Therapy for Anxiety
In-person therapy in Beverly Hills and surrounding Westside neighborhoods. Telehealth sessions available across California.
Understanding the Roots of Your Anxiety
The experience of intense anxiety & stress is not just an inconvenience, it is often a signal that something deeper is seeking attention. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed by the weight of expectations, or are navigating demanding life transitions and professional pressures. This tension, whether a persistent current of worry or the sudden spike of panic, can leave you feeling perpetually mentally drained and disconnected from your self.
Many clients arrive describing a sense of being constantly "on edge," unable to quiet a restless mind, or struggling with difficulty concentrating. Anxiety is rarely a simple, surface-level issue; it is often the emotional expression of unacknowledged conflicts, desires, and relationship patterns that are active below the surface of conscious thought.
Located in Beverly Hills, my practice offers a thoughtful, open space to explore these struggles and gently uncover their deeper, unconscious roots.
Common Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety can take many forms, and can be both obvious and subtle. You may notice:
Racing thoughts - persistent worry about things you can’t control
Restlessness, muscle tension, shakiness, or tingling sensations
Sleep disruption - trouble falling or staying asleep when stressed
Mental and physical fatigue; feeling mentally exhausted or drained
Difficulty concentrating, indecision, perfectionism, self-criticism
Panic-like episodes - shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or dread
My Approach to Working with Anxiety
Anxiety often feels like a buildup of tension in both mind and body, a signal that something in the present stirs echoes of earlier feelings of helplessness. Together, we can make sense of what underlies that tension and begin to untangle the patterns that keep it in place, allowing for greater ease, clarity, and confidence in daily life.
In our sessions, we will:
Slow down and notice: Track the moments when anxiety spikes; what preceded it in thought, feeling, and body.
Find the thread: Link present triggers to earlier patterns so the symptom becomes understandable, not random.
Strengthen choice: As patterns become clear, you gain room to respond differently, at school, at work, and in relationships.
The Impact of Anxiety on Daily Life
School & Work: Procrastination, performance dips, stress that lingers after hours
Relationships: Reassurance-seeking, fear of conflict, or withdrawing to cope
Decision-Making: Overthinking and difficulty trusting your judgment
Body & Sleep: Headaches, stomach upset, and restless nights that compound stress
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We’ll make the patterns visible, loosen their grip, and help you regain a steadier rhythm day to day.
From the blogInsights on Anxiety
Frequently Asked Questions about Anxiety
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Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy help anxiety by exploring how it forms around earlier experiences, relationship patterns, and unconscious conflicts. Rather than managing symptoms alone, this approach addresses the sources of anxiety at their root. As the meanings beneath the symptom become speakable, the anxiety itself often loosens.
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From the outside, high-functioning anxiety can look like discipline or ambition. From the inside, it feels like a constant undercurrent of worry that does not ease even when things are going well. It is not a formal diagnosis, but it describes a real experience: succeeding by external measures while privately driven by fear rather than confidence. People with high-functioning anxiety often do not recognize their distress as anxiety because it has always looked like effort.
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Yes, heightened arousal can produce physical symptoms. While fainting during a panic episode is uncommon, lightheadedness can occur. Therapy can help reduce the frequency and intensity of these sensations.
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Whether to start with a therapist or a psychiatrist depends on what kind of support you are looking for. A psychiatrist can evaluate whether medication would help manage the physiological side of anxiety. A therapist, particularly one working psychoanalytically, helps you understand the patterns and conflicts that keep the anxiety in place. Many people find that therapy alone is enough. Others benefit from both, especially when the anxiety is severe enough to make it difficult to engage in the therapeutic work.
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We’ll address racing thoughts, nighttime worry loops, and the pressures that keep your system activated. Alongside deeper work, we’ll establish simple, consistent sleep supports.
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Existential anxiety is a form of unease rooted in the questions most people spend their lives avoiding: what your life means, whether your choices matter, and what it means to be truly alone with your own freedom. It is not about a specific feared outcome, and unlike situational anxiety, it does not respond to reassurance or problem-solving. Psychoanalytic therapy is well suited to existential anxiety because it takes these questions seriously rather than treating them as symptoms to eliminate.
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Yes, sessions are offered in person in West LA and virtually across California.
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I offer a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit.