Find Relief from Overthinking, Constant Worry and the Exhaustion of Holding It All Together
I provide anxiety therapy in San Diego and throughout California to adults and teens struggling with overthinking, chronic worry and emotional overwhelm. One of the things I hear most often is: “I don’t even know why I’m anxious—I just can’t seem to turn my mind off.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
You replay conversations. Second-guess decisions. Anticipate what could go wrong. Sometimes a major life change or ongoing stress activates this pattern, and your body responds with tension, racing thoughts, or a constant sense of urgency. Other times, even when nothing is specifically “wrong,” your body still won’t stand down.
Perhaps you look like you’re handling everything on the outside—showing up, getting things done, and being responsible—but internally your mind feels busy, restless and hard to quiet.
That gap — between how in-control you look and how loud your mind actually is — usually comes from patterns your nervous system learned a long time ago. That’s exactly what we work on together in therapy. It’s not about becoming a different person. It’s about getting out of survival mode.
How Anxiety Shows Up In Daily Life
You don’t need to check every box below to benefit from therapy — even a few of these are enough to recognize a pattern worth addressing:
- Your mind feels like it’s always “on”
- You replay conversations and second-guess yourself
- You’ve started avoiding situations or feel burned out
- You worry about how you come across to others
- You get stuck in “what if” loops you can’t turn off
- You feel on edge, irritable or easily overwhelmed
- You feel responsible for everything working out
- You’re mentally exhausted even when you’re functioning well
- You find it hard to relax or sit still
- For teens: perfectionism, social pressure or feeling behind where they “should” be
- Sleep is disrupted or your mind won’t shut off at night
- Physical tension—tight chest, racing heart, fatigue, stomach discomfort
Many people write this off as “just stress.” Left alone long enough, though, it tends to compound into burnout. If you’re still sorting out whether what you’re feeling is anxiety, here are five common signs to watch for. If you already know, let’s talk — I work with generalized anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, high-functioning anxiety, panic disorder, and performance-related stress.
Understanding Anxiety: Why It Happens and Why It Doesn’t Just Go Away
Anxiety isn’t a flaw in your wiring — it’s your nervous system trying to protect you. The problem isn’t that it exists. It’s that it stays switched on long after the thing it was protecting you from is gone.
People describe it differently, but a few phrases come up constantly in session:
- “My mind won’t shut off.”
- “I overthink everything.”
- “I can’t relax even when I try.”
- “Nothing’s technically wrong, so why do I feel like this?”
Underneath those moments, it’s usually the same story: your brain and nervous system learned patterns, a long time ago, designed to keep you safe. The trouble is those patterns don’t always know when to stand down — leaving you stuck in cycles of worry, overthinking, self-criticism, or constantly scanning for what could go wrong. You may notice:
- Feeling emotionally tense even during calm moments
- Overthinking as a way to feel safe
- Difficulty tolerating uncertainty
- Self-criticism or pressure to perform
- Constantly scanning for problems
These aren’t fixed parts of your personality. They’re learned responses, shaped by your experiences and environment—and learned patterns can change. If any of this is relatable, I’ve written more on the overthinking piece specifically here, and about chronic worry here.
What Is High-Functioning Anxiety
A lot of my clients function exceptionally well on the outside — successful, responsible, reliable — while privately feeling drained, isolated, or like they’re one more thing away from cracking. That gap has a name: high-functioning anxiety.
You might recognize it as:
- A constant inner pressure to get things “right”
- Never quite feeling like you’ve done enough
- A persistent inner critical voice
- Overthinking decisions and interactions after the fact
- Feeling mentally exhausted while still pushing through
- A low-grade sense of tension or “being on,” even at rest
Because everything still functions on the outside, this experience is easy for others — and for you — to minimize. Recognizing it for what it is tends to be the first real step toward changing it. If this sounds like your experience, let’s connect.
How Anxiety Therapy Can Help
Anxiety therapy isn’t about “just relaxing” or thinking more positively. It’s about understanding how your thoughts, body, and emotions actually interact, then building a different response — one thought pattern and one nervous system cue at a time.
In our work together, you can expect to:
- Feel calmer physically instead of constantly “on edge”
- Step out of overthinking and mental loops
- Feel more grounded and present day to day
- Respond to stress with clarity instead of reactivity
- Loosen the grip of self-criticism and internal pressure
- Communicate and connect more easily in your relationships
- Navigate uncertainty without spiraling
This work is practical and supportive and focuses on helping you experience real-life change. Often clients notice positive shifts within a handful of sessions — not because the anxiety vanishes, but because they start responding to it differently.
My Approach to Anxiety Therapy
As an anxiety therapist with over 26 years of experience, my approach is collaborative and grounded in what’s actually going on for you right now, not a fixed program everyone gets run through. We move at your pace — no quick fixes, no one-size-fits-all plan. You don’t need to have everything figured out before we start.
I draw on:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness and somatic techniques
- Neuroscience-informed strategies
- Solution-focused and supportive therapy
This is a space where you can feel supported and not judged.
Who I Work With
I see clients by secure video throughout California, including San Diego where I’m based. Regulars in my practice include:
- Professionals and executives navigating burnout or chronic mental exhaustion
- High achievers who feel overwhelmed internally despite looking fine on paper
- People in the middle of a life transition or identity shift
- Parents managing stress on top of family demands
- People working through perfectionism or self-criticism
- Teens navigating anxiety, social pressure, and self-confidence
- Anyone stuck in a cycle of overthinking or rumination
- Clients also managing depression, panic, performance anxiety, or ADHD alongside anxiety
Whether your anxiety is brand new or something you’ve carried for years, it’s worth addressing sooner rather than later — most of my clients tell me they wish they’d started this conversation earlier.
Serving San Diego — and All of California — Online
I’m based in San Diego and work with clients from many communities including La Jolla, Point Loma, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Encinitas, and Carlsbad, along with families connected to the Poway Unified School District, where I partner with the PUSD Caring Connections program. I also accept Tricare insurance and work with a number of military families throughout the San Diego area.
For clients elsewhere in the state, I offer secure, HIPAA-compliant video therapy across California, including Los Angeles, Orange County, and the San Francisco Bay Area — where I grew up, and where I still work with a number of clients from my hometown areas of Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Saratoga, Palo Alto, and San Jose.
There’s no app to download — just a private space and whatever device you already have. Here’s more on why online therapy works just as well as in-person care.
Getting Started Is Simple
Anxiety doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It usually means your mind and body have been on alert for longer than they needed to be. Here’s how we start:
- Reach out through my contact form
- Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation
- Begin therapy at a pace that feels right for you
I’ll walk you through each step. If you’re tired of carrying this much in your head all the time, let’s connect.
Common Misconceptions About Anxiety Therapy
There’s a lot of misunderstanding about what anxiety therapy involves — and some of those misconceptions can get in the way of getting help for yourself. Here are a few I hear often:
Myth #1: “I should be able to handle this on my own.” Anxiety is a nervous system response, not a character flaw. We wouldn’t expect someone to set a broken bone without help — the same logic applies here. More on how this shows up as overthinking.
Myth #2: “My anxiety isn’t bad enough to need therapy.” You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit. If it’s affecting your sleep, relationships, work, or ability to be present, that’s enough of a reason.
Myth #3: “I’ve had anxiety my whole life — This is just who I am.” Anxiety is a pattern, not a personality trait. Patterns can shift.
Related Areas of Support
Anxiety rarely shows up alone. You may also find it useful to look at:
- Life transitions therapy for change, uncertainty, or identity shifts
- Women’s therapy ffor the mental load, burnout, and overthinking many women carry
- Depression and self-esteem therapy when anxiety starts affecting mood or motivation
- Relationship therapy for reassurance-seeking, communication challenges, or attachment-related anxiety
- Trauma-informed therapywhen past experiences are feeding present-day anxiety
- Grief and loss support when worry is tangled up with loss
Therapy can help you begin to feel more grounded and in control of your emotional experiences again.
Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation so we can discuss if therapy together is a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Therapy
How do I know if I need therapy for anxiety?
You don’t have to wait until it feels severe. If worry, overthinking, or tension is affecting your sleep, relationships, work, or ability to feel present, that’s enough of a reason to reach out.
What types of anxiety do you help with?
I work with adults and teens experiencing generalized anxiety, chronic worry, overthinking and racing thoughts, social anxiety, panic symptoms, and anxiety tied to life transitions, performance, or perfectionism.
What is high-functioning anxiety?
High-functioning anxiety is when someone appears capable and put-together on the outside while carrying constant worry, pressure, and mental exhaustion underneath. Read more about high functioning anxiety.
What is anxiety therapy and how can it help me?
Anxiety therapy helps you understand the patterns keeping anxiety active while teaching practical ways to respond differently. Together we work with both thought patterns and your nervous system so anxiety no longer feels like it’s running your life.
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress is usually tied to a specific situation and eases once it passes. Anxiety tends to stick around even without a clear external cause — ongoing worry, physical tension, or trouble sleeping that doesn’t let up.
How long does anxiety therapy take?
It depends on your goals. Some people feel relief within a few sessions; others benefit from longer-term work on deeper patterns. We move at a pace that feels right for you.
What happens in the first therapy session?
We talk about what’s been going on, what feels hardest right now, and what you’re hoping changes. Nothing to prepare — we start wherever you are. Schedule a free consultation.
Do you offer anxiety therapy in San Diego?
Yes, I frequently works with adults and adolescents throughout San Diego — see the full list of areas I serve above, including North County San Diego and communities connected to Poway Unified.
Online therapy allows you to receive consistent support from your own space anywhere in California, which many people find helps them access care and feel more comfortable in the process. You can read more about online therapy effectiveness.
Do you provide anxiety therapy outside of San Diego in California?
Yes. I am licensed in California and offer secure online anxiety therapy throughout California including Los Angeles, Orange County, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ready to get support?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in worry, or just tired of carrying so much on your own, therapy can help you understand what’s happening — and give you practical tools to move forward with more confidence.
Learn More About Anxiety:
Understanding Anxiety:
- 5 Signs You Might Be Struggling with Anxiety
- High-Functioning Anxiety: Signs & Therapy
- Why I Can’t Stop Worrying?
- Online Therapy for Anxiety: Does It Actually Work?
Overthinking:
- How to Stop Overthinking: When Your Mind Won’t Slow Down
- Overthinking In Relationships – Why It Happens and How To Stop
- Why Your Mind Won’t Shut Off at Night — And What to Do About It
- Why You Can’t Let Things Go and How Perfectionism Quietly Takes Over
Free Resources:
- Coping Skills Guide-Simple Tools to Manage Anxiety, Stress & Overwhelm
- Burnout & High Achievers Guide
