Serving MD, NY & NJ
Anxiety Therapy
Virtual psychoanalytic therapy for anxiety, panic, obsessive thoughts, perfectionism, and over-control in Maryland, New York, and New Jersey.
When anxiety feels like it is running your life.
Maybe you have recently noticed anxiety showing up in a way that is interfering with your daily life. Or maybe you have always been an anxious person, so the idea of not feeling anxious can actually feel scary.
You may be living with constant worry, racing thoughts, panic, intrusive thoughts, or the sense that something bad is always about to happen. You may look like you are holding it together on the outside, while inside you feel exhausted from trying to manage everything.
Anxiety can make it hard to rest, think clearly, feel close to others, or trust yourself. It can leave you constantly on guard—waiting for the next thing to go wrong.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety can show up in many different ways. Sometimes it is loud and obvious: panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, physical discomfort, or fear that makes it hard to leave your home or be around others.
Other times, anxiety is more constant and familiar. You may overthink every conversation, feel responsible for everything, struggle to make decisions, or find yourself planning for every possible outcome. You may have become so used to living in a state of fear or vigilance that calm feels unfamiliar.
This does not mean your anxiety does not have a purpose. Often, anxiety has been trying to protect you. It may be helping you feel more prepared, more in control, or less vulnerable to feelings that are harder to face.
Perfectionism, Over-Control, and Procrastination
Anxiety does not always look like panic or obvious fear. Sometimes, it looks like being highly capable, organized, driven, and in control.
You may feel like you need to get everything right: your work, appearance, relationships, food, exercise, routines, or the way other people see you. You may set impossible standards for yourself, replay mistakes for hours, or feel deeply unsettled when things do not go according to plan.
Perfectionism and over-control can create a temporary sense of safety.
If everything is done “right,” maybe you can avoid criticism, disappointment, failure, or the feeling of being out of control. But living this way can become exhausting. There is often very little room to rest, make mistakes, or simply be human.
Procrastination can also be part of this pattern.
When the pressure to do something perfectly feels too high, it can become easier to avoid starting at all. You may put off work, decisions, difficult conversations, or other responsibilities—not because you do not care, but because the fear of getting it wrong feels overwhelming.
In therapy, we will wonder together about what your perfectionism, need for control, and procrastination may be protecting.
The goal is not to make you care less or lower your standards. It is to help you feel less ruled by fear, more flexible when life is imperfect, and more able to trust yourself.
How Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy can help
Understand the history of your anxiety and how it may be affecting your life now
Notice the people, places, thoughts, or situations that make anxiety feel stronger
Explore the fears, conflicts, and feelings that may be living underneath your anxiety
Feel less controlled by obsessive thoughts, panic, perfectionism, or constant worry
Develop ways to slow down, ground yourself, and feel safer in your body
Build more trust in yourself and your ability to handle uncertainty
Create more calm and space in your daily life
We will not only focus on getting rid of the anxiety.
We will also wonder together about what it may be trying to communicate, protect, or manage.
Is Anxiety Therapy right for you?
This may be for you if
This work tends to be a good fit if anxiety feels present most of the time, even without a clear reason — if panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, or the fear of another one have become familiar, or you're exhausted from overthinking, perfectionism, or trying to control everything. Maybe anxiety shows up socially, in constant worry about what others think, or in trouble sleeping, concentrating, or simply being present. You're ready to understand your anxiety more deeply, rather than just push it away.
You do not need to have your anxiety "under control" before coming to therapy. You only need to be willing to become curious about your experience.
This may not be the fit right now if
This approach may not be the best fit if you're looking for brief, highly structured treatment focused only on immediate symptom reduction. It may also not provide the level of support you need if anxiety has reached a point where you require more intensive care than outpatient therapy can offer.
That doesn't mean you're failing, or that treatment isn't possible — it simply means we may need to think carefully about what kind of support will be most helpful to you right now.
What is Anxiety Therapy Like?
Together, we will look at how anxiety shows up in your everyday life and in your relationships. We will pay attention to what happens in your mind and body when you begin to feel overwhelmed, fearful, or out of control.
We will also work on practical ways to help you feel more grounded. The mind and body are connected, and developing ways to slow down, self-soothe, and stay present can be an important part of the process.
At the same time, we will not stop there. We will make space to understand what your anxiety may be protecting you from and why certain fears feel so powerful. Over time, you can begin to feel more mastery over your anxiety, rather than feeling ruled by it.
Virtual Relational and Attachment Trauma Therapy
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Virtual psychoanalytic psychotherapy to adults located in Maryland, New York, and New Jersey.
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In-person psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Rockville and Montgomery County, Maryland
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Virtual psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Washington, DC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does anxiety have to do with perfectionism or procrastination?
Perfectionism and over-control can be a form of anxiety in disguise — an attempt to feel safer by getting everything right. Procrastination often follows, since the fear of doing something imperfectly can feel more overwhelming than not starting at all.
Can therapy help with anxiety if I've already tried medication?
Yes. Medication can help manage symptoms, but it doesn't address what's underneath the anxiety. This work explores what your anxiety may be protecting you from, which can create change that lasts beyond symptom management alone.
Do I need to have my anxiety under control before starting therapy?
No — you don't need your anxiety managed or "figured out" first. You only need to be willing to get curious about your experience, even if things currently feel overwhelming or out of control.
How is this different from anxiety treatments focused on coping skills?
Coping skills can help in the moment, but this work goes further — looking at what your anxiety has been protecting you from, so you build lasting trust in yourself rather than only managing symptoms as they arise.
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Take back your power today by scheduling a free 15 minute consultation phone call.
