Social Anxiety & Anxiety Therapist in San Diego
Anxiety can make you feel constantly worried, jump to the worst case scenario, and even experience intense physical symptoms. However, recovery is possible. Working with an anxiety therapist in San Diego can teach you how to reframe your anxious thoughts, learn new coping strategies, and feel more grounded in your day-to-day life.
Anxiety has a way of taking over. It ingrains itself so deeply in our lives that we may not even realize we have an anxiety disorder until one day, we reach a breaking point. The excessive worry, perfectionism, and impacts on our physical health can take a massive toll over time and may even disrupt normal body functioning if left unchecked.
This is especially true for high achievers and entrepreneurs. While you may appear to have it all (a successful career, a serious partner, a luxury apartment), you somehow feel empty and disconnected. Inside, your churning anxiety tells you that you aren't good enough or don't deserve the things you have.
As providers of anxiety therapy in San Diego, CA, we are firm believers that life doesn't have to feel this way. Even if it may not feel like it right now, you do have control over much of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Working with a social anxiety therapist can help you discover the patterns that keep you from feeling fulfilled. Together, we'll craft tangible solutions that will empower you to live a life that's fueled by authenticity, not anxiety. With the right support, you can feel confident, grounded, and secure. Reach out today to get started.
Our Approach to San Diego Anxiety Counseling
Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, often trick us into feeling out of control. However, we believe that you possess the ability to radically transform the way you think, feel, and act. With the help of anxiety counseling in San Diego, you can tap into your inner resources and reach your full potential.
Our approach to anxiety therapy in SD is empowerment-focused. We help you recognize and build on your existing strengths. While anxiety can often cloud our perceptions, we know that you are the expert of your own experience. We're here to provide thoughtful reflections and suggestions, though we trust your intuition.
Thought and behavior patterns can keep us stuck and make us vulnerable to experiencing anxiety. Together, we'll identify these patterns and explore helpful alternatives. These meaningful, intentional shifts will support you in reaching your goals.
We create strong, open relationships with each of our clients in order to foster this reflection and growth. We will meet you with curiosity and compassion. Our hope is that our shared therapy space will ultimately help you learn how to turn toward yourself in this way, even after our work together has ended.
Stress and anxiety are common experiences in today's world, but we believe that mental health treatment can help you foster a life full of genuine connection and ease. Reach out to begin your work with a social anxiety therapist in San Diego, CA today.
Benefits of anxiety treatment in San Diego
While each person's experience with therapy is unique, we have seen firsthand how life-changing it can be. Here are just a few of the benefits you may experience from anxiety therapy in San Diego, CA.
IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE
Anxiety disorders can significantly impact your quality of life. Constant worry, sleep problems, and physical symptoms make it hard to be present with yourself and others. Research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy can improve quality of life for people with anxiety disorders, both in terms of mental and physical health and well being.
IMPROVE SOCIAL SKILLS
People with social anxiety struggle with interactions and relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to improve social skills. Being armed with these skills can help you feel more empowered in navigating social situations, even after mental health treatment has ended.
BUILD RESILIENCE
Anxiety disorders can wear people down over time. Constantly battling your anxiety disorder leaves you with little capacity for much else. However, studies suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy can improve anxiety symptoms and make people more resilient, increasing their ability to work through tough situations in the future.
LEARN NEW COPING SKILLS
Most people enter anxiety treatment when they realize that what they have been doing is no longer working for them. Working with an anxiety therapist in San Diego can teach you new skills to manage your anxiety symptoms both inside session and in your everyday life.
Progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, guided imagery, and other relaxation techniques are just a few examples of skills you may learn in your therapy sessions. These skills can help you feel better able to tolerate feelings that are uncomfortable and soothe yourself rather than react from a place of anxiety.
FAQs about working with a therapist for anxiety
Whether this is your first time seeking anxiety treatment or you have been in therapy before, it's normal to have questions. Here, we've addressed many of the most common questions we receive about anxiety therapy in San Diego, CA. If you have more questions, we encourage you to reach out to us directly.
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Many people want to know when it's the right time to seek anxiety treatment. However, you are the only person who can answer that question for sure. You know yourself best, and if you feel that you need extra support or simply want to feel better, we encourage you to consider therapy.
With that being said, there are many indicators that you may benefit from working with an anxiety therapist. If you're experiencing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, such as excessive worry, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness, you would likely benefit from anxiety treatment.
Panic attacks or common signs of social anxiety, such as fear of judgment, avoiding social situations, and overanalyzing interactions, are also indicators that therapy could be helpful. Aside from symptoms of anxiety disorders, life events like job changes, relationship problems, or even traumatic events are also opportunities for support.
It's also important to remember that you don't need to meet the diagnostics criteria for an anxiety disorder to benefit from anxiety counseling in San Diego, CA. Since Julia Baum Therapy works independently from insurance companies, we don't need to fit your unique, nuanced experience into the restrictive box of an "anxiety disorder."
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There are many different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and more. Many people struggle with just one form of anxiety, while others live with multiple kinds.
In generalized anxiety disorder, a person's worry tends to be more pervasive. If you have this kind of anxiety, your mind tends to constantly churn, subconsciously scanning for potential issues. It's an effort to keep you safe, but it can leave you completely exhausted.
In social anxiety, the worry is focused around social interactions. People with this form of anxiety may worry about being judged, public speaking, and embarrassing themselves in front of others. Extreme anxiety can even cause someone to avoid certain types of social situations altogether.
Mental health counseling can help with all different forms of anxiety. Your therapist will act as a sounding board to help you identify the cognitive distortions (unhelpful thought patterns) that your anxiety creates, plus provide techniques to help you manage symptoms and reduce your suffering.
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If you're struggling with anxiety disorder, you have several different options for support. Individual therapy is one of the most popular mental health treatments, and research shows that it is a highly effective way to treat anxiety.
Depending on the severity of your anxiety, and if you have other mental disorders or challenges with substance abuse, you may consider seeking inpatient treatment for your mental health.
If you're not sure if therapy is for you, or if you simply want to explore your other options, you may also consider medication. It's not for everyone, but many people find it useful on its own or in combination with therapy. Speak to your primary care provider or psychiatrist to learn more.
Aside from formal therapy options, you can also use self management strategies to help cope with the negative feelings that your anxiety disorder brings. Relaxation techniques can be extremely helpful, as can lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet, physical activity, and sleep hygiene.
Start the process of anxiety counseling in San Diego today
Whether you just had your first panic attack or have been living with an anxiety disorder for as long as you can remember, our compassionate therapists are here to help. Working with a San Diego therapist for social anxiety (and any other type of anxiety disorder) can empower you to take charge of your thoughts, actions, and emotions.
Together, we will explore the patterns that contribute to low self esteem, relationship issues, and job stress. From here, your therapist will help you get in touch with your authentic desires and find solutions that can bring lasting change.
If you're curious to learn more about how anxiety counseling in San Diego can help you, we encourage you to connect with us. We look forward to supporting you on your healing journey.
Our Therapists
JULIA BAUM
MSED, BFA, LMHC (SHE/HER)
My path to psychotherapy developed organically from an unexpected place. Before I got here, my career was in the arts. I focused mostly on portraiture and planned on having a long career as a photographer. Eventually, though, I realized that my camera was actually getting in the way of my favorite part of the job—connecting with my subjects. What I loved most was getting to know each person and guiding them through a genuine expression of themselves.
EMILY HUGHES
LCAT, ATR-BC (SHE/HER)
I am a licensed creative arts therapist specializing in treating anxiety, low self-esteem, and adjustment challenges in young adults through creative art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based practices. I am an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist and use talk therapy and creative practices to help my clients explore their experiences in a safe space with a focus on developing coping skills and resiliency.