Anxiety Treatment for
Adults and Children
Clinical insight from Connie Hurst, M.A., LMFT #41463. Connie has specialized in anxiety treatment and neurofeedback for over 20 years, and is an EEG Info Clinical Affiliate since 2007. Read more about her background →
If worry, panic, or a constant sense of dread is running your life, you are not stuck with it. Anxiety is highly treatable and here in Huntington Beach, neurofeedback offers a drug-free way to help your brain learn to calm down for good.
I also offer cognitive behavioral therapy, a leading anxiety treatment, for clients dealing with anxiety disorders. Ready to feel calmer and more in control? Start with a free 15-minute call.
Main Types
of anxiety
How is anxiety diagnosed?
Anxiety is diagnosed through a clinical interview that looks closely at your symptoms, how long they have lasted, and how they are affecting your daily life. Depending on what you are experiencing, I may use screening tools such as a generalized anxiety scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, or a panic disorder severity questionnaire. These tools help clarify whether you are dealing with generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, or a specific phobia, and they guide the treatment plan we build together.
How is anxiety treated?
Anxiety is treated in a supportive environment with cognitive behavioral therapy and neurofeedback training.
The therapeutic relationship is vital in providing a space for clients to feel safe and cared for. Therapy focuses on teaching clients practical coping strategies to manage anxious symptoms. Clients learn to recognize and change anxious thoughts (like catastrophizing / black-and-white thinking), and replace them with more rational and balanced thoughts.
Sometimes helping clients look at how emotional conflicts and relational dynamics contribute to their anxiety symptoms is important. Neurofeedback training is a core function in helping anxious brains learn to calm, and provides deep support for the client.
How effective is therapy for treating anxiety?
Studies show that therapy can be highly effective in treating anxiety and reducing anxiety symptoms, which is why it’s often the first line of treatment for anxiety. While the results may differ from person to person, therapy often provides people with coping skills to manage anxious thoughts and feelings. A 2022 meta-analysis published in Current Psychiatry Reports confirmed that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective, evidence-based treatment across anxiety disorders. Read the study →
FAQ's
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived danger. Most people feel anxious from time to time, but when the feelings become frequent or overwhelming, anxiety can begin to interfere with daily life.
Anxiety disorders involve persistent or intense anxiety that may affect how you think, feel, or function.
Anxiety can develop for many reasons, including genetics, challenges in brain regulation, past stress, or unresolved trauma. Each person’s experience is unique, and support is available. You are not alone.
What are anxiety symptoms?
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Excessive worry, fear, and restlessness
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Irritability
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A sense of impending doom
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Rapid heart rate and shortness of breath
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Racing thoughts
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Difficulty concentrating
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Avoiding anxiety-inducing situations or triggers
It’s important to understand that not everyone with anxiety will have all these symptoms, and their severity and duration can vary widely.
Cutting Edge Treatment
Neurofeedback is a drug-free approach that helps train the brain to function in a more stabilized and calm way. It is especially helpful for anxiety because it targets the root of the problem - poor self-regulated brain activity that contributes to excessive worry, tension, and difficulty calming down. If you are looking for a natural, evidence-informed option to support long-term relief from anxiety, neurofeedback may be the right fit.
Interested in exploring this option? Let’s talk about how it can support your healing.