Anxiety Therapy in Sonoma County
Are You or Someone You Love Struggling with Anxiety or Panic?
Is Anxiety taking over your life? Does it feel like no matter how hard you try, you can’t get relief from the constant worry or fear? Have you already been to Therapy, but found that traditional approaches didn’t give you the long-term results you hoped for? Are panic attacks still disrupting your daily life despite your best efforts to manage them? Many people come to my practice after feeling discouraged by previous treatment attempts, and as a therapist specializing in Anxiety, I want you to know that healing is possible.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions seen by Psychologists and Psychotherapists. These disorders come in many forms—generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD), social Anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias. They are typically characterized by persistent, excessive fear or worry that feels difficult or impossible to control. Without effective treatment, Anxiety can lead to Depression, chronic stress, difficulties in relationships, or even substance use as a way of coping. For individuals who feel stuck, exploring alternative forms of Psychotherapy, including neurofeedback and biofeedback, can offer new pathways to relief.
If this sounds like you, I believe I can help. My practice offers neurofeedback, an effective approach for anxiety and panic disorder, to help you get the relief from your anxiety that you deserve.
Anxiety in Children
Anxiety in a Child often shows up emotionally, physically, and behaviorally. Emotionally, children may appear overly fearful or worried about everyday situations—school, social interactions, or separating from caregivers. They may frequently seek reassurance, struggle to relax, or express fears that seem irrational to adults. Physically, Anxiety can manifest as stomachaches, headaches, sleep problems, or chronic fatigue. These symptoms are common reasons parents seek a Child Therapist or Psychologist who understands how Anxiety impacts developing nervous systems.
Behaviorally, a Child with Anxiety may avoid what scares them, resist school, withdraw from friendships, or become irritable and overwhelmed easily. These patterns can disrupt academic success, social relationships, and family life. In many cases, Anxiety in children may also be connected to earlier Trauma, sensory overwhelm, or difficulties with emotional regulation. Neurofeedback and psychotherapy can help children strengthen brain-based resilience while learning healthier coping skills.
Anxiety in Teens & Adults
In teens and adults, Anxiety often presents as a combination of emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms. Emotionally, a person may experience chronic worry, irritability, fear, or a persistent sense of dread, even when nothing is obviously wrong. This can develop into restlessness, overwhelm, and emotional burnout. Physically, Anxiety can trigger symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, muscle tension, headaches, digestive issues, or chronic sleep disruption.
Cognitively, Anxiety often causes racing thoughts, difficulty focusing, intrusive fears, or a constant scanning for danger. Teens and adults sometimes cope by avoiding activities, people, or environments that trigger Anxiety, which can unfortunately make symptoms worse. For many, untreated Anxiety eventually contributes to Depression or panic attacks. A combination of psychotherapy, neurofeedback, and biofeedback can be especially effective in retraining both the mind and nervous system.
What about Panic Attacks?
Panic disorder involves sudden, intense episodes of overwhelming fear that peak within minutes. During a panic attack, individuals may experience chest pain, trembling, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, or a racing heart. Many people describe feeling detached from reality, afraid they are dying, or terrified that they are “losing control.” These sensations can be so intense that individuals often seek emergency help before realizing their symptoms are Anxiety-related.
After experiencing one or more panic attacks, many people begin to fear having another episode, leading them to avoid certain places, people, or activities. This avoidance can significantly disrupt daily functioning, work performance, and relationships. As a therapist who treats panic disorder, I often incorporate neurofeedback therapy and somatic body-based methods because they help calm the underlying neurological patterns that drive panic responses.
What Causes Anxiety & What Treatments Are Available?
Anxiety has many contributing factors, including genetics, temperament, chronic stress, and unresolved Trauma. Significant life changes, early childhood experiences, and imbalances in neurotransmitters can also play a role. Some individuals have nervous systems that are more sensitive or reactive, making them more prone to Anxiety or Panic symptoms. Others may have co-occurring conditions such as ADHD, which often intensifies Anxiety due to difficulties with focus, overwhelm, or emotional regulation.
Traditional treatments for Anxiety include Psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle adjustments. Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help individuals recognize and change anxious thought patterns, while medications such as SSRIs alter brain chemistry to reduce symptoms. However, these approaches do not always address the underlying neurological dysregulation. Many individuals come to my practice seeking alternatives after finding that standard Therapy or medication alone did not provide deep relief.
The Promise of Neurofeedback for Anxiety
In recent years, alternative treatments like neurofeedback have gained popularity as a promising approach for managing anxiety. Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that trains individuals to regulate their brain activity. During a neurofeedback session, sensors are placed on the scalp to measure brainwave patterns in real-time. The brainwaves are then displayed on a screen or through sound feedback, allowing individuals to observe their brain activity and learn how to alter it.
For people with anxiety, neurofeedback is particularly valuable because it targets dysregulated brainwave patterns that are often associated with anxiety disorders. For example, individuals with anxiety may exhibit an overabundance of high-frequency brainwaves (beta waves), which are linked to alertness and stress, or an imbalance in the ratio of slow and fast brainwaves. Neurofeedback works by training the brain to shift into more balanced and relaxed patterns, thereby reducing the physiological and emotional symptoms of anxiety.
One of the key benefits of neurofeedback is that it offers a drug-free, non-invasive method of treatment. This makes it an appealing option for those who are seeking alternatives to medication or who have not found success with traditional therapies. Over time, individuals can learn to self-regulate their brainwaves, leading to long-lasting improvements in emotional resilience and stress management.
Moreover, neurofeedback has the potential to address the root cause of anxiety rather than just its symptoms. By retraining the brain, neurofeedback promotes long-term changes in brain function, which can reduce the likelihood of anxiety reoccurring. While neurofeedback is not a one-size-fits-all solution, it offers hope for those struggling with anxiety, particularly when other methods have failed.
Anxiety is a widespread issue that affects mental, emotional, and physical health. While traditional treatments like therapy and medication are valuable, neurofeedback provides a promising, science-backed approach for individuals seeking a drug-free way to manage and overcome anxiety. By targeting dysregulated brainwave patterns, neurofeedback can help individuals achieve long-term relief and improve their overall quality of life.
Somatic Therapies for Anxiety & Panic
Somatic, hands-on therapies like Transforming Touch® and craniosacral therapy offer a powerful approach to reducing anxiety by directly engaging the body’s nervous system. These approaches work by releasing stored tension, calming the fight-or-flight response, and promoting a sense of safety, and "somatic trust" in the body. Anxiety often manifests physically through muscle tightness, shallow breathing, or digestive issues, and these therapies help to restore balance by encouraging deep relaxation and nervous system regulation. Through gentle touch and guided movement, individuals can shift from a hyperactive stress response to a state of physiological calm, fostering emotional well-being and resilience.
Beyond their immediate calming effects, somatic therapies help individuals develop a deeper mind-body connection, which is essential for long-term anxiety management. By becoming more attuned to bodily sensations, clients can recognize early signs of stress and implement self-regulation techniques more effectively. Many hands-on therapies also stimulate the vagus nerve, a key player in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports relaxation and emotional stability. Over time, these therapies can rewire habitual patterns of tension and stress, leading to improved emotional processing and an increased sense of grounding. This holistic approach not only alleviates anxiety symptoms but also empowers individuals to cultivate a sustainable sense of inner peace.
Psychotherapy for Anxiety & Panic
Psychotherapy plays a crucial role in healing anxiety and panic by managing symptoms while also addressing the underlying unresolved emotional processes that contribute to these conditions. We start by focusing on the client’s symptoms to reduce their frequency and intensity. Over time, we then explore the deeper emotional conflicts, unresolved trauma, and repressed feelings that fuel anxiety and panic attacks – addressing the anxiety at its root. By delving into the unresolved feelings and pain that drive anxiety and panic symptoms, this therapeutic approach helps individuals gain insight into the root causes of their distress, often tied to early life experiences or internalized fears. Through this exploration and process, clients develop a greater sense of self-awareness, which can lead to the resolution of long-standing emotional patterns that perpetuate anxiety.
Another key aspect of psychotherapy for anxiety and panic is the emphasis on building a trusting, therapeutic relationship. This relationship provides a safe space where clients can express their fears and anxieties without judgment, allowing them to confront and process painful emotions in a contained, supportive environment. Over time, this process fosters emotional regulation, resilience, and a more secure sense of self. Symptoms of anxiety and panic begin to diminish. By integrating unconscious, unresolved emotional material into conscious awareness, psychotherapy not only alleviates symptoms but also promotes long-term healing, helping individuals break free from recurring cycles of anxiety and panic.
If you would like to learn more about anxiety treatment, please contact me for more information.