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How to find an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles isn’t always as simple as Googling and clicking the first name that pops up. Especially when your anxiety is already in overdrive. This guide was written for the version of you who’s tired of scrolling, second-guessing, and wondering if you’re being too picky—or not picky enough. You don’t need more noise. You need to know what actually matters when you’re choosing someone to help you feel safe in your own system again.
Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC, is a dual-licensed therapist in Los Angeles specializing in anxiety, trauma, and nervous system healing. She blends somatic therapy, IFS, and attachment science to help high-functioning adults who feel stuck in survival mode finally feel safe in their bodies again. Cheryl has been featured in Verywell Mind, HuffPost, and Newsweek.
If you’re already anxious, Googling how to find an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles can feel like its own form of anxiety. You’re trying to make the “right” decision, scrolling through profiles that all blur together—each one claiming they treat anxiety, but few explaining how.
This is where a lot of people freeze. Not because they don’t want help, but because they don’t know what they’re even looking for yet. And when your nervous system is already maxed out, trying to decode a dozen therapist bios can push you further into shutdown.
So before you start reaching out, pause and ask yourself a few things—
Do I want therapy in-person, or would online feel safer?
Am I hoping for fast tools and symptom relief, or do I want to understand the deeper patterns behind my anxiety?
Do I want to feel less anxious… or actually feel safe?
If you’ve been holding it together on the outside but falling apart underneath—what you’re looking for isn’t just symptom management. You’re looking for someone who can help your system calm down. That usually means working with the body, not just your thoughts.
Look for words like somatic therapy, nervous system regulation, or attachment-based therapy in their profile. That tells you they understand anxiety that isn’t just “in your head.” The kind that lives in your chest, your stomach, your jaw. The kind that’s been running the show for a long time.
You don’t need to know your exact path. But you deserve a therapist who knows how to meet you where you are.
You don’t need to know all the modalities. But it helps to know the difference between a therapist who treats “general anxiety” and one who knows how to work with the shape it takes in your life.
For example—if your anxiety shows up as racing thoughts, trouble sleeping, looping over every conversation you had that day… you might feel better with someone trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or solution-focused work. These approaches are more structured and short-term, and they often center around reframing patterns and building coping tools.
But if you’re someone who’s always been the “strong one,” or the person everyone leans on—even when you’re barely holding it together—you might need something deeper.
I work with a lot of high-achieving, emotionally aware clients who’ve already read the books, listened to the podcasts, done therapy. And they’re still anxious. Not because they’re not trying—but because their nervous systems are stuck in survival mode, and insight alone isn’t enough.
That’s where a more holistic or body-based approach can be a better fit. Something like parts work (IFS), or nervous system-focused therapy. You don’t need to know exactly what it’s called. But you deserve a therapist who understands that anxiety doesn’t just live in your thoughts—it lives in your system.
And if your anxiety feels tangled up in perfectionism or the need to hold it all together, you might also want to check out this breakdown on why we people-please—it might give you some language for what your system’s been trying to manage.
Bottom line? There’s no “best” kind of therapy. But there is a kind that makes more sense for what your body and mind have been carrying.
If you’ve got a friend or co-worker who’s always talking about how much they love their therapist… ask them. If that feels weird or invasive? Totally valid. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for your mental health search.
But people you trust can be great sources of therapist recs—especially in a city like LA where word of mouth actually matters. You’re not looking for the “nicest” therapist. You’re looking for someone who knows how to work with the version of you that’s exhausted from performing calm all the time.
Here’s what I see a lot: people finally reach out for therapy, realize the fee is more than they expected, and then shut down completely. Not because they don’t value the work—but because their system was already maxed out, and that surprise cost felt like too much to hold.
So before you schedule anything, take 10 minutes to look at your numbers. What feels sustainable? Are you using insurance? (If you have a PPO, you can usually get partial reimbursement using something called a superbill. You can read more here from UCLA Health.)
Some therapists post their rates online. Others don’t. If they offer a free consult—like I do here—you can ask directly, no shame. You’re not being “cheap” for needing to know what it costs. You’re being resourced.
Also: not everyone needs weekly sessions forever. You might do biweekly. You might pause and return. Therapy doesn’t have to break your budget to be valuable.
Listen, I get it. You’re tired, overwhelmed, and hoping Google will magically hand you the perfect person on page one. But those “best of” lists? Half the time, they’re ads. The other half, they’re not based on any real criteria.
If you’re Googling anyway, be specific. Try phrases like “anxiety therapist who specializes in somatic therapy Los Angeles” or “nervous system therapy near me” instead of just “best therapist.” This helps you skip the generic directories and get closer to someone who actually works the way you need.
Once you’ve got a few names, go to their actual websites. Do they talk about anxiety like it’s just about thoughts—or do they get that it lives in your system too? Are they saying what they do or just listing symptoms?
If you’re not sure what to look for, check out my Anxiety Therapy Los Angeles page to see how a therapist can break down their approach clearly, without therapy-speak.
This step gets skipped in every other guide, but I’m adding it here because… this part? The researching, decision-making, inner conflict about whether you’re being “too much” or “too picky”? It’s heavy. And you’re doing it while already carrying the weight of your anxiety.
You don’t have to find the perfect therapist today. You don’t even have to schedule a consult today. But just by getting this far, you’re proving to yourself that something in you is still moving toward help—even if the rest of you is scared, tired, or unsure.
That matters.
This is the kind of thing I remind my clients all the time: progress isn’t always about doing. Sometimes it’s just about not checking out completely. That’s nervous system work, too.
If you’re going to use a directory like Psychology Today or TherapyDen, don’t just scroll aimlessly. Use the filters that actually matter for you: things like “anxiety,” “body-based,” “culturally responsive,” “LGBTQ+ affirming,” or whatever else fits your life.
Also, check the therapist’s actual website once you find them. Do they have more than just a paragraph? Do they explain how they help, not just what they treat?
You might also want to peek at their Google Business Profile—see if they’re locally verified, have reviews, or mention work in neighborhoods near you like West LA, Brentwood, or Santa Monica. That local presence helps with your trust—and boosts their visibility, which Google now weighs more heavily in local results.
Not sure if they’re a good fit? Book a consult. Ask questions. You’re allowed to.
Most therapists offer some kind of free consultation. (And honestly? If they don’t, that tells you something.) This isn’t a commitment—it’s a conversation. Just 15 minutes to get a sense of whether the way they talk, hold space, and explain things actually feels good to your system.
Use this time to ask questions. You’re not being too much. You’re gathering data.
“How do you typically work with anxiety?”
“Do you integrate any body-based or somatic work?”
“How do you know when therapy is actually helping someone?”
The point isn’t to get perfect answers. The point is to feel out whether they get what you’re describing. If you’re not sure what to ask, I’ve got a full Somatic Therapy FAQ where I break down what it can look like when therapy starts with your body instead of just your mind.
One of the biggest myths in therapy is that the “best” therapist is the one with the most credentials or the fanciest training. And sure, experience matters. But what matters more is this: do you feel like you could be honest with them?
If your stomach drops after the consult, if you feel shut down or like you were performing—listen to that. Your nervous system is already tracking what’s safe and what’s not. That’s data, too.
Even the most qualified therapist won’t be the right fit for everyone. Therapy isn’t just about the method—it’s about the relationship. And real change only happens when that relationship feels solid enough for your guard to drop.
If you want to understand more about how that sense of “safety” gets built, this article from the National Institute of Mental Health breaks down what good therapy should actually feel like—beyond the buzzwords.
Just because you picked someone doesn’t mean you’re locked in. Therapy is a relationship—and relationships shift. If a few sessions in, you realize you need something different (more structure, more complex trauma work, less talking), you’re allowed to say that.
You don’t have to ghost your therapist. You don’t have to start over unless you want to. You just get to advocate for what’s working and what’s not. And a good therapist will welcome that conversation.
This is something I emphasize with all my clients—especially the ones who are used to being the “easy” ones, the ones who don’t speak up. Therapy should be a place where you practice that kind of communication. You can even bring the discomfort of that conversation into the session itself
I’d love to help you, too. Click here to schedule your free 15- minute consultation for anxiety therapy in Los Angeles, CA. My specialties include treatment for anxiety, trauma, and improving the quality of relationships by examining your attachment style. It is time to call and get help. You’ve waited long enough.
If you’re still searching how to find an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles, take that as a sign you haven’t found someone who really gets you yet. That’s not a failure. That’s your system being discerning—and that’s actually a good thing.
I work with people all over California who feel like they’re “too smart” to still be this anxious. People who’ve done therapy before, but still don’t feel safe in their own bodies. If that’s you, and you want something deeper than just tools and surface-level talk—I’d love to help you figure out if we’re a fit.
You can reach out here when you’re ready. We’ll start slow. Online sessions only, always paced to your nervous system—not your to-do list.
You don’t have to do more. You just have to not quit on yourself yet.
If you’ve made it this far and your brain is still spinning with questions—totally normal. Some people need to talk things through before reaching out. Others need to read. A lot. If that’s you, here are a few pieces that might help you make sense of what’s happening underneath the anxiety:
If you’re wondering what therapy actually looks like once you’re in the room, this post breaks down what to expect in your first anxiety therapy session—especially if your anxiety shows up as overexplaining, smiling through discomfort, or trying to “get it right” in therapy.
If you grew up in a household where emotional needs weren’t exactly welcomed—or worse, were used against you—your anxiety may be carrying a blueprint from childhood. This piece on navigating life after growing up with narcissistic parents unpacks how old survival strategies can still be running in the background of your adult relationships… and nervous system.
And if talk therapy hasn’t helped you feel any less stuck, there’s a reason for that. These 10 benefits of somatic therapy explain how body-based work helps calm your system in a way that insight alone often can’t.
That depends on how your anxiety actually shows up. If it’s mostly in your thoughts—spiraling, overthinking, stuck in decision loops—you might want someone more cognitive-based. But if it feels like it lives in your body—tight chest, frozen smile, can't-exhale kind of stuff—you need someone who knows how to work with your nervous system. That’s the kind of work I do. You can read more about it here.
CBT can be helpful if you’re looking for structure and short-term relief—it gives you tools and strategies that work for a lot of people. But if you’ve tried CBT and still feel like anxiety’s running the show, you might need a different approach. I work with clients using IFS therapy, somatic techniques, and body-based nervous system support. If that sounds more like what your system actually needs, this post breaks it down.
Rates vary depending on experience, training, and whether someone takes insurance or not. I go over all of that—including PPO reimbursement and how to find what’s sustainable for you—on my full FAQ page.
My practice is based in West Los Angeles, near Brentwood and Sawtelle, and I work with clients all across California. Whether you’re local or logging in from another part of the state, sessions are always held online—with the option for in-person support if it makes sense for your system.
You can reach out here to learn more or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
