Anxiety Therapy

In Santa Barbara & Throughout CA

Something Feels Off.

For some, anxiety is obvious.
Racing thoughts. Panic. Feeling overwhelmed.

But for many, it is much quieter.
Constant thinking. Difficulty relaxing.
A sense that something just isn’t right.

You might not even be sure if what you’re experiencing “counts” as anxiety.

But if your mind feels busy, your body feels tense, or your thoughts keep pulling you back in, it matters.

Because living this way is exhausting. And it doesn't have to stay like this.

Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

This Might Feel Familiar

Your thoughts keep going, even when you want them to stop

You revisit conversations, decisions, or situations long after they're over

It’s hard to fully relax, even during moments that should feel peaceful

There’s a constant sense that something still needs your attention

You feel tense without always knowing why

You’re putting in a lot of effort, but nothing seems to bring lasting relief

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck in This

Anxiety can start to turn inward.

And as it does, it can begin to feel like the problem is you.
That you’re too sensitive, not handling things well enough,
or just not doing life the way you should.

But that’s not actually what’s happening.

Many thoughtful, capable people struggle with anxiety.
And with the right support, it is possible to understand what’s going on in your mind,
respond to it differently, and begin to feel more steady and at ease.

Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation

How Therapy With Me Helps

Licensed therapist Alex Goodman sitting in a Santa Barbara therapy office specializing in anxiety and overthinking

I’m Alex, a licensed therapist based in Santa Barbara,
and anxiety is what I specialize in.

Anxiety isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither is therapy.

Some people come in knowing exactly what they’re dealing with.
Others just know something feels off.

Wherever you are, we start there.

My approach is structured, thoughtful, and active.

We take the time to understand how your anxiety actually operates
in your thoughts, your body, and your patterns.
Then we begin changing what’s keeping it in place.

Working together might include:

Working directly with difficult or distressing thoughts
Gradually reducing avoidance
Challenging rigid expectations
Practicing exposure when fear is running the show
Learning to tolerate uncertainty
Building a steadier relationship with your own mind

I use ACT, CBT, and ERP when appropriate, especially for OCD and repetitive mental loops.
Everything is tailored to how your anxiety actually functions.

Therapy with me is not about talking in circles.
It’s about helping you feel more solid in yourself.

More About Alex

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Choose a time that works for you

Fee: $185 for a 50-minute session
Private Pay. Superbills available. HSA/FSA accepted.

Common Questions About Anxiety

Many people assume that if they think about something long enough, they will eventually arrive at certainty, confidence, or the "right" answer.
Unfortunately, anxiety rarely works that way.
Instead, the mind gets pulled into the same loops. Conversations get replayed. Decisions get revisited. Future scenarios get rehearsed. Hours can be spent trying to figure out something that never quite feels resolved.
Overthinking is often an attempt to feel more prepared, more certain, or more in control. While understandable, it usually leaves people feeling exhausted and stuck.
Part of therapy involves learning how to step out of those loops and develop a different relationship with uncertainty, doubt, and the urge to keep thinking.
This is one of the most common and frustrating parts of anxiety.
Sometimes there is no obvious crisis, emergency, or major problem to point to. In fact, life may look relatively stable from the outside. Yet internally, there can still be a sense that something is off.
The mind may continue scanning for problems, anticipating future challenges, or searching for something that needs to be fixed. The body may remain tense, restless, or on edge.
Anxiety does not always wait for a genuine threat to appear. Sometimes the nervous system becomes so accustomed to looking for danger that it continues doing its job even when there is nothing immediate to respond to.
Anxiety often creates a surprisingly deep sense of self-doubt.
You may question your decisions, your memories, your feelings, your relationships, or whether you handled a situation correctly. Even after making a decision, it can be difficult to stop revisiting it and wondering whether another choice would have been better.
Over time, this can make everyday situations feel much harder than they need to be.
One of the goals of therapy is not simply reducing anxiety. It is also helping you develop greater confidence in your ability to think clearly, make decisions, handle uncertainty, and move through life without constantly looking for reassurance that you are doing it right.
Therapy with me is collaborative, practical, and tailored to the person sitting in front of me.
While understanding where patterns come from can be helpful, I am also interested in helping you create meaningful change in the present. Together, we look at what may be keeping anxiety going, identify the patterns that are getting in the way, and develop tools that fit your life and goals.
I draw from approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and mindfulness-based strategies. More importantly, I focus on helping people better understand themselves, build confidence in their ability to navigate challenges, and create a life that feels bigger than anxiety.