’ll learn mindfulness techniques to ground yourself in the present moment, distress tolerance skills to help you survive anxiety-provoking situations, emotion regulation strategies to understand and manage emotional waves, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to navigate challenging relationships and social situations.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is one of the most researched and effective treatments for anxiety disorders. Together, we’ll identify the thoughts and beliefs that fuel your anxiety, challenge cognitive distortions and anxious thinking patterns, develop more balanced and realistic ways of thinking, practice behavioral strategies including gradual exposure to feared situations, and build confidence through proven techniques that create lasting change.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT helps you develop psychological flexibility in how you relate to your anxiety. Rather than fighting against your anxious thoughts and feelings, you’ll learn to accept uncomfortable experiences without letting them control your behavior, clarify your personal values and what matters most to you, and take committed action toward a meaningful life, even in the presence of anxiety.
• Empowerment-Focused Treatment: Anxiety thrives on a simple but powerful deception: your mind convinces you that your fears will come true. But here’s the truth: your mind is being overly pessimistic and fearful. It’s working overtime to protect you from threats that may never materialize, and in doing so, it’s creating unnecessary suffering. Empowerment-focused treatment is a fundamental shift: instead of your mind having power, you take back control. You decide what to believe, what to accept as true, and how to act.

Take the First Step

Effective treatment can help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in control of your life. I invite you to reach out to discuss how we can work together toward the relief you’re seeking. Phone: 410-970-4917; Email: edgewaterpsychotherapy@gmail.com; I look forward to hearing from you and helping you on your journey toward greater peace and wellbeing.