Anxiety Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA
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Jenaii Gold Ph.D., MFT
Marriage & Family Therapist, PhD, MFT
Verified
Verified
Eye movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a valuable tool for dealing with trauma, mood disorders,
anxiety
, and self-esteem issues.
Psychotherapy is a path to understanding the Self. My background is in family systems and Jungian psychology. I work with individuals around issues of
anxiety
, depression, creativity, and trauma. Depth therapy often includes work with dreams, art, and sandplay. In addition, I use EMDR for trauma when addressing issues of PTSD. I specialize in sexual abuse with adults as well as other kinds of trauma. I enjoy working with people from diverse cultures and orientations. As a supervisor for 25 years, I enjoy working with interns on their way to licensure. Buddhist mindfulness practice informs my life and work.
Not accepting new clients

Kathleen Mintzer
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I enjoy working with adults who are ready and willing to work on issues that stand in their way of being content in their lives. I work with individuals who are often dealing with
anxiety
, depression, mood disorders, medical issues, relationship problems, work or school difficulties, grief, loss and/or change. If you would like things to be different in your life and are ready to see if we can work together, please give me a call.

Diana Marie Hill
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
My goal as a psychologist is to help you live a more meaningful, vital and fulfilling life. I provide compassionate and effective therapy that will help you learn new skills and launch you in the direction you want to be moving in your life. Foundational to my approach is a collaborative partnership, where positive transformations evolve in a warm, safe environment. I have worked extensively with clients who struggle with depression,
anxiety
, eating concerns and unhealthy habits. I also work well individuals who are going through major life transitions, relationship problems or want to revitalize their lives.

Dr. Winifred L. Lender
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
In our high paced and stressful daily lives, it is easy to feel anxious and uncertain. These feelings can be magnified during transitional periods in our lives, limiting us, and impeding our growth. Psychotherapy can help empower us to move forward with concrete strategies to meet daily challenges, navigate transitions, and grow to feel happy and more confident. Dr. Lender's areas of specialty include
anxiety
, depression, sleep issues, relationship concerns, personal empowerment, technology use balance, and life transitions.

Bonnie Dooms
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Everyone can use a little help at times. Children and adults often experience difficult emotions, such as
anxiety
, depression and anger that are hard to handle and interfere with relationships and quality of life. I will help you alleviate these unwanted symptoms, improve functioning and improve your relationships. I work with adults and couples who are having struggles in their personal lives. I also specialize in working with those who have experienced sexual trauma.

Jennifer Miners
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Hello, my name is Jennifer Miners. I am passionate about helping clients deal with
anxiety
, stress, codependency and life transitions. Exploring the mind body connection, changing negative thoughts patterns, and utilizing mindfulness are all effective ways to cultivate positive changes. I also offer Coaching Services for
Anxiety
and
Panic
Recovery.

Dr. Aubrey Toole
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
I aim to help my clients identify the obstacles standing in the way of living a more full and meaningful life that is in line with their deepest values. I team up with my clients to address a range of issues that might be keeping them stuck, including eating and body image concerns,
anxiety
, perfectionism, and shame. I also accompany people navigating life transitions and identity exploration, and I enjoy supporting and guiding parents and partners of folks with eating disorders in caring for their loved one and themselves. Lastly, I specialize in treating athletes with eating disorders and other mental health concerns.

Eva Van Prooyen
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
I specialize in
anxiety
, depression, addiction, relationships, and grief.
I'm happy to receive your email or call to answer questions you may have about therapy. I help adults, adolescents, and couples experience life more deeply; enjoy more satisfying relationships; resolve painful conflicts; and improve self-esteem, self-worth and emotional well-being.
Not accepting new clients

Pauline Yeghnazar Peck
Psychologist, MA, MMFT, PhD, CYT
Verified
Verified
You are smart, hardworking, and psychologically-minded. Your wellbeing is important to you and objectively, most things in your life are going well. Yet, feelings of
anxiety
, sadness, loss, emptiness, or disappointment gnaw at you. From time to time, you think about your past, from your adolescence to relationships and choices. These things aren’t directly related to your life now so you wonder why they come up at all but you cannot reconcile them. Because you are busy with work, family, and staying connecting, these emotional blips get lost. You don’t make time to reflect and feel. You just keep plugging along … until next time.

Stephanie Richards
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT, APCC
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I believe that every person has the potential to grow, heal, and live a happier and more fulfilling life. I am passionate about helping my clients understand themselves better, find ways to improve their relationships, and nurture their own personal fulfillment and happiness. I work with adults, adolescents, couples, and families who are struggling with a range of challenges including: life transitions (both big and small), uncertainty, low self-esteem, relationship complications,
anxiety
, depression, and trauma-related symptoms.

Jane Taylor Fortuna
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Are you feeling more and more overwhelmed lately? Are you losing sleep, isolating, or drinking more than usual? Are
anxiety
and depression becoming too familiar? Glad you stopped in. You have found a safe place to regain homeostasis and find new ways of coping. I offer a compassionate, understanding, integrative, and faith-supportive approach, while promoting spiritual, physical, and psychological wellness. My services include a free phone consultation, and a reasonable fee offering a sliding scale. I believe that psychotherapy should be professional, helpful, AND affordable.

Shanna Willner
Counselor, MA, PMP, LPCC
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I work with
anxiety
, PTS/D, chronic pain, medical trauma, abuse, and illness including insomnia, migraine, and body system issues.
I help people process and release what's old to create space for a more current and authentic way of living. My work integrates psychotherapy, bio-psychology, behavioral change, and holistic practice to support clients in living better lives. This work includes clearing old blockages as well as choosing new pathways to travel forward, Together, we use our relationship, your self-knowledge and life-knowledge, and my specialized training to move your life into something satisfying, safe, and personally rich to you.

Taryn Walker
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT, MA
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I work with clients on navigating a wide range of topics, most commonly,
anxiety
, depression, grief, and life transitions.
My name is Taryn Walker and I am an Associate of Marriage and Family Therapy. One of my greatest joys is witnessing emotional breakthroughs and healing! Sometimes we all need a little extra support as we process parts of our story. Whether you are going through a current trial, or you just want to know yourself better and understand how you can continue growing into the best version of yourself, I would love to walk along with you.

Alix Robinson
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
I specialize in the treatment of
anxiety
, depression, PTSD, ADHD, life stress/transition, grief, and relationship issues.
Feeling stuck? It's amazing the difference a therapeutic hour can make. I understand that it takes courage to make the decision to start therapy and I consider it an honor to help you take that first step. My approach to therapy is scientifically informed while still responsive to your unique needs. I believe that there is no problem greater than your capacity and I want to help you find solutions to become the best version of yourself.

Natasha Hause
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Areas of focus include disordered eating,
anxiety
, first responders and their loved ones.
Hello, I am an authentic practitioner that joins with my clients to help them realize their full potential. My approach is integrated- drawing from Cognitive Behavioral techniques and Schema Therapy, with the goal of helping my clients live in the present and achieve psychological and behavioral change. In addition to these approaches, I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

Amy Marie Hamilton
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT, APCC
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
My name is Amy Hamilton and I am a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Associate. I specialize in working with children, adolescents and family systems experiencing
anxiety
, depression, personality disorders, self-esteem issues and/or anger issues. I have extensive experience working especially with adolescents and young adults in life transitions whether it be; graduating high school, going off to college, or needing career advice. Additionally, I have experience working with children, adolescents and adults with behavioral disorders including the Autism Spectrum and clients with disabilities.
Not accepting new clients

Annika Okamoto
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I specialize in adult and adolescent
anxiety
disorders such as social
anxiety
,
panic
disorder and OCD, as well as mood disorders. My expertise is also in couples therapy and relational issues - I love working with couples, because of the synergy that relationships provide. I use a lot of active methods, arts, maps, genograms, physical space, roleplay methods: techniques and strategies beyond mere talk therapy that use nonverbal dimension.

Taryn Holvick
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I work with individuals, adolescents, families, and couples experiencing depression,
anxiety
, posttraumatic stress disorder, anger, relationship issues, as well as those wishing to improve their life satisfaction and communication. From a psychodynamic lens, I create a supportive environment for my clients based on trust and connection. Growth becomes possible when we have the opportunity to reflect and gain insight in a non-judgmental setting. From this space we can begin to integrate aspects of ourselves that have been neglected due to challenging or painful experiences.

Laniece Clausell
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Laniece Clausell is a LCSW, who has been practicing since 2010. She graduated from CSU, Fresno with a degree in Social Work and a focus on Education. Laniece believes in Accepting where the person is and starting from there. She also believes that every person should have a safe space to talk about hard things. Her main areas of focus include
Anxiety
/Depression and Trauma.

Tiana Leeds
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, Coach
Verified
7 Endorsed
Verified
7 Endorsed
Issues I treat include stress,
anxiety
, depression, perfectionism, self-esteem, boundaries, and relationship issues.
The heart of my work is helping women in their 20s and 30s who want to restore healing, peace, and balance to their lives. I take a collaborative, practical, and compassionate approach and empower you to recognize and utilize your strengths as a means of moving through fear, sadness, and insecurities. My aim is to support you as you move toward increased healing and wholeness in your life. While I focus primarily on Millennials and Highly Sensitive People, my practice is open to all ages and genders as well as all cultures and sexualities.
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Anxiety Therapists
What are the most common treatments for anxiety?
Talk therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, is the most common treatment for anxiety. Studies have shown it is equally effective as medication. Other popular forms of therapy are popular, depending on a patient’s experience. Exposure therapy, for instance, can be useful for people dealing with fears and phobias, or who have experienced traumatic events. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy may be useful for patients who need help with emotion regulation. Anxiolytic medications, like benzodiazepines, can also help with calming a person enough to focus on the skills they’ve learned, and physical exercise has been shown to help symptoms of anxiety across the board.
How long does therapy for anxiety take to work?
The amount of time needed to alleviate symptoms depends on the severity of a person’s condition. Some therapies may take 5-20 weekly sessions to show results. Anti-depressant medications typically take two to four weeks before a benefit is felt. Anti-anxiety medications are felt typically within 20-30 minutes. Medications are best used to offer a patient a better headspace in which to work on techniques learned in therapy. Exercise, improved sleep habits, and meditation are effective, but takes weeks or months to show results.
When should I seek treatment for anxiety?
Everyone feels anxious at times, but when anxiety causes disruption to your daily life, it may be time to seek help. Such disruption can be mental, physical, or both: having fear dominate your thoughts, avoiding situations or objects that bring on feelings of anxiety, or experiencing shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, or panic attacks. When these symptoms are recurrent and distressing, it may be time to talk to someone.
How effective is treatment for anxiety?
Treatment for anxiety has been shown to be moderately to highly effective, according to a large body of psychology studies and analyses. For some people, treatment using CBT or exposure therapy alone is effective. Others respond best to a combination of medication and therapy.