Therapy for Anxiety and OCD in South Pasadena
Anxiety Therapy for adults and teens
Are you struggling with constant worry, fear, or panic? Do you feel overwhelmed by anxious thoughts or experience physical symptoms like a racing heart, dizziness, or shortness of breath? Do you get stuck in loops of worrying about things and find that it’s difficult to find a feeling of completeness, or of being reassured?
Therapy can help you find peace.
At Carter Psychotherapy Collective, we specialize in providing compassionate therapy for adults and teens dealing with anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety and OCD. Through a combination of relational therapy, mindfulness and evidence-based approaches, we work together to uncover the root causes of your anxiety and develop personalized strategies to help you find ease in your body and mind.
Types of Anxiety We Treat
Anxiety can show up in different ways, and each person’s experience is unique. Here are some of the common forms of anxiety that we help people with:
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Do you feel like you can’t escape your thoughts? Are you constantly worrying about the future, even when there’s no immediate reason to be concerned? If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of endless worry, therapy can help you break free from these patterns and regain a sense of control over your thoughts.
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Are you often afraid of embarrassing yourself or being judged by others? Do you feel self-conscious in social situations, or even avoid them altogether? Social anxiety can make it challenging to engage in everyday interactions, but with the right support, you can learn to manage and overcome these fears.
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Do you find yourself endlessly googling the causes of symptoms in your body? Do you often worry that you have a disease, even after reassurance from your doctor? Do you worry extensively about the impact of food or various activities on your health? You might be experiencing health anxiety. Therapy can help you find balance, manage triggers, and develop a balanced relationship to caring for your body.
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Do you experience intense feelings of fear, dizziness, or a pounding heart when under stress? Are you sometimes afraid that you might lose control, faint or die? Do you avoid certain situations because of the fear of having a panic attack? Therapy can help you better understand what is going on in your body and develop strategies to manage and reduce your panic symptoms.
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Are you stuck in a loop of intrusive or obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors that you feel compelled to repeat? We help people who deal with obsessions and compulsions of many varieties, incorporating Exposure and Response Prevention and Inference based Cognitive Therapy in conjunction with mindfulness to help you break the cycle.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
-Frank Herbert, Dune
Holistic Anxiety Therapy for real people
At Carter Psychotherapy Collective, we offer holistic, integrative anxiety therapy that takes into account the biological, psychological, environmental, and historical factors contributing to your anxiety. We believe that true healing involves understanding all aspects of your life and integrating different therapeutic techniques to support your recovery.
Your therapy may include a combination of the following approaches:
1. Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness techniques can help you slow down, become more aware of your thoughts and body, and strengthen your ability to defuse from anxious thinking patterns. Mindfulness can also be a powerful strategy for exploring your beliefs and past experience, building your capacity for emotional regulation and cultivating more self-compassion.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety, as it helps you identify and change unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to your anxiety. We may also use subtypes of CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference Based CBT (I-CBT) to help you learn about your cycle of anxiety, face fears, and reduce anxiety responses over time.
3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT helps you develop emotional regulation skills and distress tolerance. If you struggle with overwhelming emotions or find it difficult to manage stress, DBT can help you build more effective coping skills.
4. Relational, Depth-Oriented Therapy
Sometimes, anxiety is linked to past trauma or unresolved emotional issues. Depth work helps you explore the underlying causes of your anxiety, understand how your past experiences are affecting your present experiences, and help you create a cohesive internal relationship between various parts of your self. All of our therapy is couched in the context of a compassionate, impactful relationship with your therapist.
Take the First Step Toward Overcoming Anxiety
If you’re ready to stop feeling trapped by anxiety and begin your journey toward peace of mind, therapy can be a crucial piece of the puzzle. At Carter Psychotherapy Collective, we are here to support you in managing anxiety, overcoming panic, and building a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling.
Meet our Anxiety therapists
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Alexandra Gaty, ACSW
Generalized anxiety, panic, postpartum anxiety, perfectionism
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Toph Eggers, AMFT
Generalized anxiety, high pressure, perfectionism, teens and adults
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Lianna Kirakosyan, LMFT
Generalized anxiety, high pressure, health anxiety, OCD
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Joshua Sullivan, ACSW
Generalized anxiety, OCD, health anxiety, panic disorder, teens
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Allison Carter, LCSW
Generalized anxiety, postpartum anxiety, OCD, panic disorders
NO MATTER WHAT…
Our therapists all prioritize a strong, steady therapeutic relationship and believe in the importance of attuned listening, compassion and insight. We are trained in multiple styles that help us facilitate deep exploration of your inner world, as well as allow us to be able to offer concrete strategies for beginning to have new experiences in your life.
If you are wondering if we are open to working with you and your unique constellation of experiences, please contact us to chat about what you need and which of our therapists could be a good fit.
Therapy that honors your complexity.
Therapy is available in person in our office in South Pasadena, or over video, using a free, HIPAA compliant telehealth platform.
We are LGBTQIA+ affirming and experienced in supporting clients around the intersection of mental health and body image with issues related to faith and spirituality, sexuality, gender, and race.