The Best Therapy for Anxiety: Finding the Right Fit for You
Clinically reviewed by: Hailey Perez, LMFT
Anxiety can sometimes feel like ordinary stress, but when the feeling becomes persistent, overwhelming, or starts to interfere with daily life, there’s probably something more going on. For many people, anxiety shows up in both the mind and body, such as racing thoughts that won’t quiet down, a rapid heartbeat that feels hard to control, or a lingering sense of dread that shadows everyday experiences. Thankfully, therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat anxiety, and for many people, it can be a turning point.
While there’s no single “best” therapy that works for everyone, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely recognized as a leading treatment for anxiety. Depending on your symptoms and goals, your therapist may recommend different or supplemental methods that align with your needs and help support real, lasting progress.
At Octave, we offer thoughtful, evidence-based care that’s built around you. Our carefully selected licensed therapists take the time to understand what you’re experiencing, and together, you’ll create a plan that feels manageable, supportive, and meaningful. If anxiety has been taking up too much space in your life, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Learn more about how individual therapy can help.
Types of therapy for anxiety
Anxiety doesn’t just affect how you think, it can also influence your physical health, relationships, and the way you move through your day. The goal of talk therapy isn’t to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to help you understand it, reduce its impact, and feel more in control of your everyday life.
The most effective treatment options work by helping you:
Understand what’s triggering your anxiety
Identify patterns in your thoughts and behaviors
Learn tools to manage symptoms in the moment
Practice new ways of responding that feel more grounded and intentional
Several research-backed approaches to anxiety treatment are available, each offering different tools and strategies. The best fit often depends on what your symptoms look like, what feels manageable for you, and the kind of change you’re hoping to create. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the most common types of psychotherapy used to treat anxiety, with each one offering a different path toward resilience and well-being.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Helps you: Rewrite thought patterns that fuel anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely studied and recommended therapy for anxiety, and for good reason. Research has consistently shown that CBT is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety, helping people make meaningful and lasting improvements across a range of anxiety disorders.
CBT helps you notice how automatic thoughts and beliefs contribute to your anxiety. In therapy, you’ll learn how to challenge and reframe these patterns in a more balanced, supportive way. You might work with your therapist to track your thoughts, identify cognitive distortions, and practice shifting toward more helpful perspectives. In addition to working with thoughts, CBT often includes behavior-based techniques, such as gradually facing feared situations or developing new coping strategies for managing anxiety in daily life. This combined focus on thinking and action helps you build greater emotional resilience and a stronger sense of control.
CBT is considered a highly effective approach for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and specific phobias. Whether you’re navigating everyday worry or intense anxiety symptoms, CBT offers structured, evidence-based tools to help you move forward with greater confidence and ease.
Talk to someone who understand anxiety
Exposure therapy
Helps you: Gradually face what you fear
Avoiding the people, places, or situations that cause anxiety might feel like a short-term solution, but over time, avoidance can actually make fears feel even more overwhelming. Exposure therapy helps reverse this pattern by supporting you in facing those fears at a manageable pace, with guidance every step of the way. Meta-analyses show that therapy with exposure techniques leads to better outcomes than therapy without them.
Together with your therapist, you’ll identify the specific situations, sensations, or memories that trigger your anxiety. From there, you’ll build a step-by-step plan to confront these fears in a controlled and supportive environment. This process allows your nervous system to recalibrate, showing your brain that the feared experience isn’t as threatening as it once seemed. Over time, the distress associated with the trigger decreases, and you regain a greater sense of confidence and control.
Exposure therapy is especially effective for panic disorder, specific phobias, OCD, and PTSD. Depending on your needs, exposure might involve real-life practice or guided visualization techniques that allow you to mentally face the feared situation before doing so in real life. When done thoughtfully and at a pace that feels safe, exposure therapy can be a powerful way to move through fear and toward greater freedom.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Helps you: Move forward with what matters
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) offers a different lens on anxiety. Rather than trying to eliminate negative thoughts or feelings, this approach teaches you how to make room for them while still living a life guided by your values. Studies also show that people who received ACT saw meaningful improvements in the severity of their anxiety symptoms over the course of treatment.
In therapy, you’ll practice noticing anxious thoughts without judgment and gently shifting your attention toward the things that bring you purpose, connection, and fulfillment. ACT often incorporates mindfulness practices, metaphors, and experiential exercises that help you untangle from the internal noise of anxiety and make space for action.
This approach can be especially helpful for people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from what matters most. It’s not about getting rid of anxiety altogether, it’s about moving forward with more flexibility, meaning, and self-compassion.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Helps you: Build skills for emotional regulation
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive behavioral techniques with skill-building for managing intense emotions, reducing emotional reactivity, and strengthening relationships with friends and loved ones. It’s especially helpful for people whose anxiety is closely tied to emotional sensitivity, mood swings, or difficulties in interpersonal settings. Studies have also found that people who participate in DBT tend to experience relief from anxiety symptoms more quickly than with some other approaches.
In DBT, you’ll learn four core sets of coping skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each skill set helps you recognize emotional patterns, stay grounded during difficult moments, and respond to stress and conflict in ways that feel more intentional and manageable.
DBT is often used when anxiety coexists with other conditions, such as depression, trauma, or personality-related disorders. It offers practical tools that support not just symptom management, but also emotional resilience and stronger, healthier relationships.
Mindfulness-based therapy
Helps you: Stay present when anxiety pulls you away
Anxiety often focuses your attention on what could go wrong in the future or what already happened in the past. Mindfulness-based therapy helps bring you back to the present, where it’s easier to notice your thoughts and feelings without getting swept away by them. It has been shown to meaningfully improve anxiety and mood symptoms, with benefits that tend to last long after treatment ends.
Through relaxation techniques like breathwork, body scans, and guided meditation, you’ll build greater awareness of your internal experience and develop tools to reduce reactivity. Some approaches, like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), combine mindfulness practices with cognitive behavioral strategies. MBCT is particularly helpful for people who experience chronic worry or repetitive negative thinking.
Mindfulness-based therapies are designed to help you meet your anxious thoughts with curiosity rather than fear, creating space for you to pause, breathe, and choose how you want to respond. Over time, these practices can help you feel more grounded, resilient, and connected to the present moment.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
Helps you: Rewire your response to the past
When anxiety is connected to past experiences—especially those that were traumatic or distressing—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can help shift how those memories are stored in the brain. Instead of being reactivated and triggering intense distress, the memories become less emotionally charged and easier to carry. Research shows that EMDR is effective for treating trauma and anxiety, often working faster or more deeply than other trauma-focused approaches.
In EMDR sessions, you’ll recall difficult memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as side-to-side eye movements or gentle tapping. This process helps the brain process the memory in a new way, which can ease the emotional burden it carries.
While EMDR is most commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it can also be helpful for people navigating frequent panic attacks (panic disorder), phobias, or anxiety that feels rooted in unresolved experiences. Over time, EMDR can help you feel less trapped by the past and more free to live fully in the present.
Which therapy is right for you?
You don’t need a formal diagnosis to seek therapy for anxiety. Many people start simply because something feels off, whether it’s constant worry, physical tension, or a racing mind that won’t quiet down. Different types of anxiety disorders may respond better to specific therapy approaches, and understanding those differences can help guide your care in a way that feels more targeted and effective.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the most common types of anxiety, how they might feel day to day, and the therapies that are most often used to treat it. These descriptions are based on clinical guidelines, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which mental health professionals use to diagnose anxiety and related mental health conditions.
| Type of anxiety | What it might feel like | Common symptoms | Helpful therapies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) | A constant, underlying sense of worry, even when things seem fine | You may worry most days, often about everyday things. It might be hard to relax, and you could feel tense, restless, tired, or have trouble sleeping. | CBT Mindfulness-based therapy ACT DBT |
| Panic disorder | Sudden waves of intense fear that seem to come out of nowhere | You might have recurring panic attacks with symptoms like a racing heart, chest tightness, or dizziness, and start to fear when the next one will happen. | CBT Exposure therapy EMDR Mindfulness-based therapy |
| Social anxiety disorder | Feeling deeply self-conscious or fearful in social situations | You may feel self-conscious or anxious in conversations or public settings, and start avoiding social events even when you want to be there. | CBT Exposure therapy ACT |
| Phobias | Intense fear of a specific object, situation, or activity | You might go out of your way to avoid something specific, and even thinking about it may cause anxiety or panic. | CBT Exposure therapy EMDR |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) | Intrusive thoughts or urges that lead to repeated behaviors | You may have distressing thoughts and feel driven to do certain actions to ease your anxiety. | CBT Exposure therapy ACT Mindfulness-based therapy |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | Feeling stuck in the past or ongoing anxiety following a traumatic experience | You might experience flashbacks, nightmares, or feel on edge. Certain reminders can trigger fear or make you shut down emotionally. | CBT EMDR Exposure therapy |
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) often feels like a constant, underlying sense of worry or dread, even when things in your life seem to be going well. You might find yourself worrying most days about everyday things like work, relationships, finances, or your health, often feeling like you can’t quite turn your mind off.
Common symptoms of GAD include restlessness, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Over time, this steady undercurrent of worry can start to wear on both your body and your emotional well-being.
If this experience sounds familiar, therapies like CBT, mindfulness-based therapy, ACT, and DBT are often helpful. These approaches can help you recognize the thought patterns that fuel constant worry, manage physical symptoms, and create more distance between you and the anxiety that’s been taking up space.
Panic disorder
Panic disorder is marked by sudden, intense waves of fear or discomfort, often coming on without any clear warning or obvious trigger. These episodes, known as panic attacks, can include symptoms like a racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, or an overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen. For many people, the fear of experiencing another attack can become just as distressing as the attacks themselves, creating a difficult cycle of anxiety and avoidance.
Therapies like CBT, exposure therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and, in some cases, even EMDR can be particularly effective. These approaches help you understand and respond to the thought patterns, physical sensations, and avoidance behaviors that contribute to panic, while also reducing the fear of the sensations themselves.
Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety often shows up as a deep fear of being judged, embarrassed, or rejected in social situations. You might avoid conversations, meetings, or events, even if you want to be there, because of the intense discomfort or self-consciousness they bring.
Common symptoms of social anxiety include racing thoughts, blushing, sweating, trembling, or feeling frozen and unable to speak in social situations. Over time, the fear of judgment can start to shape your daily life, leading to isolation and missed opportunities for connection.
Therapies like CBT, exposure therapy, and ACT, can be particularly helpful. These approaches support you in building confidence, challenging the negative beliefs you may hold about yourself or others, and practicing how to respond to social triggers with more ease, flexibility, and self-compassion.
Phobias
Specific phobias involve an intense, sometimes overwhelming fear of a particular object, activity, or situation, such as flying, heights, or needles. Even thinking about the feared object or scenario can trigger severe anxiety or panic, and it’s common to go to great lengths to avoid encountering it.
Exposure therapy and CBT are considered the most effective treatments for specific phobias, helping you build comfort and confidence step by step. In some cases, EMDR can also be helpful, especially if the phobia is connected to a past traumatic experience. These therapies work by supporting you in gradually facing your fears in a safe, structured, and manageable way. Over time, repeated exposure helps your brain recalibrate, and the fear response naturally begins to fade, allowing you to move through life with more freedom and less avoidance.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges—known as obsessions—that create intense anxiety or distress. In response, a person may feel driven to perform compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors or rituals meant to ease that discomfort. These thoughts can feel distressing or even out of character, and the rituals can become time-consuming or disruptive to daily life.
The gold standard for treating OCD is a combination of CBT and exposure therapy, specifically exposure and response prevention (ERP). In some cases, ACT and mindfulness-based therapy are also used to provide additional support, especially when it comes to managing emotional regulation challenges.These therapies help you learn to tolerate discomfort without relying on compulsive behaviors, reduce the fear associated with obsessive thoughts, and build more flexible, compassionate ways of responding to anxiety.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or deeply distressing event. Living with PTSD can feel like being stuck in survival mode. You might feel constantly on edge, emotionally disconnected, or find yourself reliving the trauma through flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares.
Many people with PTSD also find themselves avoiding places, people, conversations, or activities that remind them of what happened. Others may feel emotionally numb or withdrawn, making it hard to connect with others or feel fully present in daily life.
Therapies like EMDR, CBT, and exposure therapy are all proven approaches for treating PTSD. These therapies aim to help you safely reprocess traumatic memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and rebuild a sense of safety, stability, and trust, in both your body and mind.
These descriptions are just a starting point. If anything here feels familiar, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. A licensed therapist can help you make sense of what you’re experiencing and guide you toward the kind of support that fits your needs, goals, and daily life. With the right care, it’s possible to feel more grounded, more connected, and more in control of your anxiety.
How medication can support your work in therapy
Sometimes therapy alone doesn’t fully relieve anxiety symptoms. That doesn’t mean therapy isn’t working, it just means your brain might benefit from some added support. For many people, combining therapy with medication can help ease symptoms enough to feel more like themselves again, making it easier to engage in the work of therapy and reach their goals.
While medications don’t cure anxiety, they can reduce the intensity of symptoms like racing thoughts, physical tension, or constant worry, creating more space for healing and growth. If your provider recommends exploring medication as part of your treatment plan, it will likely fall into one of the categories outlined below.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often the first type of medication providers recommend for treating anxiety. SSRIs work by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain, a chemical that plays an important role in regulating mood and anxiety. Common examples of SSRIs prescribed for anxiety include Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Lexapro (escitalopram).
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) work by increasing levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine—two brain chemicals that play important roles in mood regulation and the body’s response to stress. SNRIs are often considered when SSRIs aren’t providing enough symptom relief on their own. Common examples of SNRIs used to treat anxiety include Effexor XR (venlafaxine XR) and Cymbalta (duloxetine).
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are fast-acting anti-anxiety medications that work by calming the nervous system, creating a sense of both physical and mental relaxation. They can be particularly helpful for managing short-term or acute anxiety, such as before a stressful event or during a severe panic attack. However, benzodiazepines are typically not used as a long-term treatment for anxiety due to the risk of dependence. Common examples include Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), and Klonopin (clonazepam).
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers are typically used to treat heart conditions, but they are sometimes prescribed to help manage certain symptoms of anxiety. They work by blocking the physical effects of anxiety, such as a racing heartbeat or shaky hands, but without directly changing your emotional experience. A provider might recommend beta-blockers if your anxiety is mostly situational and tied to specific high-stress events, like public speaking or performing. Common examples of beta-blockers used for anxiety include Inderal (propranolol) and Tenormin (atenolol).
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are an older class of medications that are sometimes used to treat anxiety when SSRIs or SNRIs haven’t provided enough relief. TCAs work by affecting several brain chemicals linked to mood and anxiety regulation, helping to ease symptoms over time. While TCAs can be effective, they tend to cause more side effects than newer medications, which is why they usually aren’t considered a first choice. Common examples include Tofranil (imipramine) and Elavil (amitriptyline).
Medication is typically prescribed by a primary care provider or a psychiatrist, and it often works best when paired with ongoing therapy. If you’re considering medication, your healthcare provider or psychiatry specialist will walk you through whether it’s a good fit for your needs, along with the potential benefits and side effects, so you can make an informed decision together.
At Octave, while our therapists don’t prescribe medication directly, they can help you explore whether medication might be a helpful part of your care plan. If needed, our Care Navigation team is here to connect you with trusted providers and resources, making sure you get the support you need. The most important thing to know is that support is available, and you’re not expected to handle everything on your own.
Finding the format that suits your needs
Therapy should feel accessible and supportive—not like one more thing you have to stress about. Whether you prefer connecting with someone face-to-face or want the flexibility and comfort of virtual care, both options can be equally effective for treating anxiety.
In-person therapy may feel more personal for some people, offering a sense of structure, routine, and deeper connection, especially if being physically present feels grounding to you. On the other hand, online therapy offers convenience and comfort, allowing you to attend sessions from home or any private space where you feel safe and grounded.
When deciding which option feels right, it can help to ask yourself a few simple questions:
Are you comfortable using technology and logging in to a virtual session?
Do you have a private, quiet space where you can focus during therapy?
Do you prefer the ease of joining from home or the experience of meeting face-to-face?
We offer both in-person and online therapy, so you can choose the setting that best fits your needs, lifestyle, and comfort level. No matter how you choose to show up, our care is consistent, research-backed, and thoughtfully designed to meet you exactly where you are.
The journey through therapy: What to expect and how it helps
Starting therapy for anxiety is a brave and meaningful step, and it’s okay if you’re not sure exactly what to expect. Octave makes it easier to find the right support by allowing you to filter providers by therapeutic approach, so you can connect with someone who offers the type of care you’re looking for, whether that’s CBT, ACT, EMDR, or another evidence-based method. And if your first therapist isn’t the perfect fit, that’s okay too. Sometimes it takes meeting with more than one provider to find someone you truly connect with.
In the beginning, therapy sessions often focus on getting to know your experience. Your therapist will ask you questions to better understand what anxiety feels like for you, how it shows up in your daily life, and what you hope to change. From there, your therapist will guide you through practical tools, strategies, and conversations that can help reduce symptoms and build long-term resilience.
Over time, therapy can lead to deeper shifts, such as fewer panic attacks, better sleep, more ease in social situations, and a greater sense of calm and self-trust. It’s not just about managing symptoms, it’s about improving your overall mental health, strengthening your relationships, and increasing your quality of life.
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all care. Our therapists work with you to build a customized treatment plan that fits your goals, your pace, and your unique relationship with anxiety. Whether you’re just beginning your therapy journey or looking for a fresh approach, we’re here to support you every step of the way with expert care that’s grounded in compassion.
There’s a way through anxiety—and we’re here to help
Living with anxiety can be exhausting, especially when it feels like you’re doing everything you can just to keep going. But you don’t have to manage it alone. Individual therapy offers a supportive space to better understand what’s driving your anxiety, learn new ways to respond, and start feeling more in control again.
Whether you’re curious about how your anxiety works or simply ready for support that meets you where you are, help is available, and progress is possible. Our licensed therapists offer customized, evidence-based care that’s grounded in compassion and built around your needs. We’ll work with you to create a plan that feels manageable, supportive, and aligned with the life you want to lead.
At Octave, you’ll find thoughtful support for your well-being and a space where you can reconnect with yourself, rebuild resilience, and move forward with confidence.