Anxiety Therapy in Nashville & Middle Tennessee
Evidence-Based Support for Worry, Panic, and Overthinking
Everyone worries sometimes. That’s part of being human.
Most worry responds to everyday solutions like distraction, reassurance, rest, talking it out, or doing something comforting. Anxiety disorders are different. When anxiety takes over, those strategies stop working, and the worry feels constant, loud, and impossible to turn off.
At Works Counseling Center, we provide anxiety therapy for adults, teens, and children across Nashville, Bellevue, Belle Meade, West Meade, Broadway, Nolensville, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Smyrna, Brentwood, Franklin, and Fairview, as well as virtual anxiety therapy throughout Tennessee.
We help people understand anxiety and learn how to respond to it in ways that actually reduce its grip over time.
When Worry Turns Into Anxiety
Anxiety often shows up when the brain becomes overly focused on threat, uncertainty, or “what if” scenarios. For some people, this means constant mental scanning. For others, it shows up as physical symptoms, panic, or avoidance.
You might notice:
- Racing thoughts or constant rumination
- Difficulty relaxing or feeling “on edge”
- Reassurance-seeking that never quite works
- Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety
- Physical symptoms with no clear medical cause
Anxiety is not a weakness. It’s a nervous system doing its best to protect you, even when it becomes overactive.
Common Anxiety Concerns We Treat
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks involve a sudden surge of intense physical sensations such as rapid breathing, heart palpitations, dizziness, tingling, or chest tightness. These sensations are often paired with terrifying thoughts like “I’m having a heart attack,” “I’m going to lose control,” or “Everyone can see this happening.”
Panic attacks are surprisingly common and happen to about 1 in 4 people at some point. While panic feels dangerous, it is not harmful. Therapy helps reduce fear of the sensations themselves so panic loses its power.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized anxiety often feels like a never-ending mental to-do list of worries. People with GAD may feel constantly tense, mentally exhausted, and unable to relax, even when things are going well.
Therapy focuses on reducing rumination, increasing tolerance for uncertainty, and helping the nervous system calm more effectively.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety can range from fear of public speaking to deep discomfort in social situations, worrying about being judged, embarrassed, or rejected.
Anxiety therapy helps clients understand the cycle of avoidance and self-criticism and build confidence through skill-building and gradual exposure.
Health or Illness Anxiety
Health anxiety involves persistent fears about having or developing a serious illness, even after medical reassurance. Anxiety therapy helps reduce body scanning, reassurance-seeking, and catastrophic thinking so health concerns no longer dominate daily life.
Phobias
Phobias involve intense fear of specific situations or objects, such as flying, driving over bridges, needles, or animals. Anxiety therapy helps reduce avoidance and gradually retrain the brain’s fear response in a safe, structured way.
How Anxiety Works: Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
How Anxiety Works: Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
Thoughts
Thoughts are automatic. Words, images, sounds, and mental pictures appear without permission. We do not control which thoughts show up, and having a thought does not make it true.
Feelings
Emotions follow thoughts. When the brain interprets something as threatening, the body responds with fear or anxiety, even if there is no real danger present.
Behaviors
Behaviors are the part of the cycle we can influence most directly. Avoidance, reassurance-seeking, and safety behaviors can temporarily reduce anxiety, but they often strengthen it long-term.
Anxiety therapy focuses on changing how you respond to thoughts and feelings so anxiety loses its ability to run the show.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-researched, effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
In CBT, therapists work collaboratively with clients to:
- Identify unhelpful thinking patterns
- Reduce avoidance and safety behaviors
- Learn new ways to respond to anxiety
- Build confidence in tolerating discomfort
CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping clients break cycles that keep anxiety stuck.
We often integrate exposure-based strategies, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation to create lasting change.
What Anxiety Therapy Looks Like at Works Counseling Center
Whether you’re attending therapy in Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, or Gallatin, or meeting virtually from elsewhere in Tennessee, our approach is collaborative and intentional.
Anxiety therapy is not about eliminating all anxiety. It’s about helping you live your life without anxiety making your decisions for you.
Over time, many clients experience:
- Reduced anxiety intensity and frequency
- Less avoidance and more confidence
- Improved ability to tolerate uncertainty
- Better emotional regulation
- Increased sense of freedom and control
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Therapy
Will therapy make my anxiety worse at first?
Some approaches involve facing anxiety rather than avoiding it, which can feel uncomfortable initially. This is done gradually and intentionally, with support.
Do you offer virtual anxiety therapy in Tennessee?
Yes. We provide virtual anxiety therapy to clients anywhere in Tennessee.
Is anxiety therapy only talk therapy?
No. While conversation is part of therapy, we focus on practical skills, behavioral strategies, and nervous system support.
Can anxiety therapy help physical symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety often shows up physically, and therapy can help reduce symptoms like panic, tension, and dizziness.
Ready to Get Started?
You don’t have to keep living around your anxiety.
We offer in-person across Middle Tennessee and virtual throughout Tennessee
With the right support, anxiety can become something you manage rather than something that manages you.