Generalized anxiety
A low, constant hum of worry that is hard to switch off, even when things are objectively fine. Sleep, focus, and your body all carry the weight.
Anxiety therapy · North County San Diego
Anxiety Therapy in North County San Diego
Panic, constant worry, social dread, health fears, phobias. Whatever shape your anxiety takes, our doctoral-level clinicians help you understand it and feel more like yourself again. In person in Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Vista, or online across California.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews across our three offices
Who we help
Kids to adults
Anxiety, panic, phobias
Where
Three offices
Encinitas · Carlsbad · Vista
Also online
Telehealth
Anywhere in California
Start with
A free call
15 minutes, no pressure
You are not overreacting
Anxiety is exhausting. It is also workable.
Fear is supposed to protect us. It sharpens focus and gets us out of danger. The trouble is when that alarm keeps firing in safe moments: before a meeting, in the middle of a conversation, lying awake at 2 a.m. Instead of protecting you, anxiety starts running the show and draining your energy.
You do not have to keep white-knuckling through it. Anxiety responds to understanding. When you learn what yours is reacting to and where it comes from, it loosens its grip, and you get to choose how you respond instead of bracing for the next wave.
What we help with
Anxiety wears many faces.
People come to us with all of these. If you see yourself in more than one, that is normal, and it is exactly the kind of thing therapy is built to sort out.
Panic attacks & panic disorder
Sudden surges of fear with a racing heart, tight chest, or the sense that something is very wrong. We help you understand what sets them off and feel less afraid of the next one.
Social anxiety
Dread before gatherings, replaying conversations afterward, the feeling of being watched or judged. Therapy makes room to loosen that grip.
Anxiety in kids & teens
Worry that shows up as stomachaches before school, trouble separating, big feelings, or a child who needs constant reassurance. We work with children and teens and partner closely with parents. Our child therapy page goes deeper.
Health anxiety
Frequent checking, googling symptoms, or the fear that something is seriously wrong with your body. We look at the fear underneath the vigilance.
Phobias & specific fears
Intense fear of a specific thing or situation, from flying to bridges to needles. We combine exposure-based approaches with relational work to help you face them at your own pace.
Relationship anxiety
Anxiety often shows up first in our closest relationships, shaping how we imagine others see us. We work with it individually, and sometimes in couples therapy.
Performance & test anxiety
The mind goes blank right when it matters, adrenaline crowding out recall before a test, a presentation, or a big moment.
How we work
We look at the root, not just the symptom.
Anxiety is a bit like the check-engine light on your car. It is uncomfortable, but it is telling you something needs attention. Quieting the light without looking underneath rarely lasts, so while we help you settle the symptoms, we also stay curious about what they are pointing to.
Everything we do is built on a relational, attachment-based foundation: a real relationship with a clinician who takes time to understand your story, your patterns, and where your anxiety comes from. On top of that base, our team is trained in and draws on a range of evidence-based models, including CBT, ACT, exposure, and mindfulness, and integrates them flexibly as your situation calls for it. This is depth-oriented psychotherapy with practical tools, not a one-size script.
In practice that means you get both: the depth of relational work that gets at the root, and concrete, proven techniques when you need them. Flexible, knowledgeable, and integrated, matched to you rather than to a single protocol.
Fear of flying & phobias
Help for fear of flying and specific phobias.
Fear of flying is one of the most common specific phobias, and it is one our team treats often for clients across coastal North County, from Encinitas and Cardiff-by-the-Sea to Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Carlsbad. Whether flying anxiety grips you weeks before a trip or you have stopped getting on planes altogether, it is very workable.
Our clinicians use exposure-based approaches, gently and at a pace you control, to help your nervous system learn that the feared situation is safe. Because we build that work on a relational, attachment-based foundation, exposure is never a cold checklist. It happens inside a trusting relationship, alongside an understanding of what the fear is really about.
The same approach helps with other specific fears: driving over bridges or on the freeway, needles and medical procedures, elevators, and heights. If avoidance has quietly shrunk your world, therapy can help you get it back.
Talk to us about fear of flying →Anxiety, answered
Straight answers to common questions.
Does therapy help anxiety?
Yes. Research consistently shows that psychotherapy reduces anxiety, and for many people the gains last well after therapy ends. Beyond easing symptoms, therapy helps you understand what your anxiety is responding to, so it has less power over your daily life.
Therapy or medication for anxiety?
We are psychologists, not psychiatrists, so we do not prescribe medication. Many people do well with therapy alone, in part because our team integrates several proven models, including CBT, ACT, exposure, and mindfulness, on a relational, attachment-based foundation. Others combine therapy with medication from their physician or a psychiatrist, and we are glad to coordinate with a prescriber when that is part of your care.
What is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes, often with a pounding heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or a feeling of unreality. The sensations are frightening but not dangerous, and they become far less overwhelming once you understand them.
How do I know if I have an anxiety disorder?
Occasional anxiety is normal. It may be worth talking to someone when worry, fear, or physical tension shows up most days, feels hard to control, and starts to interfere with sleep, work, or relationships. A free consultation is a low-pressure way to find out.
Meet the team
Your anxiety therapists.
Every clinician here holds a doctorate in psychology. Click any card to read their full bio and approach, then start with a free call and we will help you find the right fit.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about anxiety therapy.
01 Does therapy help with anxiety?
Yes. Therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat anxiety. It reduces symptoms, and it also helps you understand where the anxiety comes from, so the relief tends to hold. Our work is relational and insight-oriented: we take time to know you, not just your symptoms.
02 What does anxiety therapy involve?
Most people meet weekly for a 45-minute session, in person at one of our North County offices or online. Early on, your clinician gets to know you and the patterns behind your anxiety. From there the work is a mix of understanding what your anxiety is protecting you from and building practical ways to respond to it differently.
03 Do you offer anxiety therapy for children?
Yes. We work with children, teens, and adults. In kids, anxiety often looks like stomachaches before school, trouble separating, meltdowns, or a need for constant reassurance. Several of our clinicians see younger children, and we partner closely with parents. Our child therapy page has more.
04 What kind of therapy do you use for anxiety?
Our whole team is trained in multiple evidence-based models, including CBT, ACT, exposure, and mindfulness, and we integrate them flexibly as your situation calls for it. What ties it together is a relational, attachment-based foundation: we build the practical tools on top of a real understanding of you and where your anxiety comes from. Flexible, knowledgeable, and integrated, never one-size-fits-all.
05 Do you treat panic attacks?
Yes. Panic attacks are one of the most common reasons people reach out. We help you understand what triggers them, calm the physical spiral, and feel less afraid of the next one, which is often what keeps panic going.
06 Do you help with phobias and specific fears, like fear of flying?
Yes. Specific phobias are one of our core areas. We use exposure-based approaches, at a pace you control, to help you face feared situations like flying, driving over bridges, needles, or heights, and we ground that work in the relational, attachment-based therapy the whole team practices.
07 Can therapy help my fear of flying?
Yes. Fear of flying is very treatable. Our clinicians use exposure-based approaches, at a pace you control, to help your nervous system relearn that flying is safe, built on the relational, attachment-based work the whole team shares. Many clients come to us for flying anxiety from Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and Carlsbad, in person or online across California.
08 How much does anxiety therapy cost?
Individual sessions range from $230 to $300 per 45-minute session, depending on the clinician. We are an out-of-network practice and provide detailed superbills that many PPO plans reimburse. You can see current rates and insurance details on our Cost + Info page.
09 Do you offer online or telehealth therapy for anxiety?
Yes. We offer secure online therapy to anyone located anywhere in California, and many clients mix in-person and online sessions depending on their week.
10 Which areas do you serve?
11 Do you offer evening appointments?
Several of our clinicians offer evening availability. Share your scheduling needs on your free consultation call and we will match you with someone whose hours work for you.
Ready when you are
You can feel calmer than this.
One free 15-minute call with Kari. She will listen, answer your questions, and match you with a clinician who is a genuine fit. No pressure, and no runaround.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews · Serving North County since 2018
Where we are
Get in-person therapy with a psychologist in Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Vista.
- 169 Saxony Road, Suite 211
Encinitas, CA 92024 - 2564 State Street, Unit B
Carlsbad, CA 92008 - 1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110
Vista, CA 92081