Anxiety Therapy in Chicago — Find Calm, Clarity & Resilience

Women Often Feel Under Pressure In Today’s Society

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “27.3 percent of Americans aged 18 and over have symptoms of an anxiety disorder.” In the right moments, anxiety can be helpful keeping us safe or motivating us to succeed. However, anxiety becomes problematic when it is too intense or goes on for too long.

The pressures and expectations placed on women in our culture can fuel anxiety. We are constantly bombarded by messages about the lives we should be leading, but these expectations aren’t always consistent with who we are. For example, most women of childbearing age are expected to get married and have kids while balancing a rewarding career.

But what if that’s not what we want to do? The discrepancy between what’s expected of us and what we actually want can keep us stuck in a cycle of worry that we’re not measuring up to society’s standards.

Self-Comparison Contributes To Anxiety

Because humans are highly social creatures, much of our anxiety stems from our desire to make others happy, oftentimes at the expense of our own needs. In particular, women are wired to be relational and often the ones responsible for the emotional labor within our families. However, these days, social media has changed the flavor of how we relate to our peer group, prompting us to constantly compare ourselves to others. But, as Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Although relationships have the potential to harm, they can also heal. By cultivating a close connection with a therapist, you can examine the root causes of anxiety and learn effective ways to manage it.

Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Discover Who You Want To Be

You might become anxious when you think about the pressure you’re under to achieve success and ensure others are pleased with you. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself what you truly want out of life? If someone else’s opinion wasn’t influencing you, how would things be different? 

In therapy, no one has an agenda for you and you won’t have to people-please. If, through habit, you find you want to please your anxiety therapist, they are trained to bring it to your attention and help you shift the focus back to what is best for you. Anxiety counseling acts like a buffer between you and outer influences, giving you space to embark on objective self-discovery. Connecting with your internal compass will help you understand your authentic feelings once you peel away the layers of external forces.

How to Know When You Need a Therapist for Anxiety

You might benefit from seeing a therapist for anxiety when your worry, fear, or physical symptoms start interfering with your daily life—such as your sleep, work, relationships, or ability to relax. If you find yourself constantly overthinking, avoiding certain situations, feeling on edge for no clear reason, or struggling to control your anxious thoughts, it’s a sign that professional support could help. Therapy offers a safe, non-judgmental space to understand what’s driving your anxiety, learn practical tools to manage it, and regain a sense of calm and control. You don’t need to be in crisis to seek help—getting support early can make a big difference.

What To Expect In Sessions

Our anxiety therapists are here to facilitate whatever you would like to accomplish in therapy to ensure anxiety is addressed. Short-term treatment goals may include things like sleeping better, going out with friends more often, or, by reducing anxiety attacks, freeing up more time to be productive. By providing you with a toolbox of different skills to manage stress relief, your anxiety therapist can offer you techniques that are tailored specifically to you.

We will also explore the underlying reasons why you get anxious—including your history—to help guide us toward the best treatment options for you. By providing you with a better understanding of how anxiety affects the body and mind, you can demystify your symptoms so that they become more easily manageable. In the long term, we aim to help you imagine what your best life looks like and determine the steps you can take to get there.

What Are Some Common Types of Anxiety Disorders?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD involves persistent and excessive worry about a wide range of everyday things—like work, health, finances, or family—often without a clear or immediate cause. People with GAD may feel on edge, struggle to relax, and experience physical symptoms like muscle tension, fatigue, and trouble sleeping. The anxiety is difficult to control and lasts for months or longer.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Social Anxiety Disorder is an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or rejected in social or performance situations. This can lead to avoidance of interactions like public speaking, meeting new people, or even eating in front of others. People with SAD often feel self-conscious, anxious before or during events, and may replay or criticize their social interactions afterward.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is marked by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that cause anxiety, and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) aimed at reducing that anxiety. For example, someone might fear germs and cope by washing their hands excessively. These cycles can become time-consuming and distressing, often interfering with daily life.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety isn't just limited to children—it can affect adults too. It involves intense fear or distress about being away from someone you’re deeply attached to, like a parent, partner, or child. This can lead to avoidance of travel, school, or work, and may cause physical symptoms like stomachaches or panic when separation occurs or is anticipated.

Therapeutic Methods We Use 

Behavioral approaches to treatment are particularly helpful if you suffer from social anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or other specific phobias, but can also be applied to other situations. With exposure therapy, you will face the fears that cause anxiety, either by imagining them or by reenacting real-life scenarios, within a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposure, your body’s anxiety response will gradually diminish.