Written by Jaclyn Long, LMFT | Founder & Director, Mindful Child & Family Therapy

Where do you begin when anxiety keeps taking up space?

The best place to begin is with what you most want to feel different in your everyday life. You sit down after work, and your mind keeps rehearsing what could go wrong tomorrow. Perhaps breathing exercises have helped a little, and you are ready for something more lasting. Knowing your options can make that next step feel much clearer.

Our therapists at MCAFT hear this from adults across the San Francisco Bay Area. For some, the goal is sleeping more easily, and for others it is returning to activities they have quietly stopped doing. Many simply want their thoughts to feel less loud during an ordinary evening at home. Whatever brings you here, a free consultation is a calm place to start sorting it out.

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What does anxiety treatment actually involve?

Anxiety treatment begins with understanding how worry shows up in your daily life. Your therapist will ask about moments that feel hard, such as interrupted sleep, conversations you put off, repeated checking, or hours lost to worrying. Bringing real examples keeps the work connected to what you actually live with. Over time, those examples become the map for your therapy.

Therapy often includes a blend of conversation, reflection, and small practices between sessions. Some approaches are more structured, with clear exercises to try during the week. Others focus more on understanding where the worry comes from and what it is trying to protect. Many people find a combination of both works best.

Three ways I help clients calm down right away start with something simple: feeling their feet on the floor and noticing the chair holding them up. That small shift brings attention back into the room and out of the spinning thoughts. You can do it anywhere, even in the middle of a meeting.

The second is slowing the breath just a little, letting each exhale run slightly longer than the inhale. Clients often notice their shoulders soften within a few breaths. Five or six slow breaths is usually enough to feel a difference.

The third is naming what is happening in plain words, such as “I’m feeling worried about tomorrow’s meeting.” Putting the feeling into words often takes some of its sting away. It also creates a little space between you and the worry.

How do you choose an approach that fits?

The right approach is the one that fits your experience, your goals, and the way you like to work. It helps to ask your therapist why they recommend a certain approach for you and how it connects to what you are feeling. You can also ask what you might try if progress feels slow. A good therapist welcomes these questions and makes room for your preferences.

At MCAFT, our therapists tailor their approach to each person’s needs. You can learn more about our counseling team and read about each therapist’s background before your first session. Many people find it reassuring to know a little about their therapist ahead of time. That familiarity can make the first conversation feel easier.

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How do the different therapies compare?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you notice anxious thoughts, gently question them, and try new responses in the situations you have been avoiding. You might explore the worry that asking a question at work will lead to embarrassment, then practice asking anyway in small, manageable steps. CBT is one of the most widely used approaches for anxiety. Many people appreciate how practical it feels.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-established approach for anxiety connected to painful past experiences. During EMDR, you recall a difficult memory while following gentle back-and-forth movements or sounds. Over time, the memory often feels less charged and easier to carry. Your therapist can help you decide whether past experiences are part of what keeps your anxiety going.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy brings calm, curious attention into CBT. Sessions can help you notice a worried thought and let it pass, so each one feels less urgent. If sitting quietly feels uncomfortable, your therapist can adapt the practice with movement or open-eyed exercises. Many people find these skills carry well into daily life.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills can help when feelings rise quickly and intensely. These skills focus on calming strong emotions, tolerating hard moments, and communicating needs clearly. Your therapist may weave in selected DBT skills alongside other approaches. You can ask how these skills would fit your goals.

Many of our therapists also offer Internal Family Systems (IFS), which helps you get to know the worried, protective parts of yourself. While the formal research base for IFS is still developing, many people find it opens up something other approaches have not reached. IFS can be especially helpful when worry feels tied to an inner critic. It often brings a gentler, kinder relationship with yourself.

Can medication and therapy work together?

Medication and therapy can work well side by side as parts of the same plan. Questions about medication belong with a doctor or psychiatrist, who can talk with you about options, what to expect, and any concerns you have. Your therapist can help you think through what you want to ask. With your permission, your therapist and prescriber can also stay in touch about how things are going.

How long does anxiety treatment usually take?

The length of treatment depends on your goals and what you bring into therapy. Many people begin noticing small changes within the first few months, such as sleeping a little better or returning to an activity they had stopped. Your therapist will check in with you regularly about what is helping and what could be adjusted. Honest feedback keeps the work moving in the right direction.

MCAFT offers in-person therapy in Los Altos, Mountain View–Los Altos, San Jose, and Half Moon Bay, along with online therapy across California. Our Anxiety Therapy supports adults throughout the SF Bay Area with warmth, practical tools, and a pace that feels right for you. A free consultation is a simple way to explore your options together.

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Related Resources

If you’d like to learn more, you may also find these helpful:

• Why Am I Always Anxious? When You Can’t Turn Your Brain Off
• How Does Online Therapy Work?
• Meet Our Counseling Team

Author Bio: Jaclyn Long, LMFT (MFT #47100), is the Founder and Director of Mindful Child and Family Therapy (MCAFT). She leads a team of therapists supporting children, teens, adults, couples, and families in Los Altos, Mountain View–Los Altos, San Jose, Half Moon Bay, and online across California.