ONLINE ANXIETY THERAPY IN NJ, NY & CO

Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Support for Anxiety and Chronic Stress

At Holding Space Therapy, anxiety therapy is about more than managing symptoms. Together, we explore the deeper emotional patterns, nervous system responses, and life experiences that may be keeping anxiety active beneath the surface.

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While occasional anxiety is normal, it becomes a problem when it is persistent and overwhelming. Anxiety disorders involve excessive worry that often feels disproportionate to the situation. Over time, these feelings can interfere with daily life, making it difficult to function at work, in relationships, or even with simple tasks.

When Anxiety Starts Affecting Everyday Life

Common anxiety symptoms include physical tension, difficulty concentrating, irritability, sleep disturbances, and more intense signs like chest pain, sweating, trembling, and a racing heart. These symptoms may last for months and worsen without treatment. The cycle of worry can lead to increased risks for depression, substance use, and other health complications.

Unfortunately, many people don’t seek help, with only about 1 in 4 receiving treatment despite the availability of effective therapies.

Common symptoms of anxiety

Why does anxiety feel so physical?

Anxiety often lives in the body as much as the mind. Many people experience muscle tension, racing heartbeat, digestive discomfort, fatigue, or difficulty sleeping long before they recognize how overwhelmed their nervous system has become.

When the body remains in a prolonged state of stress or emotional vigilance, it can become difficult to fully rest, slow down, or feel grounded. Therapy can help support both emotional understanding and nervous system regulation.

What Is Treatment-Resistant Anxiety?

Despite recommendations to the contrary, up to 83% of patients with anxiety are prescribed benzodiazepines long-term, often due to persistent symptoms, a condition known as treatment-resistant anxiety disorders (Ansara, 2020; Bokman et al., 2019). Up to 60% of Anxiety patients have substantial impairing remaining symptoms despite the application of evidence-based first-line treatment.

Treatment Approaches for Anxiety Disorders

First-line treatments for anxiety disorders typically include psychotropic medications, particularly SSRIs and SNRIs, along with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Benzodiazepines, another class of psychotropic medications, are considered a second-line treatment for anxiety. However, they are recommended for short-term use, no longer than 8 weeks, due to the risk of dependency and withdrawal.

When Anxiety Treatment Hasn’t Felt Like Enough

For some people, anxiety symptoms continue even after trying medication, CBT, or other traditional approaches. This does not mean therapy has failed or that healing is out of reach. It may mean your anxiety needs to be understood through a fuller lens, including your nervous system, relationships, past experiences, and current environment.

“We adapt to adversity by orienting to our strengths, attending to our pain, and taking charge of our narrative that define our life.”

— Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Our Holistic and Trauma-Informed Approaches to Anxiety Therapy

At Holding Space Therapy, we use a multi-faceted approach to address anxiety.

Our method involves examining your symptoms through a bio-psycho-social lens and then creating a treatment plan that integrates your past experiences and current environmental factors.

Using somatic-based interventions to either stimulate or calm your nervous system as needed.
Employing attachment and relational approaches to strengthen your social connections and improve relational dynamics.
Working with you to shift your inner dialogue towards a more positive and supportive perspective, fostering a life with reduced depression and anxiety.
Incorporating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to process and integrate distressing memories, facilitating emotional healing and reducing symptoms.