Anxiety Therapy for High-Achieving Women
High-Achieving Doesn't Have to Mean High-Anxiety
Online anxiety therapy for high-achieving women, leaders, and founders who look fine on the outside but feel overwhelmed on the inside. We’ll reduce overthinking, calm your nervous system, and help you feel grounded without losing your drive. Licensed for online therapy in MA, NY, CO, VT & FL.
Are You a High Achiever Feeling Overwhelmed by Anxiety?
You might be the one others rely on, while your mind runs worst-case scenarios in the background. Anxiety can start to show up as overthinking, irritability, sleep disruption, or that constant sense of pressure to stay on.
You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone
In therapy, we’ll make sense of what’s fueling the anxiety and build practical tools that actually fit your life.
I’m Alexis Verbin, LCSW, LICSW, founder of Wellcore Healing. I provide online anxiety therapy for driven women across Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, Vermont, and Florida.
Ready to Quiet the Mental Noise?
✔ Secure, HIPAA-compliant online sessions
✔ Flexible Scheduling including evenings
✔ Free 30-Minute Consultation
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal stress response. It’s your brain and body trying to protect you.
The problem is when that alarm system stays on, even when you’re not in real danger. For high-achieving women, anxiety often looks like overthinking, second-guessing, feeling keyed up, and struggling to fully rest even when things are going well.
If anxiety is affecting your sleep, focus, relationships, or ability to enjoy life, it’s a good time to get support. Therapy can help you understand your pattern and learn tools that create real relief, not just short-term coping.
Common Causes of Anxiety
Most anxiety isn’t caused by one thing. It’s usually a mix of stress, lived experiences, personality patterns, and what your nervous system has learned over time.
Common contributors include:
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High workload, caregiving, financial pressure, or constant responsibility
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Unresolved trauma, such as childhood experiences or significant life events, can trigger anxiety
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A natural sensitivity to stress or worry
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Pressure to get it right, fear of letting others down, and/or need for control. If perfectionism is driving your anxiety more than anything else, learn more about perfectionism therapy.
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Hormones, chronic illness, or medication side effects
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Alcohol or other substances can temporarily numb anxiety but often intensify it long-term
Common Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety can show up in your thoughts, emotions, and body. Some people experience a few of these, while others recognize themselves in many.
Common symptoms include:
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Constant worry or worst-case thinking
Rumination and difficulty shutting off your brain
Trouble concentrating or feeling mentally scattered
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Irritability or feeling easily overwhelmed
A sense of dread or impending doom
Feeling on edge, impatient, or unusually reactive
Shame or self-criticism after you’ve had a strong emotional response
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Tight chest, racing heart, shortness of breath
Nausea, digestive discomfort, headaches, jaw or shoulder tension
Fatigue that doesn’t match your workload
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Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety
Overpreparing, overchecking, or needing constant reassurance
Sleep issues (falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up wired)
How Anxiety Therapy Helps
Addressing the Pattern Together
You don’t need to figure this out alone. In therapy, we’ll connect the dots between what you’re experiencing now, what your nervous system has learned over time, and the high-achieving coping strategies that keep anxiety running.
Healthy Changes You May Notice
Over time, you can expect real shifts in how you feel and function.
✔ Interrupt worry spirals and reduce overthinking
✔ Stop second-guessing your decisions and trust yourself more at work and in relationships
✔ Feel less reactive in your body so stress doesn't hit as hard or linger as long
✔ Manage anxiety symptoms without relying on avoidance or overworking
✔ Set boundaries without guilt, especially in high-pressure roles
✔ Feel confident asking for what you need at work and at home
✔ Improve sleep and mental clarity so you can feel more present at work and at home
Anxiety Treatment Approaches
Approaches I Often Use in Anxiety Therapy
I use an evidence-based, integrative approach and tailor therapy to your goals, your nervous system, and what you’re navigating in real life. You won’t just talk about anxiety. You’ll learn practical tools to change the patterns that keep it running.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT for anxiety helps you catch the thought patterns that are feeding your anxiety. You will learn how to quiet the worry spirals, the catastrophizing, the anxious self-talk that sounds so convincing at 2am. You'll build real skills to interrupt those patterns and respond differently.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT teaches you how to make room for anxious thoughts without letting them take over. In therapy, we’ll focus on values-based action so anxiety isn’t making your decisions for you. Studies suggest ACT can be as effective as CBT for many people with anxiety [2].
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness therapy helps you learn to come back to the present moment when your mind is racing and your body feels on edge. You’ll practice skills you can use in real time to calm yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
If you've spent years being the capable one, the reliable one, the one who holds it together, IFS Therapy can help you make sense of why that's exhausting. We work with the parts of you that carry pressure, anxiety, and fear, so you can feel safer inside yourself.
Exposure Therapy
Sometimes the most effective approach is to gradually face what you've been avoiding in a structured, supported way. Over time, through Exposure Therapy, your brain learns that you can handle discomfort. Avoidance stops being the only option.
Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology isn't toxic positivity. It's evidence-based work on strengths, meaning, and what's going well, which helps balance out the brain's natural pull toward threat and negativity.
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Anxiety is treatable. CBT is one of the most studied treatments for anxiety, and large research reviews show it’s more effective than usual care, with benefits that can last beyond treatment. These reviews also support several third-wave approaches, including mindfulness-based CBT, for reducing worry and anxiety [1].
Anxiety Therapy: What I Treat
You don't need to diagnose yourself or know exactly what's wrong. If anxiety is getting in the way, that's enough. I work with high-achieving women online across Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, Vermont, and Florida.
Click the patterns below that feel familiar, or start with a consultation, and we’ll sort it out together.
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When worry feels constant, even when things are going well. You might overthink, struggle to relax, and feel like your brain is always working overtime.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Interrupting worry spirals and reducing rumination
Building nervous system regulation skills in place of avoidance or distraction so you can actually feel calmer
Creating healthy routines and boundaries that protect sleep, focus, and energy
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When fear of judgment makes you overprepare, replay conversations, or avoid being seen. You can look confident on the outside while feeling tense and self-conscious inside.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Quieting the inner critic that picks apart everything you said, did, or didn't do
Slowly rebuilding confidence in social situations without forcing it
Building self-trust so you can show up more like your authentic self
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When chronic pressure turns into racing thoughts, irritability, and a body that can’t fully rest. This often shows up for leaders, founders, and high performers who are used to operating in overdrive.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Reducing overwhelm and building sustainable boundaries
Calming your stress response so your body isn’t stuck in high alert
Untangling perfectionism-driven pressure and all-or-nothing thinking
If the feeling of “never being enough” is part of the picture, explore self-esteem therapy.
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When health fears pull you into constant scanning, Googling symptoms, or needing repeated reassurance, even when tests are normal. It can feel impossible to stop checking.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Interrupting the cycle of checking and reassurance-seeking that never actually makes you feel better
Learning to notice physical sensations without immediately assuming the worst
Getting to a place where discomfort doesn't automatically mean you are in danger
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High-achieving women don't usually show up to therapy because they're in financial crisis. They show up because the worry never stops, even when everything looks fine on paper. You might feel guilty every time you spend money on yourself. You might feel like you can't afford to slow down, even when you're exhausted. Or you've hit income goals that were supposed to feel like enough, and they don't.
In therapy, we'll work on:
Figuring out why the anxiety is still there even when the bank account says otherwise
Getting out from under the pressure to keep earning, achieving, and proving yourself financially
Making money decisions from a grounded place instead of from fear or scarcity
Separating your financial reality from the story anxiety keeps telling you about it
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When being evaluated triggers self-doubt, mental blanking, or intense physical symptoms. This can show up in leadership, presentations, interviews, entrepreneurship, or sports.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Calming the nervous system before and during high-stakes moments
Shifting the inner critic and fear of failure
Learning how to prepare in a way that actually calms you down
If imposter syndrome is part of what's driving your performance anxiety, learn more about imposter syndrome therapy.
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When you overanalyze, fear rejection, or struggle to feel secure in relationships. You might crave closeness but feel guarded, or pull away when things feel uncertain.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Making sense of why you pull away, overanalyze, or brace for things to fall apart, even in relationships that feel safe
Learning how to say what you actually need without it feeling like too much to ask
Feeling more secure in yourself, so the relationship doesn't have to carry all the weight
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When panic hits, it often comes with fear of the sensations themselves. It can feel scary, unpredictable, and exhausting.
In therapy, we’ll work on:
Reducing fear of physical sensations and learning what panic is doing
Building skills to ride the wave without avoiding
Restoring confidence in your ability to feel safe in your body again
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That’s normal. You don’t need to figure it out before reaching out. In a consultation, we’ll clarify what’s going on and what approach will help you feel more grounded and in control.
Anxiety Therapy FAQs
Online Support for High-Achieving Women
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The short answer is yes, and I can speak to this beyond just research. I spent a decade doing in-person therapy before moving to a fully virtual practice in 2020. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was that, for many of the women I work with, online therapy removed barriers that had kept them from getting help in the first place: the commute, the scheduling, and the need to show up somewhere after an already exhausting day.
The research supports it too. Studies comparing CBT delivered by video to the same therapy in person have found similar improvement in anxiety symptoms [3]. Research reviews looking across many studies also find teletherapy outcomes are generally comparable to in-person therapy when the treatment approach is the same [4]. But more than the studies, I’ve watched it work.
If you’re a high achiever with a packed schedule, online therapy removes much of the friction that keeps you from showing up consistently. And consistency is one of the biggest factors in making progress.
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Honestly? Because it fits their lives in ways traditional therapy often doesn't.
There's no commute, no rearranging your entire afternoon, and no sitting in a waiting room after a back-to-back meeting day. Sessions happen from wherever you are, your home office, your car between appointments, or a quiet room at work. Remote sessions can take place early in the morning, during lunch breaks, and in the evening.
For women juggling demanding careers, leadership roles, or businesses across multiple time zones, that kind of flexibility isn't a nice-to-have. It's what makes it possible to actually follow through.
I work with clients in Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Florida, and wherever you are in those states, the support is the same.
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A few things matter more than most people realize when they're choosing a therapist.
Credentials are a starting point. However, you also want to make sure the clinician is trained in evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, or IFS and specializes in anxiety. Beyond that, it matters whether the therapist understands your world. Working with a high-achieving woman who's burning out in a demanding career is different from general anxiety work, and your therapist should get that without you having to explain it from scratch.
It's important to find someone who offers a free consultation before you commit. That conversation will tell you a lot, not just about their approach, but about whether you feel comfortable being honest with them. The therapeutic relationship created is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy actually works, so trust your gut on fit.
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Yes, and it makes a lot of sense, especially for high-achieving women. Asking for help can feel unfamiliar when you're used to being the one who figures things out. You might worry about what to say, whether your problems are serious enough, or how you'll come across. All of that is normal.
It's also normal to feel uncertain about online therapy specifically, especially if you've never tried it before. A lot of people wonder whether it can feel personal enough or whether you can actually build a connection through a screen. In my experience, both in person and virtually, the connection is real. It just looks a little different.
You don't need to have it all figured out before your first session. Most people don't. We'll start wherever you are.
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It varies, but most clients start noticing something shift within the first few sessions, not a complete transformation, but a sense that things are starting to make more sense, or that they have a tool they didn't have before.
Meaningful, lasting change typically becomes more visible around 8 to 12 sessions, especially when you're coming weekly and practicing skills between appointments. The work doesn't only happen in session. What you do with it in your actual life is a big part of what moves things forward.
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It depends on what you're working on and your goals. Some clients come in with a specific situation driving their anxiety, and are ready to wrap up within a few months. Others are dealing with longer-standing patterns, like perfectionism, chronic burnout, or years of high-functioning anxiety, and want more time to go deeper.
Treatment is always tailored to you. We'll talk about your goals early on and check in as we go so you're never in the dark about where things stand.
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Most people come in focused on the mental side of anxiety, the overthinking, the worry, the spiraling thoughts. What catches them off guard is how much of the work ends up being about the body. The racing heart before a big meeting. The chest that never fully relaxes or the stomach that doesn’t quiet. The tension you've been carrying in your shoulders for so long, you stopped noticing it. The migraines that take over your day.
Anxiety doesn't just live in your head. Your nervous system is involved, and therapy addresses that too.
Part of the work we do together involves learning to recognize those physical signals earlier, before they spiral, and having concrete skills to calm your nervous system, not just your thoughts. Depending on what's helpful for you, that might include breathwork, grounding techniques, body scans, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness practices, or guided visualization.
The goal is that you leave sessions with things you can actually use in your daily life, not just insights that stay in the therapy room.
From the Wellcore Healing Blog: Anxiety
Tools and perspectives to help you feel less anxious and more in control
If worry is always running in the background, you're not alone. These articles explore how anxiety shows up for ambitious women and professionals, and offer practical tools you can actually use in real life, not just theory. You'll find CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based strategies to quiet the "what ifs," ease stress in your body, and protect your focus and energy.
Read all anxiety articles on the Wellcore Healing blog →
Books I Recommend for Anxiety
Reading that goes beyond coping tips. These are books that can genuinely shift how you understand and relate to your anxiety.
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Author Barry McDonagh - Overcoming Anxiety
Most anxiety books tell you to manage your symptoms. This one tells you to stop running from them. McDonagh's approach is direct and action-oriented, which tends to resonate with high-achievers who are ready to stop tiptoeing around their anxiety and actually do something about it. One of my most-recommended reads for clients who feel stuck in avoidance.
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Author Dr. Jud Brewer - Mindfulness & Anxiety
If you're the kind of person who needs to understand why something works before you'll trust it, this is the book for you. Dr. Brewer breaks down the neuroscience behind anxiety and habit loops in a way that's accessible without being oversimplified. Especially useful for analytical thinkers who want the research, not just the strategies.
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Author Sarah Wilson - Living with Anxiety
This one is less of a how-to and more of a companion. Wilson writes honestly about what it's actually like to live with anxiety, the parts that don't make it into clinical descriptions. A lot of high-achieving women find it quietly validating, especially if they've spent years feeling like they should have figured this out by now.
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Author Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.’s- Help for Anxiety
A practical, CBT-based workbook with concrete exercises you can work through on your own or alongside therapy. One of the most comprehensive anxiety workbooks available, useful whether you're just starting to understand your anxiety or looking for structured tools to build on what you're already doing in sessions.
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Author Scott Stossel - Age of Anxiety
Part memoir, part deep dive into the science and history of anxiety. Stossel's writing is both personal and rigorously researched, making it a compelling read for anyone who wants context for what they're experiencing and reassurance that anxiety has been part of the human experience for a very long time.
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Claire Weekes Publications- Healing Anxiety
First published decades ago and still one of the most recommended anxiety books out there. Dr. Weekes writes with unusual clarity and compassion about panic, nervous exhaustion, and recovery. Deceptively simple and remarkably effective.
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Anxiety Coach & Author - David A. Carbonell, Ph.D.- The Worry Trick
A practical, sometimes even humorous look at how anxiety hijacks your thinking and what to do when it does. Dr. Carbonell specializes in anxiety and writes in a way that feels like talking to someone who genuinely gets it. Good for chronic worriers who are tired of taking their anxious thoughts so seriously.
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Authors Catherine M. Pittman, Ph.D., and Elizabeth M. Karle, MLIS- New Harbinger Publications - Rewire Your Anxious Brain
A clear, accessible explanation of how the brain processes fear and how to work with your neurology rather than against it. Particularly useful for clients who want to understand the amygdala and cortex connection and how that plays out in everyday anxiety responses. -
Author Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. - The Highly Sensitive Person
If you've always felt things more intensely than the people around you, or been told you're "too sensitive," this book offers a reframe that can be genuinely life-changing. Dr. Aron's research validates high sensitivity as a trait, not a flaw, and offers practical guidance for navigating a world that isn't always designed with sensitive people in mind.
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The books recommended here are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you're struggling with anxiety or any mental health concerns, working with a licensed therapist can provide the personalized support that reading alone can't replace.
You Don't Have to Keep Managing This Alone
If anxiety has been running in the background of your life, showing up at work, in your relationships, or just making it hard to feel present, therapy can help you actually change that. Not just cope with it.
I work with women online across Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Florida. If you're ready to figure out what's driving your anxiety and start doing something about it, I'd love to connect.
[ + ] References and Research on Anxiety Treatment
[1] Papola D, Miguel C, Mazzaglia M, Franco P, Tedeschi F, Romero SA, Patel AR, Ostuzzi G, Gastaldon C, Karyotaki E, Harrer M, Purgato M, Sijbrandij M, Patel V, Furukawa TA, Cuijpers P, Barbui C. (2024). Psychotherapies for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Psychiatry, 81(3), 250–259. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.3971. View Source
[2] Arch JJ, Eifert GH, Davies C, Plumb Vilardaga JC, Rose RD, Craske MG. (2012). Randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) versus acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for mixed anxiety disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(5), 750–765. doi:10.1037/a0028310. View Source
[3] Stubbings DR, Rees CS, Roberts LD, Kane RT. (2013). Comparing in-person cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with CBT delivered via videoconference. View Source
[4] Greenwood HM, et al. (2022). Telehealth vs face-to-face psychotherapy outcomes: systematic review. JMIR Mental Health. View Source