We frequently work with high-achieving professionals and entrepreneurs whose anxiety is masked by competence and success. We also see it in the many people who feel panicked inside but present as regulated and happy to the outside world. If any of this resonates with you, you're not alone. Our practice offers compassionate, evidence-based therapy throughout California.
At Elevé Therapy & Co, we understand acute anxiety on a deep, nuanced level.
High-functioning anxiety can show up in several ways, especially in high achievers who are used to managing everything on their own.
01. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is unquestionably complex because many people with anxiety have good insight into their symptoms. For example, maybe you've already tried some self-help strategies like journaling, positive affirmations, or mindfulness. While these techniques can definitely be helpful, they can also make anxiety worse, especially if you're worried you aren't doing them correctly.
People with GAD often try to cope with their symptoms by 'doubling down' on control. For example, you might spend a lot of time trying to manage other people's behaviors. Or you might try to do things perfectly to avoid facing the fear of failure or rejection.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) refers to a broad scope of excessive anxiety that affects you in your daily life. If you have GAD, you may experience the following anxiety symptoms:
- persistent, excessive worry about everyday concerns
- difficulty controlling your anxiety even if you know it's irrational or excessive
- physical symptoms of anxiety (headaches, GI issues, muscle tension, fatigue, panic attacks)
- perpetually feeling on edge or hypervigilant
- difficulty concentrating at work or school
- sleep issues
02. Social Anxiety
Social anxiety disorder- sometimes known as social phobia- refers to experiencing heightened anxiety in social settings. This anxiety comes down to a prevailing fear of being negatively judged by others. Subsequently, the fear of judgment may result you feeling disconnected in your relationships and within yourself.
Social anxiety often first emerges during childhood and tends to coincide with low self-esteem. While avoiding triggering situations may offer some relief, chronic avoidance only makes the anxiety more pronounced, and it can result in other undesirable consequences.
Some of the main symptoms of social anxiety include:
- avoiding situations that you believe will make your social anxiety worse
- frequently worrying about humiliating yourself in front of others
- physical symptoms of anxiety (blushing, shaky voice, trembling)
- overanalyzing your performance after social interactions
- negative assumptions about how others perceive you
03. Relationship Anxiety
Relationship anxiety refers to chronic themes of feeling unsettled or insecure in your relationships with others. Although it's not a specific mental illness, it often overlaps with other anxiety symptoms, and it can make it hard to really feel connected to others.
You might be experiencing relationship anxiety if you:
- feel like you can never really trust others no matter how loyal they seem
- overanalyze your social interactions
- have a constant fear of rejection or abandonment
- frequently need validation from others (and can't seem to find it inward)
- identify with having commitment issues due to fear of getting hurt or too close
- engage in people-pleasing behaviors to keep others happy
- themes of separation anxiety when disconnected from loved ones
04. Work-Related and Professional Anxiety
While everyone can relate to feeling some stress about work, people with anxiety may notice this stress is perpetually intensified and heightened. It may really feel like you can never relax, and you might constantly find yourself worried about failure.
Work anxiety can show up in the following ways:
- feeling perpetually overwhelmed at work
- difficulty concentrating or indecisiveness
- procrastination on work tasks or ongoing feelings of stagnation
- physical symptoms of fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances
- increased errors due to feeling distracted or burnt out
- perfectionism coupled with thoughts that even "good enough" isn't good enough
FAQs
There is no perfect time for starting therapy. However, many people struggle silently for a long time before securing the help they deserve. You may benefit from therapy if your anxiety is affecting your self-esteem, relationships, physical health, or overall quality of life.
This makes complete sense. Many clients feel nervous before starting therapy, and the first few sessions may feel a bit uncomfortable. This is completely normal- even though your therapist is a stranger, and it can take time to build that initial trust.
Our therapists have extensive experience treating anxiety disorders. We understand the fear and hesitation associated with going to therapy. These concerns are valid, and you have a right to how you feel. Therapy is about you and your needs, and your therapist will focus on establishing a sense of safety right from the start.
Elevé Therapy & Co primarily specializes in treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder. We also help people experiencing panic disorder, intrusive thoughts, excessive worry, sleep problems, and other anxiety symptoms.
Our therapists use a combined approach of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) exposure therapy, and mindfulness techniques in treating anxiety. These multifaceted approaches help clients develop practical tools and build resilience when anxiety inevitably emerges. Although there's no cure for anxiety, you can get to a place where you recognize symptoms and cope with them adaptively.
Research shows that CBT is the gold standard for treating anxiety disorders, and this modality focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT will help you learn how to examine the validity of your anxious thoughts, and it will also support you in gradually facing feared situations to desensitize your anxiety reactions.
Our clinicians are flexible and attentive to each client's individual needs. We don't subscribe to a one-size-fits-all treatment plan, and you are never pigeonholed into a rigid timeline for treatment.
In therapy, you will be learning practical skills right from the start. Many clients report experiencing significant relief within a few months. If you have concerns or questions about treatment lengths, we can discuss these at intake and any point during your therapy.
Your therapist will structure your therapy sessions based on your specific needs and treatment plan goals. No two treatments look identical! At first, you can expect to spend time discussing your symptoms and goals for therapy.
Throughout this process, your therapist will spend time understanding your behavioral patterns and exploring your related feelings and thoughts. They will introduce you to various skills, including relaxation techniques, cognitive reframing, role-play scenarios, journaling exercises, exposure interventions, and more. You may be assigned homework to build upon what you're learning in your therapy appointments.
Ultimately, you're in charge of your therapy, and we believe you are the expert of your own life. Your therapist will offer you insight into your patterns and give you practical tools to use both during and between sessions. Change can be hard, but it's important that you regularly practice the skills you learn. The more you practice new ways of acting, the more habituated those changes become.
We can't eliminate anxiety (nor should we!), but you can get to a place where you learn how to understand and manage anxiety without feeling like it's completely overwhelming you.
High-Functioning Anxiety Therapy for High Achievers Across California
Elevé Therapy & Co is a telehealth therapy practice specializing in high-functioning anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout in high achievers. We provide telehealth anxiety therapy for adults in San Diego and throughout California.
Anxiety does not need to define your ambition.
Therapy can help you reduce overthinking, regulate your nervous system, and build a steadier relationship with uncertainty — without sacrificing your drive.