Online Anxiety Therapy

for BIPOC professionals in NYC and New York State

Anxiety shouldn’t get the last word.

Anxiety is affecting your closest relationships, and you hate its power over you. Something needs to change.

You’ve considered yourself “worry-prone” for a long time, but lately, your anxiety has taken on a new and different form. It’s starting to make itself a home in your life and, unironically, this makes you even more anxious. Maybe you’re constantly ruminating on the “what-ifs” and second-guessing every decision you’ve ever made. The expectations of others seem impossible to live up to – including your own. It’s made sleeping difficult, and on some days, you’ve barely eaten a satisfying meal. Every “imperfection” haunts you. You’re exhausted, and something has to change.

Being this anxious has started to take a toll in multiple areas of your life. How can you ever rest well when anxiety thrives on the jitters of your excessive worry? Your whole body is tense, and you can’t remember the last time you slept well. You’re starting to be short-tempered at work and with the people you love. No one understands what you’re really going through.

How therapy for anxiety works:

Learning how to deal with your anxiety is a process. My culturally-informed approach will first delve into getting a broad picture of what’s been going on in your life, and we’ll work together to discover what all is triggering your anxiety. This “discovery” is a bit like entering into a deep cave: we’ll go carefully with our flashlights and safety equipment, and I’ll be your guide.

Throughout this discovery process, you’ll learn helpful ways to handle your anxiety so that it no longer overwhelms your day-to-day life.

Another key aspect of my approach will be getting an understanding of your family dynamics. Often, what we experience in our early formative relationships shapes how we manage our emotions later in life, including anxiety. Dredging up old stuff can be hard, yet being willing to do so can be profoundly helpful.

You deserve to have a life where anxiety doesn’t have the last word.

Getting help is the first step toward living confidently in an overwhelming world, and feeling empowered enough to manage your emotions – the way you want to.

What would your day be like if you woke up one morning feeling better rested than you have in a long time? After a few more nights of this, you’re starting to notice clearer thoughts, and you’re able to crank through your email inbox with an efficiency you haven’t seen in a long time.

You’re less annoyed at your partner than you used to be. Their peculiar habits are endearing to you once again, instead of irritating. Your relationships have a lightness to them again, and now that you’re not constantly overanalyzing yourself – you’re experiencing what it means to actually be present with your loved ones, laugh with them, and enjoy the genuine connections.

Therapy for anxiety can help you:

  • Trust yourself better in triggering environments

  • Understand the sources of your anxiety

  • Grow in your ability to care for your needs

  • Build helpful coping skills to manage your anxiety

  • Engage the world around you in fulfilling ways 

  • Rest when you need to rest

Anxiety doesn’t have to hold you captive.

Frequently Asked Questions about Anxiety:

  • A: Therapy can absolutely be a gamechanger when it comes to dealing with anxiety. You can think of it like having a collaborative guide who helps you navigate the labyrinth of your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Research has shown this to be true, time and time again: evidence-based therapeutic approaches have shown remarkable success in curbing anxiety. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you spot those sneaky negative thought patterns that fuel your anxiety and give you the tools to change them.

    A trained psychotherapist like myself can tailor therapy to your unique experiences and needs. I incorporate CBT into my approach, alongside systemic therapy models, to help you gain insights into the root causes of your anxiety. From there, we collaborate on developing practical strategies to cope with the challenges you face. A therapist alongside you in this journey is someone who is armed with science and strategies to help you along the way.

  • A: The frequency of our virtual therapy sessions will depend on your unique needs and the specific challenges you're facing. In the beginning, I recommend weekly sessions. That cadence can be very helpful to build momentum for your ongoing healing and working through the immediate issues you want to tackle.

    As we make progress and you start feeling more equipped to handle your anxiety, we can decide if it’s best for you to space out your sessions to bi-weekly, or perhaps another arrangement. The frequency will be a collaborative decision, and I’ll work with you to find the best approach that suits your circumstances and goals. Remember, virtual therapy is a valuable resource to support you through anxiety and major life transitions. Your well-being is important, and I'm here to help you prioritize that.

  • A: Virtual therapy for anxiety can be just as effective as in-person therapy – but of course, it all depends on your unique circumstances and preferences. There are some studies that show the virtual format can be even more effective for people who are struggling with certain types of anxiety, like social anxiety, or other major life transitions. This is because the virtual format can offer a sense of privacy, comfort, and convenience through the client’s personal environment, which sometimes is more difficult to achieve at a therapist’s office. For others, the flexibility of online therapy can make it easier to make progress on their goals.

    At Therapy for Shawn, I adapt evidence-based “talk therapies” to the virtual setting, which is more easily achieved due to its verbal and conversational nature. If your needs or circumstances warrant in-person support, it is my ethical duty to inform you of that and provide you with reputable, trusted referrals.

  • A: I currently offer sessions at $150 per 50-minute session. Fees are charged after the end of each session with your payment method of choice on file.

  • A: Cancellations must be given 48-hours' notice in order to avoid a session charge.