Anxiety Therapist Los Angeles
Virtually serving clients anywhere in California, Texas, and PSYPACT participating states (listed here)
On the outside, you look like you have it all together. But on the inside, anxiety leaves you constantly feeling uncertain and unhappy–like you could fall apart at the seams at any minute.
Anxiety makes you feel like you always have to be “on”, put on a perfect appearance, and be in control–especially when you’re a high achiever.
An anxiety therapist like me understands this, and I can help. Together, we can work in therapy to build confidence and trust in yourself, connect with inner peace and outer ease, and find more joy and fulfillment in life.
Does this sound like you?
You're the person who always has everything under control. You're a planner, a doer, and a go-getter.
From the outside, it looks like you have everything figured out–a successful career, a busy social life, and maybe even a well-organized home.
But on the inside, it's a different story.
You wake up each morning feeling anxious and behind. You're the kind of person who always has a to-do list, but even when you cross things off, it feels like the list never gets any shorter. Your mind races with worries about all the things you have to do, and you feel like you have to get everything done perfectly, or else it will all fall apart.
Even when you’re doing something you love, you find it hard to relax because you have this nagging feeling that there’s something “more productive” you should be doing instead. Your anxiety holds the reins to your life and mind, and it’s so hard to imagine it’ll ever let go.
You worry constantly–about your job, your relationships, your health, your future. You worry about things that might happen, things that could have happened, things that have already happened, and things that probably won't happen.
You feel like you're always on the brink of disaster. That something bad is just around the corner, waiting to pounce. You check and double-check everything, making sure there are no mistakes, no slip-ups, no room for error. You're the person who has a backup plan for everything, never leaving anything to chance.
You meticulously plan out your schedule to make sure everything fits in. You are detail-oriented (sometimes obsessively so), and you're always looking for ways to optimize your productivity. But you often get so caught up in the weeds that you lose sight of the bigger picture. These patterns end up leaving you even more anxious, overwhelmed, and burned out.
Despite being such a high achiever, you still feel like you're not doing enough. You feel like you should be doing more–accomplishing more, achieving more, striving more. You second-guess your decisions–even ones that turned out well–which then fuels your tendencies towards indecisiveness, uncertainty, and anxious preoccupation.
You have high standards for yourself, and you hold others to those same standards, which can sometimes end up hurting the people you love. You have a hard time delegating and trusting others because you feel like no one else can do things as well as you can. You're often praised for being so hardworking, but on the inside, you’re an anxious mess and feel like you're barely keeping it together.
You're the person who never wants to let anyone down. You hate saying "no" to people, even if you're already overwhelmed. You say “yes” to every invitation, every request, every demand–even (and sometimes, especially) if it means sacrificing your own needs and well-being.
You anxiously replay conversations in your head, analyzing every word and wondering if you said the right thing. You worry about what people will think of you if you don't live up to their expectations, and you constantly seek validation from others. You're the reliable one, the dependable one, the one who always comes through in a pinch. But sometimes you wonder what would happen if you said “no.” If you took a break. If you let things slide a little or let someone else take over for a change.
Despite all of this, you're often told that you're doing great, but that external feedback has now basically become an opiate for your people pleasing and perfectionistic urges. Yes, people see the competent, “perfect” version of you on the outside, but they don't see the constant battle raging inside your head–the endless self-criticism, the paralyzing anxiety, and the fear of failure that drives you to push yourself harder and keep running yourself into the ground.
If this sounds like you, you may be dealing with anxiety.
It's a common condition, and it can be beyond exhausting, overwhelming, and soul-sucking to deal with on a daily basis.
But with the right tools and support, you can learn to manage your anxiety and find a sense of peace and calm in the midst of the chaos.
All people experience anxiety to some extent. When you're under stress, it's natural to worry a bit. For example, a big meeting at work or an upcoming life change can make anyone feel anxious. Anxiety is a natural and normal reaction to stress and can help us to stay alert and focused in challenging situations.
However, if you find yourself constantly feeling nervous and worrying excessively, you may be struggling with an anxiety disorder.
People who live with an anxiety disorder can also tend to struggle with patterns like:
Perfectionism
Overachieving
Catastrophizing
Procrastinating
Overthinking & second-guessing
Avoidance
Difficulties letting go of control
Sensitivity to criticism
And more…
People with anxiety worry about what other people think and let guilt and shame drive their decisions—too frozen by anxiety to be their authentic selves. Anxiety fuels feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy, and fear.
You may routinely assume that others are thinking the worst of you out of fear of judgment or being rejected. This can all lead to feeling disconnected from yourself and other people–like you have to wear a facade just to be accepted.
In the face of unbearable stress and overwhelm, some people with anxiety may even experience an anxiety attack. This can include symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, shaking, sweating, and panicked thoughts about losing control or “going crazy.”
Anxiety therapy in Los Angeles can help you feel more in control over your thoughts and feelings.
By working with a mental health professional like me specialized in anxiety therapy, you can learn to quiet the constant buzz of anxiety, build comfort and confidence in yourself, and feel empowered by your values and decisions.
Meet Annia Raja, PhD: Clinical psychologist & therapist for anxiety
Whether you’ve been struggling with anxiety since you can remember, or anxiety is a newfound reality that you’re ready to shed, I'm here to help.
I believe that working with a mental health professional who truly understand your situation is key to forming a strong therapeutic connection and facilitating your personal growth.
My approach to anxiety therapy in Los Angeles, CA
As a high achiever, you know what it's like to constantly push yourself to be the best.
But what happens when that drive turns into anxiety that negatively affects your mental, physical, and emotional well-being?
Many high achieving people don't even realize that they have an anxiety disorder because it's been part of their life for so long. For many high achievers, anxiety has just become a part of their identity.
I want to reassure you that it doesn't have to be that way. If you're ready to grow beyond unhelpful patterns that keep you stuck and anxious, I'm here to help. It can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to go through it alone.
I'm a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety therapy for high achievers in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and beyond (in fact, anywhere in California or Texas through online therapy). Anxiety therapy in Los Angeles can transform the way you view the world, others, and, most importantly, how you see yourself.
I believe that true healing comes from gaining insight and awareness of your patterns and behaviors, and so I take an in-depth approach to anxiety treatment. This means that we'll dive deep into patterns, experiences, and emotions to understand the root causes of your anxiety. By gaining this insight into your life, values, and dreams, we can co-create intentional shifts to help you feel less anxious and more fulfilled, resilient, and at ease.
My virtual therapy space is one where you can be your genuine self-even if you're not quite sure what that looks like yet. Together, we'll engage in a collaborative process to make sense of the unique traits, emotions, life experiences, and lived realities that can contribute to your anxiety, as well as the social and cultural factors that may play a role. By practicing curiosity, compassion, playfulness, and patience, we can figure it out together.
Anxiety vs. Stress: What's the Difference?
Let's be real: stress is just a part of life–and especially for high achievers. Yes, we all go through transitions and challenges that make us feel overwhelmed and stressed out.
But when does stress cross the line into becoming anxiety?
Stress has many of the same symptoms as anxiety does, so it can be hard to tell the difference. If you're a high achiever like many of my clients, you might be so used to pushing through stress that you don't even realize when it's turned into anxiety. Plus, you may experience both at the same time.
The good news is, there's a difference between stress and anxiety.
Stress usually has a clear cause and lasts for a shorter period of time, while anxiety (and anxiety disorders) are chronic and can stick around for months, years, or even a lifetime. Additionally, unlike stress, anxiety usually doesn't have a simple cause. Anxiety disorders can stem from many factors such as your genetics, life events you’ve experienced as a child and adult, your personality traits, and more.
But here's the thing: you don't have to suffer from anxiety forever. Though you might not have control over whether you develop anxiety, you do have control about how you handle it.
With the right kind of support, you can make positive changes to manage and treat your anxiety. While you might feel lost about how to heal from anxiety, a professional therapist like me can help guide and support you.
I specialize in working with high achievers who crave more peace and balance. You might feel lost and overwhelmed by your anxiety, but you don't have to go through it alone. Together, we can dive deep into the patterns and experiences that contribute to your anxiety and work towards building lasting change.
Whether you have a clinical anxiety disorder or simply want support in healing from feelings of worry, stress, and self doubt, I'm here to help.
Let's work together to find a path towards healing and inner peace.
What we'll address in anxiety therapy
We’ll craft your therapy to be tailored to your own unique struggles.
Nonetheless, there are some common threads that I often see with high-achieving clients struggling with anxiety.
Here are a few examples about the types of anxiety-related issues we can address together:
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Anxiety can have many underlying causes. When we work together, we'll dive deep into understanding what's causing your anxiety, beyond just the surface-level symptoms.
In-depth therapy can help you explore deeper roots contributing to your anxiety such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, past traumas or negative experiences, attachment issues, and/or core beliefs about yourself and the world.
By exploring and working through these deeper issues together, we can create meaningful insights and healing on your path towards lasting change and growth.
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Perfectionism and avoidance are cousins of anxiety. High achievers often struggle with perfectionism because they have such high standards for themselves, which can lead to excessive self-criticism, a fear of failure, analysis paralysis, and indecision. Indeed, perfect is the enemy of good.
In anxiety therapy, we can work together to help you develop a healthier relationship with your perfectionistic tendencies and inner critic, build resilience and self-compassion as anecdotes to avoidance, and embrace “good enough” over perfect.
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Imposter syndrome can be a significant source of anxiety for high achievers.
You might feel like your success is undeserved, or that you're constantly one mistake away from being exposed as a fraud. You may feel like your success is a result of luck or things outside of yourself, rather than your own abilities. Additionally, you may struggle with feelings of inadequacy or worry that you are not measuring up to others.
In therapy, we can work together on developing a more realistic, balanced, and compassionate view of yourself, along with helping you to better recognize and appreciate your accomplishments. By working on reducing imposter syndrome, you can reduce anxiety, feel more confident in yourself, and feel more fulfilled in life.
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Struggling with anxiety can have big impacts on the connections we have with others.
Maybe it's difficult to set boundaries. Or you feel like you rely too much on others for support. Or you grapple with social anxiety, making it tough to authentically connect with people. Perhaps you struggle with people pleasing tendencies, which lead to sacrificing your own needs and desires, along with potentially fueling codependent relationships.
Anxiety can also contribute to miscommunication, trust issues, and attachment difficulties–you may struggle to clearly express yourself, feel overly suspicious or insecure in relationships, or struggle to form close relationships that last.
Through in-depth therapy for anxiety, we can work together to help you process old, painfully anxious patterns in your relationships and work towards developing healthier ones on the path to building more fulfilling, connected relationships.
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Anxiety can be rooted in a lack of self-acceptance and ongoing struggles to meet unrealistic expectations. High achievers are often prone to self-doubt and self-criticism, which further fuels anxiety.
In therapy, we'll focus on developing a more compassionate and accepting relationship with yourself. All of this can help reduce your anxiety, increase your resilience, and build your self-esteem.
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As a high achiever, you might feel like you always need to be in control, always have it all together, and never show vulnerability. This can make it really difficult to open up and share your true self with others.
Anxiety and feeling afraid of being vulnerable are related, and both can stem from a variety of factors such as painful past experiences of rejection or judgment, internalized beliefs that expressing emotions is a sign of weakness, or simply lacking practice or permission from others in being vulnerable.
Through in-depth therapy for anxiety, we can work on processing hurtful past experiences with vulnerability, build resilience in the face of uncomfortable emotions, and recognize that it's okay to not be okay. We can also help you develop ways to manage the discomfort that can come with vulnerability, along with learning to see it as a strength rather than a weakness.
By developing tolerance for vulnerability, you can reduce anxiety and feel more at ease and connectedness in your relationships and daily life.
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Feeling lost and lacking purpose can fuel anxiety, especially for high achievers driven by goals and accomplishments. And like burnout, anxiety can be related to a lack of purpose or meaning in life.
In-depth therapy for anxiety can help you discover and connect with what truly matters and what gives your life meaning and purpose. Together, we can explore your passions, values, and goals beyond what you may be used to (work, achievements, and accolades) on a journey to fulfillment, satisfaction, and ease in other areas of your life.
FAQs about anxiety treatment in Los Angeles CA
Have questions about anxiety therapy? I have answers.
These are just a few of the most commonly asked questions. If you have more, you can contact me directly. It's totally normal to have questions about anxiety and starting therapy, so I encourage you to reach out.
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Anxiety looks different from person to person. Getting an “exact” diagnosis is usually not the main focus of my therapy for clients struggling with anxiety since everyone’s experience is unique and usually cannot be reduced to a diagnosis alone. Yes, sometimes it can be helpful and validating, but it’s only one piece of a bigger puzzle.
As a depth therapist, my approach to treatment involves reflecting on ingrained patterns. The focus of our work will be on understanding the root causes of your anxiety and developing meaningful ways to manage and overcome it. Once we understand the thoughts and beliefs that keep you stuck, we can implement meaningful change to help you heal.
With that being said, many people are interested in understanding the specific types of anxiety disorders out there. Depending on a person’s symptoms, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) names different types of anxiety disorders. Here are some of the main ones:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is one of the most common forms of anxiety. It can especially impact high achievers, often without them realizing it. It can be especially challenging for high achievers who have a lot on their plate.
Generalized anxiety can cause people to feel overwhelmed and paralyzed with worry and fear about nearly every aspect of their lives. People with generalized anxiety experience near-constant worry that they can't seem to shake. Physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, restlessness, sleep problems, fatigue, and stomach issues, are also common.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder is a mental health condition that causes intense fear and anxiety in social situations. For high achievers, this fear can be particularly challenging as it can manifest as a fear of being judged, evaluated, or criticized by others.
People with Social Anxiety Disorder may avoid social situations altogether or endure them with great difficulty and discomfort. This can make it difficult to network, attend social events, or engage in activities that are important for personal and professional growth.
Performance anxiety can also be a particular way that social anxiety presents for high achievers.
Panic Disorder
As the name suggests, people with panic disorder experience panic attacks. Panic attacks are different from anxiety attacks, which are triggered by a specific stressor. Instead, panic attacks have no apparent cause and occur seemingly out of nowhere.
For high achievers, the unpredictability of these attacks can be particularly distressing, making it difficult to plan or concentrate on tasks at hand.
During an episode, people experience feelings of intense fear, along with physical symptoms like a racing heart or shortness of breath. Afterward, the fear of having future panic attacks can be debilitating, leading to avoidance behaviors that further disrupt your life.
Adjustment Disorder
Adjustment Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that can occur in response to a significant life change, such as starting a new job, moving to a new place, or going through a relationship breakup.
As a high achiever, you are used to achieving great things, but even the most successful people can struggle during times of change. They disrupt your routine, fuel stress, and lead to feelings of fear and uncertainty.
Adjustment Disorder can cause emotional and behavioral symptoms, such as feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or unable to concentrate. It's important to remember that experiencing anxiety and stress during times of change is completely normal, but if these symptoms persist, seeking help can make all the difference.
Issues related to anxiety
Anxiety disorders can be complex and are often accompanied by other mental health issues. In fact, research suggests that about half of people with anxiety also have symptoms of depression. People with anxiety disorders may also experience other mood disorders, trauma or PTSD, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and more.
This is why it’s crucial to work with a therapist who understands the complexities of anxiety disorders and can also provide support for other co-occurring issues. By addressing these underlying issues, you can gain insight and support in managing your anxiety and improving your overall well-being.
Remember, it's okay to ask for help, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
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Choosing a therapist is an entirely personal decision, and the fit between therapist and client is honestly the most important factor. With that being said, there are a few things that you can consider when researching potential therapists.
Approach is one consideration–each therapist uses different treatments, so it's important to think about which methods resonate with you. For example, some therapists use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), while others use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In-depth therapy (also sometimes called psychodynamic therapy) is another effective modality for addressing long-standing anxiety.
While there are many different methods, I do believe that high achievers seeking help with anxiety benefit most from an in-depth approach to therapy. From my clinical experience working with other high achievers struggling with anxiety, I have seen the transformative power of unpacking deeply rooted thought patterns and beliefs as the means for change and growth.
Other factors to consider when choosing a therapist include past experience helping clients with the kinds of issues you're facing, education and training, availability of online sessions, and more.
Remember that the choice is ultimately yours. What matters is that you feel comfortable with your therapist and trust that they are invested in your personal growth. It's also important to remember that you can decide to work with a new therapist at any point in your treatment.
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Yes! I'm based in Los Angeles, CA, but I offer online therapy. This allows me to provide anxiety treatment in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Silver Lake, San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, and Houston-as well as throughout the entire states of California and Texas.
Beyond being able to reach more people, I also enjoy online therapy for the convenience it provides my clients. You can save time by cutting out the commute to and from a physical therapy office, and you can join sessions from the comfort of home.
Many people feel more comfortable opening up in therapy when they can be in a space that they are already familiar with.
With virtual therapy, you also don't have to worry about bumping into people in the waiting room or on your way to and from your appointment. Though therapy isn't something to be ashamed of, online therapy sessions allow you access support completely on your terms.
Online anxiety counseling is also completely confidential. I conduct sessions via a HIPAA-compliant platform to ensure that your information stays secure.
Working with an anxiety specialist in LA can help you embrace your inner calm
It might be hard to imagine you could lead a life that's not ruled by anxiety, but it is entirely possible. I've seen it firsthand with so many of my clients.
As an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles, I've helped so many high achieving people like you embrace the discomfort of shedding anxious patterns like people pleasing, overachieving, perfectionism, overthinking, burnout and more.
These anxiety-fueled habits feel instinctual, but they keep you from being your authentic self. Don't let fear hold you back from being the person you dream of becoming.
Anxiety therapy in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and beyond can help you overcome your symptoms and lead a life that's driven by your passions, values, and desires—not your anxiety.
My virtual therapy room is a space where honesty meets imagination. Together, we'll discover who you truly are. We'll also explore the possibilities you have to create even richer, more meaningful experiences and relationships that aren't dictated by anxiety.
If you're ready to make lasting changes to help you feel more grounded and secure, I am too. Reach out today to schedule your free consultation call.
It's time to take the next step on your healing journey—you don't have to keep suffering alone.
