Signs You Need an Anxiety Therapist & How to Find the Right One
Have you started to notice your anxiety taking over your thoughts and making you dread the day? You’ve probably had gone back and forth whether you should reach out to a therapist. Maybe, your anxiety gets better for a period of time but only for it to comes back when you least expect it My name is Noel, and I am a mental health therapist (LPC-IT) in Wisconsin who specializes in working with anxious women. In this post, I’m sharing my perspective on the signs that it might be time to see an anxiety therapist—and how to find the right one for you.
Signs You Might Benefit from Seeing an Anxiety Therapist
You feel constantly on edge, even when there's no clear reason.
Most people assume that anxiety just looks like avoiding situations and withdrawing. However, feeling on edge, irritable or even angry is a way that anxiety can manifest. Sometimes anger can like a less vulnerable emotion to express when, in reality, anxiety is the undercurrent fueling the anger. This is you if you feel like you have no patience for others around you, make quick comments that you later regret or feeling a constant vibration of frustration.
Your worrying feels out of control and interferes with your daily life.
It’s one thing to worry about a big presentation or a loved ones’ health. But it’s another thing if your mind is constantly on overdrive, planning for the the worst case scenarios or continuously replaying a simple conversation in your mind.
Physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, or digestive issues are frequent.
Sometimes we push through stress, convince ourselves we’re “just tired,” or chalk it all up to being busy or overwhelmed. Maybe you've even told yourself, "It's not that bad" or "Other people have it worse." But when anxiety is ignored or minimized for too long, the body often steps in with its own message. This can look like a headache, tense muscles, a sore jaw, fatigue, upset stomach, nausea or eye twitching.
You avoid situations, people, or places that trigger anxious thoughts.
I get it- if you can avoid feeling anxious, it probably feels like the best thing to do. And a lot of people do this! Your mind is telling you “I will get to that later” or “Ignore that hard conversation”. At the moment, you feel good, but avoidance only takes anxiety away for a short period of time and makes anxiety worse over the long run. Over time, avoidance becomes a trap.
You start dodging social events, important conversations, or even emails.
Everyday tasks feel bigger and scarier the longer you put them off.
Your world gets smaller as anxiety decides what’s “safe” and what isn’t.
Confidence takes a hit because you’re not giving yourself the chance to prove you can handle hard things.
Self-doubt and negative self-talk are part of your daily inner dialogue.
Does your mind feel like a race car with no breaks when your inner critic starts to come out? When you are anxious, your mind is in survival mode, which impacts your thinking. You are simply in “survival” mode and your rational thinking is off-line. At the moment, these thoughts might not be real, but they feel true to you.
You've tried to manage anxiety on your own, but it's not improving.
You’ve tried the things, read the books, and listened to the podcasts, but nothing seems to help.
How to Find the Right Anxiety Therapist for You
Consider What You Are Looking For
Therapists specialize in different approaches to help manage anxiety. If you do not know the types of therapy or what you are looking for- that is ok and totally normal!! Consider the below options instead. My approach to treating anxiety is blending mind and body coping skills together while also understanding what experiences may be influencing your anxiety. If I explained my approach in more “clinical terms” it would include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Aims to change negative thought patterns that fuel anxiety by teaching healthier ways of thinking.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Focuses on managing intense emotions and improving coping strategies.
Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores how experiences shape your current anxiety, helping you gain deeper self-awareness.
EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Helps process past trauma and negative memories
Look for Specialization in Anxiety
When searching for a therapist, it’s important to find someone who has experience and training in treating anxiety, panic, and related conditions. A therapist with this expertise will be familiar with the best strategies and tools to help you manage your anxiety in a way that’s personalized to you.
Trust Your Gut
I am a huge advocate that the relationship between you and your therapist is one of the most important factors in your healing process. After your first session, ask yourself:
Do I feel comfortable opening up to this person?
Do they listen and validate my experience?
Can I see myself working with them long-term?
Considerations
Think about practical factors that can influence your therapy experience:
Location: Do you prefer in-person sessions or virtual therapy?
Availability: How often would I want to schedule sessions? Do they have availability?
Cost: Can you budget the session fee into your expenses? Do they have any sliding fee spots? Do they offer out-of-network benefits?
Ready to Start Your Journey to Feeling Better?
If you’re ready to take the first step toward managing your anxiety, I’m here to help. I totally understand how starting therapy can prompt even more anxiety and I want to assure you that I will meet you where you are at! Together, we’ll work through the challenges, build coping strategies, and help you regain control over your thoughts, emotions, and daily life.
You don’t have to face anxiety alone. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, let’s talk about how therapy can support you in feeling more confident, calm, and empowered.
Schedule a free 15-minute intro call to start therapy with me! You deserve to feel better, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.