Specialty Area — Anxiety
Anxiety Therapy When worry has been running the show long enough
Anxiety is not a character flaw or a weakness. It is your nervous system doing its job — just without an off switch. Our Edmonton and St. Albert psychologists specialize in helping you find that switch, and teaching your body that it is safe to put it down.
Understanding the Experience
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is your nervous system's built-in alarm system — designed to detect and respond to threat. In small doses, it is useful. But when it fires constantly, misreads situations, or refuses to turn off, it stops being a protection and starts being a prison.
Anxiety disorders affect how you think, feel, and physically function. They can interfere with relationships, work, sleep, and the simple ability to be present in your own life. And despite being extraordinarily common, they are also frequently misunderstood — even by the people experiencing them.
At Summit, we understand that anxiety is not about being dramatic, weak, or broken. It is a learned response — and what has been learned can be gently, skillfully unlearned. Our psychologists are here to help you do exactly that.
"Anxiety is not a sign that something is wrong with you. It is a sign that your nervous system is working — just working overtime."— Summit Counselling Services, Edmonton
Types of Anxiety We Treat
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Persistent, excessive worry about a wide range of everyday things — finances, health, relationships, work — that feels impossible to control even when you know it's disproportionate.
Panic Disorder & Panic Attacks
Sudden, intense surges of fear accompanied by physical symptoms — racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness — often leading to fear of the attacks themselves.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Intense fear of social situations, evaluation by others, or doing something humiliating — going well beyond ordinary shyness into significant life impairment.
Health Anxiety (Illness Anxiety)
Preoccupation with having or developing a serious illness despite medical reassurance — leading to repeated checking, avoidance, or distress around bodily sensations.
OCD & Obsessive Patterns
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts paired with compulsive behaviours or mental rituals performed to neutralize distress — often misunderstood and undertreated.
Anxiety with Depression or Trauma
Anxiety frequently co-occurs with depression and trauma. Our team is equipped to treat the full picture — not just one piece in isolation.
Recognizing the Impact
Signs You May Be Experiencing Anxiety
Anxiety doesn't always announce itself. It hides in avoidance, perfectionism, overplanning, physical symptoms, and the relentless thought: "What if something goes wrong?" Here is what it can actually look like.
Racing, Spiralling Thoughts
A mind that never stops running worst-case scenarios — looping, catastrophizing, and refusing to accept reassurance no matter how much you try.
Physical Symptoms
Racing heart, tight chest, difficulty breathing, nausea, headaches, muscle tension — anxiety is a full-body experience, not just a mental one.
Hypervigilance & Over-Monitoring
Constantly scanning for danger, reading between every line, bracing for the worst — because your nervous system has decided the world is not safe.
Avoidance
Skipping events, cancelling plans, avoiding phone calls, putting off decisions — because staying away from triggers feels like the only way to manage.
Sleep Disruption
Mind racing at bedtime, waking at 3am with a list of worries, or waking exhausted despite adequate sleep hours — anxiety is famous for stealing rest.
Perfectionism & Control
Over-preparing, over-checking, needing everything just right — control as a way of keeping anxiety at bay, which paradoxically feeds it.
Emotional Exhaustion
Being "on" all the time is depleting. Anxiety often presents as burnout, numbness, or irritability — not just fear.
Panic Attacks
Sudden, overwhelming surges of terror with physical symptoms so intense they mimic medical emergencies — and the fear of the next attack can become its own anxiety.
Difficulty Being Present
Living in the future rather than the now — always anticipating, rarely arriving. Anxiety keeps you perpetually rehearsing what hasn't happened yet.
An Important Distinction
Normal Worry vs. Anxiety Disorder
Everyone worries. But anxiety disorders are different — they are persistent, disproportionate, and they get in the way of living your life. Understanding the difference matters, because anxiety disorders respond to treatment.
Normal Worry
- Triggered by a real, identifiable concern
- Proportionate to the situation
- Resolves when the situation resolves
- Does not significantly disrupt daily functioning
- Manageable with reassurance or problem-solving
- You can set it aside when needed
Anxiety Disorder
- Persistent even without a clear trigger
- Disproportionate — feels like catastrophe even when risks are small
- Does not resolve when circumstances improve
- Significantly interferes with work, relationships, or health
- Reassurance provides only brief, temporary relief
- Feels impossible to turn off, no matter how hard you try
Your Roadmap to Recovery
What Changes When You Treat Anxiety
Anxiety therapy is not about eliminating all discomfort from your life. It is about changing your relationship with discomfort — so that uncertainty no longer has veto power over your choices. At Summit, we walk alongside you at your pace, through four connected phases of change.
Understanding Your Anxiety
We start by mapping your specific anxiety — its triggers, patterns, and the nervous system responses underneath it. Knowledge is the first step toward change.
Nervous System Regulation
Learning to work with your body, not against it. Grounding, breathing, and somatic tools that give your nervous system a different message than "danger."
Challenging the Patterns
Gently confronting the thoughts, beliefs, and avoidance behaviours that have been maintaining anxiety — with support, not pressure, and at your pace.
Building a New Relationship with Uncertainty
The goal is not a worry-free life. It is a life where uncertainty is tolerable — and no longer calls all the shots.
Our Therapeutic Approach
Therapy That Meets You Where You Are
At Summit, we match the right therapist and the right approach to each individual. Anxiety treatment is not one-size-fits-all — what works for panic disorder may look quite different from what works for social anxiety or health anxiety. We take the time to understand your specific presentation before we begin.
Our work is paced by you. We never push exposure faster than your nervous system can handle, and we will never dismiss your experience as "just anxiety." We know this is real — and we treat it accordingly.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The gold standard for anxiety — identifying and shifting the thought patterns and behaviours that maintain the anxiety cycle.
Learn about CBT at Summit →Somatic Experiencing
Anxiety lives in the body. Somatic approaches work with the nervous system directly — releasing stored tension that talk therapy alone cannot always reach.
Learn about Somatic Experiencing →EMDR Therapy
When anxiety has roots in past experiences or trauma, EMDR reprocesses those memories at the nervous system level — reducing their ongoing charge.
Learn about EMDR at Summit →Mindfulness & Acceptance-Based Approaches
Building a different relationship with anxious thoughts — learning to observe rather than fuse with them, and act based on values rather than fear.
Learn about Mindfulness at Summit →You will never be told to just breathe through it, think positive, or push past it faster than you're ready to.
- Your anxiety will be taken seriously — not minimized
- We treat the nervous system, not just the thoughts
- Avoidance is understood — not judged
- Pace is determined by you and your body, not a protocol
- We never pathologize a protective response to a difficult world
- Progress is real and measurable — and you will feel it
- Phone consultations are always free — no commitment required
Find Your Fit
Therapists Who Specialize in Anxiety
The right fit matters — especially for anxiety work, where trust and pace are everything. The clinicians below all hold a specialization in anxiety and related areas. Use the Find Your Fit tool to explore more, or book a free phone consultation before committing to a full session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anxiety Therapy in Edmonton — Your Questions Answered
Is my anxiety "bad enough" to need therapy?
If anxiety is affecting your quality of life — your sleep, relationships, work, or ability to do things you want to do — it is worth addressing. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from support. Early intervention typically leads to faster, more lasting change.
How is therapy different from medication for anxiety?
Medication can reduce anxiety symptoms, but therapy addresses the underlying patterns — the thoughts, beliefs, and nervous system responses that maintain anxiety over time. Many people benefit from both. Our psychologists can work alongside your prescribing physician or psychiatrist as part of a broader care team.
How long does anxiety therapy typically take?
It depends on the type and severity of anxiety, and whether there are co-occurring concerns like trauma or depression. Some people see meaningful change in 8–12 sessions; others benefit from longer-term work. We assess this collaboratively and check in regularly about your progress.
Will I have to do exposure therapy?
Exposure-based work can be effective for certain anxiety presentations, but it is never forced, and it is always paced to your nervous system's readiness. We will always explain any approach we recommend and get your agreement before proceeding. No surprises.
Do you offer virtual sessions for anxiety therapy?
Yes. Summit offers secure online counselling to all Alberta residents. Whether you are in Edmonton, St. Albert, or anywhere else in the province, you can access our anxiety specialists virtually — which can itself be a meaningful first step if anxiety makes in-person visits feel like too much right now.
I've had anxiety my whole life. Can it really change?
Yes. The nervous system is not fixed — it is plastic and responsive to experience. Even longstanding anxiety patterns can shift with the right support. Healing is not about becoming a different person; it is about gaining more choice in how you respond to the world.
From Our Blog
Further Reading on Anxiety
New Year, New Mindset: Navigating Back-to-School Anxiety
As anxiety levels among Canadian youth continue to rise, the back-to-school season brings its own particular pressures. This post explores how parents and educators can help young people navigate the transition with confidence — and when professional support makes sense.
The Power of Sleep: Boost Memory, Focus, and Mental Health
Sleep and anxiety have a bidirectional relationship — poor sleep worsens anxiety, and anxiety disrupts sleep. This post unpacks the science behind that cycle, what chronic sleep deprivation actually does to the anxious brain, and how breaking the pattern is possible.
Understanding the Modal Model of Emotion Regulation
One of the most powerful tools in anxiety work is learning to regulate emotional responses before they escalate. This post walks through the Modal Model — the framework that shows exactly where and how to intervene in the anxiety cycle — with concrete, practical strategies at each stage.
What to Expect When Accessing Therapy at Summit
Starting therapy can feel daunting — especially when anxiety is already part of the picture. This guide walks you through every step: how to find and book the right therapist, what your first session looks like, what to bring, how billing and insurance work, and what to do if you need to reschedule. No surprises.
You Don't Have to White-Knuckle This Alone
Ready to Put Down the Weight of Worry?
Your first phone consultation is free — and it's just a conversation. No commitment, no pressure. We'll talk about what's happening, what you need, and whether we're a good fit.
Summit Counselling Services acknowledges that we operate on Treaty 6 Territory, the traditional lands of the Cree, Nakoda, Dene, and Métis peoples. We are grateful to do this work on this land.
For Directions to our Brewery District office, Click Here
Summit Counselling Services
10328 121 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 1K8, Canada
For Directions to our St. Albert office, Click Here
Summit Counselling Services
1 Tache St #203, St. Albert, AB T8N 1B4, Canada
Summit Counselling Services is a counselling clinic located in St. Albert and the Brewery District in Edmonton. We provide psychotherapy for anxiety to children, adolescents, adults, seniors, couples, and families. We have a talented team of Edmonton psychologists, therapists and counsellors with a wide range of specializations and training at Summit Counselling Services who would be honoured to walk beside you on your journey. At Summit, we believe in therapy your way. Our goal is to customize your psychotherapy and counselling sessions to best suit your needs. We believe in the differences and unique perspectives each person brings to therapy and incorporate these into our work with you. Our therapists are just as unique as you, and we celebrate that by creating an anxiety counselling treatment plan that best suits your needs.