Anxiety

Anxiety can shape your life in powerful, often exhausting ways. For some people, it feels like a constant mental buzz—thoughts looping, anticipating worst-case scenarios, or planning for every possible outcome. For others, anxiety lives in the body: tension that never fully releases, trouble sleeping, stomach issues, headaches, or a racing heart that seems to activate out of nowhere. Anxiety can also be subtle, showing up as irritability, perfectionism, difficulty resting, people-pleasing, or a deep fear of disappointing others. No matter how it appears, anxiety can make even ordinary days feel overwhelming.

At Catalyst Counseling, we understand that anxiety is not a personal flaw; it is an understandable response to stress, uncertainty, trauma, systemic pressures, or environments where you’ve had to stay alert to keep yourself safe. We approach anxiety with warmth, curiosity, and cultural humility, recognizing that your experience is shaped by your history, identity, and the context in which you live. We do not assume that anxiety looks the same for everyone—or that healing should follow a specific path.

Understanding What Your Anxiety Is Protecting

Anxiety is often a protector. It may have helped you navigate difficult relationships, unpredictable environments, or overwhelming responsibilities. It may be tied to cultural expectations, family roles, or survival strategies you developed earlier in life. Rather than pathologizing these strategies, we explore them with respect. Therapy becomes a place where you can understand your anxiety—not fight against it, but learn what it needs and how to work with it.

How We Explore Anxiety Together

People often come to therapy feeling confused or frustrated by their anxiety. They may say things like:
“I can’t turn my brain off.”
“I feel overwhelmed all the time.”
“I’m exhausted, but resting makes me anxious.”
“I worry constantly about what other people think.”
“I always feel like I’m on alert.”
“I get stuck in the same patterns, even when I don’t want to.”

In our work together, we explore these experiences without judgment. We want to understand your nervous system, your triggers, your patterns of thought, and the emotional roots beneath them. We also pay close attention to cultural, generational, and relational influences: messages you received growing up, expectations placed upon you, or experiences that taught you to suppress your own needs in order to meet others’ demands.

Cultural and Systemic Context Matters
Anxiety does not develop in a vacuum. Systemic stressors—racism, immigration pressures, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, chronic financial strain, or being the “strong one” in your community—can all contribute to chronic anxiety. Many clients tell us they’ve been dismissed or misunderstood in other healthcare settings. Our therapists practice with cultural humility, meaning we actively seek to understand your worldview and the forces that shape your experience. We will never impose our political, cultural, or personal beliefs onto your healing process.

Common Presentations of Anxiety We Can Help With

Anxiety can show up in many forms, including:
Generalized worry and overthinking
Perfectionism or fear of making mistakes
Social anxiety or fear of judgment
Panic attacks
Difficulty resting or “switching off”
Burnout, overwhelm, or chronic stress
Health anxiety
Irritability or emotional reactivity
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Difficulty with major life changes or transitions

You don’t need a specific diagnosis to seek support. If anxiety is impacting your life, relationships, work, or sense of self, therapy can help.

Tools and Approaches We Use

Our therapists work collaboratively, integrating multiple evidence-based approaches depending on your needs, preferences, and cultural lens. These may include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns
Somatic approaches to help your body release stored tension
Polyvagal-informed care to understand your nervous system responses
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you relate differently to anxious thoughts and reconnect with your values
Mindfulness-based strategies to increase awareness and presence
Narrative and cultural frameworks to explore how identity and context shape your anxiety
Trauma-informed therapy to gently address past experiences that contribute to chronic fear or hypervigilance

We move at your pace, building skills and insight in ways that feel manageable and supportive.

Building a Kinder Relationship With Anxiety

A major part of healing involves shifting your relationship with anxiety—from hostility or fear to understanding and compassion. Many people with anxiety try to suppress, shame, or fight their symptoms. This often leads to more distress. Instead, we help you:
Understand what anxiety is signaling
Set healthy boundaries with anxious thoughts
Build grounding and regulation skills
Develop self-compassion rather than self-criticism
Learn to respond intentionally instead of reactively
Reconnect with calm, rest, and a sense of safety
This process helps you create a more stable and empowered relationship with yourself.

Reclaiming Your Life From Anxiety
Through our work together, you’ll learn practical skills to navigate daily stressors while reconnecting with what brings joy, meaning, and ease. You’ll strengthen your ability to self-soothe, communicate your needs, and make decisions that feel aligned with your values. You’ll gain clarity about the roots of your anxiety and tools to build resilience that doesn’t rely on fear.

Most importantly, you will be met with respect and attunement. Anxiety may be part of your experience, but it does not define your worth or your future. Healing is not about “getting rid of anxiety” but about understanding yourself deeply and creating a life with more balance, possibility, and peace.

You don’t have to manage this alone. We’re here to help you breathe a little easier, step by step.