Anxiety Therapy in California: A Complete Guide

If you’re dealing with anxiety, you’re far from alone — especially in California. Between high-pressure environments, busy schedules, financial demands, cultural expectations, and constant change, many adults feel overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally drained.

This guide breaks down how anxiety affects California residents, the most effective treatment approaches, what therapy actually looks like, and how online therapy can make getting support easier.

I’m Erin Oden, LCSW, a licensed therapist serving adults across California through secure online therapy. This guide reflects what I’ve seen again and again: anxiety is treatable, and you don’t have to manage it on your own.

Understanding Anxiety in California

California is filled with opportunity — but also stress. Many clients describe feeling:

• Constant pressure to perform

• Fear of falling behind

• Financial strain

• Overwhelm from juggling work and family

• Burnout from long commutes or demanding careers

• Comparison from social or professional circles

• Emotional exhaustion

• Difficulty slowing down

When life is moving fast, anxiety can take over quietly — until it feels like everything is too much.

Common Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety shows up differently for everyone, but common symptoms include:

Emotional Symptoms

• Persistent worry

• Fear of making the “wrong” choice

• Overthinking or rumination

• Irritability or feeling on edge

• Dread or anticipatory anxiety

Physical Symptoms

• Tight chest, rapid heartbeat

• Trouble sleeping

• Shortness of breath

• Stomach issues

• Muscle tension

• Fatigue

Cognitive Symptoms

• Difficulty concentrating

• Catastrophic thinking

• Mental fog

• Feeling “checked out” or disconnected

Behavioral Symptoms

• Avoiding responsibilities

• Overworking or perfectionism

• People-pleasing

• Difficulty setting boundaries

If any of this feels familiar, therapy can help you understand and manage these patterns.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Therapy can support many anxiety-related concerns, including:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Social Anxiety

• Panic Disorder

• Trauma-related anxiety

• OCD traits or intrusive thoughts

• Performance anxiety

• Work-related stress

• Perfectionism and overachieving

• Health anxiety

You don’t need a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy — if anxiety affects your daily life, it’s worth addressing.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiety isn’t caused by one thing — it’s usually a mix of factors. Common contributors include:

Life Stress

Work pressure, caregiving, financial stress, long hours, and burnout.

Trauma

Past experiences stored in the nervous system that trigger current anxiety.

ADHD

Overwhelm, time blindness, emotional intensity, and executive function struggles often fuel anxiety.

Learned Patterns

Growing up in a household with stress, unpredictability, or high expectations.

Societal Pressure

Social comparison, productivity culture, and internalized perfectionism.

Genetics & Biology

Some people naturally have more sensitive nervous systems.

Therapy helps you understand your anxiety triggers — not the generic ones.

Evidence-Based Treatments for Anxiety

Effective anxiety therapy isn’t just “talking about your feelings.” It includes clinically supported treatments that help your brain calm down and respond differently.

Here are the approaches I use with California clients:

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

Helps reframe anxious thoughts and reduce catastrophizing, spirals, and worry loops.

ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)

Builds emotional resilience by helping you accept discomfort instead of fighting it — and move toward your values.

EMDR

Helps process anxiety rooted in trauma, stress, or earlier experiences that still impact today.

Somatic + Nervous System Tools

Physical grounding techniques help regulate the body’s stress response.

Behavioral Strategies

Tools for planning, decision-making, boundary-setting, and coping with overwhelm.

Together, these approaches help you feel more grounded, calm, and in control.

Anxiety + ADHD

Many adults in California feel scattered, overwhelmed, and pressured — but don’t realize ADHD is part of the picture.

ADHD-related anxiety often includes:

• Fear of forgetting things

• Shame around productivity

• Chronic overwhelm

• Trouble starting or finishing tasks

• Emotional intensity

• Pressure to work harder just to keep up

Therapy can help separate ADHD symptoms from anxiety so you can manage both more effectively.

Anxiety + Trauma

If your anxiety feels “bigger” than the situation, or if your body reacts before your mind understands why, trauma may be involved.

EMDR and trauma-informed therapy help reduce:

• Hypervigilance

• Shame

• Fear responses

• Emotional triggers

• Panic patterns

Healing trauma often brings a level of anxiety relief that talk therapy alone can’t reach.

Anxiety + Addiction or Alcohol Use

Many Californians use alcohol or substances to cope with anxiety — especially when life feels overwhelming.

Therapy can help you:

• Understand what you’re trying to soothe

• Build healthier coping tools

• Reduce reliance on substances

• Explore moderation or sobriety

• Increase emotional stability

This is always done with compassion, respect, and realistic goals.

What Anxiety Therapy Looks Like

Every session is tailored to your needs, but most clients experience:

• A non-judgmental space to share honestly

• Tools you can use right away

• Emotional insight and clarity

• Practical strategies for daily stress

• A sense of relief and groundedness

• Support for long-term change

Most people start weekly and move to biweekly as symptoms improve.

Online Anxiety Therapy Across California

Online therapy makes treatment more accessible — especially in a state as large and fast-moving as California.

Telehealth allows you to:

• Meet from home, work, or anywhere private

• Avoid traffic and commute stress

• Have more consistent sessions

• Schedule around your real life

• Feel more comfortable discussing anxiety

All sessions are secure and HIPAA-compliant.

Insurance & Payment (California Clients)

I am in-network with:

• Aetna (California)

• UnitedHealthcare & subsidiaries (California)

• Lyra Health (EAP)

I also offer private pay and superbills for out-of-network plans.