Anxiety Treatment

What Anxiety Can Look Like

Anxiety doesn’t always appear the way you might expect. For some, it brings physical symptoms like headaches, stomach pain, tightness in the chest, or trouble sleeping. For others, it looks like chronic overthinking, people-pleasing, avoiding decisions, or pushing through each day with a sense of dread or pressure.

You might feel stuck in familiar patterns and frustrated that you can’t seem to shift out of them. Or maybe you’ve started criticizing yourself for not being able to “just relax.” Anxiety can leave you feeling like your brain is always on high alert, even when there’s no clear threat in front of you.

When Anxiety Affects Children and Teens

In children and teens, anxiety can show up differently. Sometimes it looks like withdrawal or quiet worry, but often it comes across as defiance, irritability, or mood swings. You might notice your child becoming more reactive or shutting down in situations where they once felt confident.

If you’re a parent, it can be difficult to know how to respond, especially when your child is dealing with big emotions, school refusal, or behavior that feels out of control. And if those struggles echo something from your own past, it can feel even more overwhelming. At MLB Therapy, we provide targeted parenting support to help you navigate these challenges with more confidence and connection. Whether you’re working to repair a strained relationship, build stronger communication, or shift long-standing family dynamics, we’ll work together to create new patterns that support both you and your child.

How Therapy Helps with Anxiety

Anxiety treatment can give you the tools to better understand your thoughts and emotions, while also helping you reconnect with a sense of calm and confidence in your daily life. We use evidence-based approaches like mindfulness, cognitive behavioral strategies, and trauma-informed care to address anxiety both in the moment and over time.

Through therapy for anxiety, you can begin to:

• Understand your specific triggers and patterns
• Reduce physical symptoms like muscle tension and racing thoughts
• Build healthier responses to stress
• Let go of unhelpful self-criticism
• Make choices that align with your values rather than your fears

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. You bring the insight from your own life, and we bring the training and structure to help you apply it in ways that create real change.

What to Expect in Therapy

In your first session, we’ll get a clear picture of what’s been happening and what you’re hoping to change. From there, we’ll build a plan together. That might include techniques for calming your body, identifying patterns of thought that are feeding your anxiety, or learning how to respond differently in relationships or high-pressure situations.

You’ll be an active part of the process. We’ll check in regularly to see what’s working and what’s not, and we’ll adapt your treatment plan based on what’s most helpful for you.

Common Questions about Anxiety Therapy