Anxiety Therapy St. Paul, MN

Stop Living in Fear Mode

You deserve to feel calm in your own skin again. Our specialized anxiety therapy in St. Paul combines proven CBT techniques with body-based approaches that actually work.

OCD Survivor Expertise

Evidence-Based Methods Only

Flexible Treatment Options

No Pressure Approach

Specialized Anxiety Treatment St. Paul

Anxiety Doesn't Have to Control Your Life

Whether you’re dealing with constant worry, panic attacks, or intrusive thoughts, our anxiety therapy helps you reclaim control. We specialize in treating the whole person—not just symptoms. You’ll learn practical skills that work in real-world situations. From managing physical anxiety symptoms to breaking thought patterns that keep you stuck, our approach gives you tools that last. Our St. Paul location serves the Twin Cities area with both individual therapy and specialized techniques like interoceptive exposure for panic and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction St. Paul

We Treat Your Body, Not Just Your Thoughts

Most anxiety lives in your body first, then creates the thoughts that keep you stuck. That’s why we use somatic experiencing alongside traditional cognitive behavioral therapy. Somatic experiencing teaches you to track what’s happening in your nervous system before anxiety takes over. You’ll learn to notice early warning signs and respond differently instead of getting swept away by panic. We also integrate mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a 40-year research-backed approach that helps you stay present instead of getting lost in worry about the future. These aren’t just relaxation techniques—they’re practical skills for interrupting anxiety before it spirals.

CBT and Somatic Experiencing Benefits

What Changes When Anxiety Stops Running Your Life

Real clients tell us these are the differences they notice first when our treatment starts working.

Interoceptive Exposure Panic Treatment

We Help You Face Physical Symptoms Safely

If you’re afraid of your own heartbeat, shortness of breath, or dizziness, interoceptive exposure can break that cycle. This specialized technique helps you practice experiencing physical sensations in a controlled way. Instead of avoiding situations that might trigger physical symptoms, you’ll learn that these sensations aren’t dangerous. We guide you through exercises that gradually reduce your fear response to normal bodily experiences. You’ll also learn DBT skills for distress tolerance and emotion regulation—practical tools for managing intense feelings without making impulsive decisions that make things worse.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Support is here. Our counselors provide a safe space to talk, heal, and move forward—at your pace.

Common questions about Anxiety Therapy

Our approach combines multiple evidence-based methods specifically for anxiety and OCD. While general counseling focuses on talking through problems, we teach you concrete skills to change how your nervous system responds to stress. We use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address thought patterns, somatic experiencing to work with physical symptoms, and specialized techniques like interoceptive exposure for panic disorders. William’s background as both a licensed therapist and OCD survivor means you’re working with someone who understands anxiety from both professional and personal experience. We also offer both in-person sessions in downtown St. Paul and virtual options, making treatment accessible regardless of your location or schedule.
Interoceptive exposure helps you become less afraid of physical sensations that trigger panic attacks. Many people with anxiety develop a “fear of fear”—they become so worried about experiencing symptoms like rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or shortness of breath that they start avoiding situations where these might occur. During interoceptive exposure, we safely create these physical sensations in controlled exercises, like spinning to create dizziness or breathing through a straw to create breathlessness. This teaches your brain that these sensations aren’t dangerous and don’t need to trigger panic. Research shows this approach is highly effective for panic disorder, health anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder. We always explain the process clearly and never pressure you into exercises you’re not ready for.
William operates as a fee-for-service provider, which means payment is due at the time of service. We’re an out-of-network provider but can provide superbills upon request that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. Many clients find that out-of-network providers offer more flexibility in treatment approaches and session frequency compared to in-network options. We accept HSA, FSA, cash, and credit cards. We recommend contacting your insurance company directly to understand your out-of-network benefits and reimbursement rates. Some clients find the investment worthwhile because they can access specialized treatment that might not be available through in-network providers.
Most clients start noticing some changes within the first few sessions, particularly in their understanding of how anxiety works and their confidence in managing symptoms. Significant improvement typically occurs within 12-20 sessions for anxiety disorders, though this varies based on symptom severity and how long you’ve been struggling. For OCD specifically, research suggests that 60-100 exposures combined with response prevention lead to substantial, lasting benefits. We focus on teaching you skills you can use independently, so you’re not dependent on therapy long-term. Some clients choose to continue with less frequent “booster” sessions to maintain progress, while others graduate from treatment entirely. The goal is always to help you develop the tools and confidence to manage anxiety on your own.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) focuses on identifying and changing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, while somatic experiencing works directly with how anxiety shows up in your body. Many people benefit from both approaches because anxiety affects both thinking and physical sensations. CBT helps you recognize catastrophic thinking patterns and develop more balanced perspectives, while somatic experiencing teaches you to notice and regulate your nervous system responses. For example, you might use CBT to challenge the thought “I’m having a heart attack” during a panic attack, while using somatic techniques to track and calm your actual physical sensations. We often combine these approaches because anxiety isn’t just a thinking problem or just a body problem—it’s both. This integrated approach tends to be more effective than using either method alone.
Yes, we specialize in treating both anxiety disorders and OCD, often using similar evidence-based approaches. Many people have both conditions, and they frequently reinforce each other. William has extensive training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is considered the gold standard for OCD treatment, along with CBT techniques that help with general anxiety. OCD involves intrusive thoughts that create anxiety, leading to compulsive behaviors aimed at reducing that anxiety—but these behaviors actually strengthen the OCD cycle. Treatment involves gradually facing feared thoughts and situations while preventing the compulsive responses. We also incorporate mindfulness-based approaches and DBT skills to help you tolerate distress without engaging in compulsions. The treatment process is collaborative and goes at your pace, with clear explanations of why each technique is helpful for your specific symptoms.
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