Anxiety Therapy in Chicago, IL
You wake up at 3am with your mind already racing. The workday hasn’t started and you’re already replaying yesterday’s conversation, rehearsing tomorrow’s meeting, or worrying about something you can’t quite name. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to keep living this way.
At 2nd Story Counseling, our therapists have worked with anxiety in all its forms for nearly two decades. We serve clients across Chicago’s North Side — including Lakeview, Uptown, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Edgewater, Roscoe Village, Wicker Park, and the Gold Coast — as well as clients throughout Illinois via telehealth.
Or call us directly at 773.528.1777 — confidential, no obligation.
Do any of these sound familiar?
- Your mind won’t stop — even when your body is exhausted
- You worry about things you know are unlikely, but can’t stop
- You avoid situations, people, or conversations that trigger anxiety
- Physical symptoms like a racing heart, tight chest, or upset stomach show up out of nowhere
- You feel irritable, on edge, or emotionally drained most of the time
- Sleep is difficult — falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up already anxious
- You second-guess yourself constantly, replaying what you said or did
- Anxiety is starting to affect your relationships, your work, or your sense of self
If several of those resonate, therapy can help. Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health concerns — and with the right support, lasting relief is genuinely possible.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is more than stress. It’s a persistent pattern of fear, worry, and apprehension that takes on a life of its own — often disconnected from any immediate threat. Some anxiety is normal and even useful; it sharpens focus and signals danger. But when anxiety becomes chronic, it starts to interfere with daily life in ways that are hard to manage alone.
The obvious symptoms — racing thoughts, constant worrying, restlessness — are familiar to most people. But anxiety also shows up in subtler ways: negative self-talk, thought distortions, avoidance, and physical complaints like headaches, muscle tension, or GI problems. Left unaddressed, anxiety can complicate other health conditions and erode quality of life over time.
Research from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million adults in the United States — with higher rates in densely populated urban areas like Chicago’s Cook County.
Types of anxiety we treat
Anxiety isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our therapists are experienced across the full spectrum of anxiety presentations, including:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — persistent, wide-ranging worry that’s hard to control
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
- Social Anxiety Disorder — intense fear of judgment, embarrassment, or social situations
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — anxiety rooted in past trauma
- Panic Disorder — sudden, intense episodes of fear with physical symptoms
- Specific Phobias — including fear of flying and other targeted fears
- Health anxiety — excessive worry about illness or physical symptoms
- Separation anxiety — fear of being apart from people or places that feel safe
- Depersonalization and derealization — feeling disconnected from yourself or your surroundings
Anxiety and depression frequently co-occur. If you’re dealing with both, our therapists are trained to address each in an integrated way — rather than treating them as separate, unrelated problems.
Anxiety in LGBTQ+ and queer communities
For LGBTQ+ and queer individuals, anxiety often carries an added layer that mainstream therapy can miss. Minority stress — the chronic psychological burden of navigating a world that doesn’t always affirm your identity — is a real and well-documented driver of anxiety. Coming out, family rejection, workplace discrimination, internalized shame, and identity-related uncertainty can all fuel anxiety that feels uniquely isolating.
Our therapists provide genuinely affirming care for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and queer clients. This isn’t a checkbox — it’s baked into how we practice. Learn more about our LGBTQ+ affirming therapy and our gay men’s therapy services.
How we treat anxiety at 2nd Story Counseling
There’s no single path through anxiety. What works depends on who you are, what you’ve been through, and how anxiety shows up in your life. Our approach is integrative — meaning we draw from multiple evidence-based modalities and adapt treatment to fit you, not the other way around.
🧠 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most extensively researched treatments for anxiety. It works by identifying the thought patterns and behavioral responses that fuel anxiety — and systematically challenging and replacing them. In practice, this means learning to recognize when your thinking is distorted, testing those thoughts against reality, and building new responses to anxiety-provoking situations.
We also offer Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and phobias, and explore nine distinct CBT approaches depending on your needs.
🌱 Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS is one of our signature approaches — and one that offers something CBT alone doesn’t always reach. Rather than simply managing anxious thoughts, IFS invites you to understand why they’re there in the first place. In the IFS framework, anxiety is often driven by protective “parts” of the self that developed early in life as a way to keep you safe.
By building a compassionate relationship with those parts — rather than fighting or suppressing them — lasting change becomes possible at a deeper level. This is particularly powerful for people whose anxiety feels deeply rooted, identity-based, or resistant to symptom-focused approaches. Learn more about our Internal Family Systems therapy.
🧘 Mindfulness and ACT
Mindfulness-based approaches train attention and awareness — helping you observe anxious thoughts without being ruled by them. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) builds on this by helping you clarify your values and commit to action even in the presence of anxiety, rather than waiting for anxiety to disappear before living fully. Visit our mindfulness therapy page to learn more.
💬 Relational and Psychodynamic Work
For some clients, anxiety has deep relational roots — patterns shaped by early attachment, family dynamics, or past relationships. Our relational therapy approach explores how these patterns show up in the present, and uses the therapeutic relationship itself as a vehicle for healing.
🌿 Strength-Based and Whole Person Wellness
We don’t believe having anxiety makes you broken. Our approach is grounded in a wellness model — one that recognizes anxiety as something that developed for a reason, and that you are far more than your symptoms. Treatment incorporates your strengths, your values, and every dimension of your wellbeing: emotional, physical, social, occupational, and spiritual.
Coping strategies you’ll learn
A core part of anxiety treatment is building a personal toolkit of skills you can use outside the therapy room. Depending on your situation and the approaches we use, these may include:
- Diaphragmatic breathing and nervous system regulation
- Grounding techniques for acute anxiety and panic
- Cognitive restructuring — identifying and challenging distorted thinking
- Mindfulness and present-moment awareness practices
- Acceptance strategies for tolerating uncertainty
- Gradual exposure to avoided situations
- Self-soothing and emotional regulation skills
- Values clarification and committed action (ACT)
- IFS-based parts work for deeper, longer-standing anxiety patterns
Practical questions about anxiety therapy
How long are sessions?
Standard sessions are 50 minutes. In some cases — particularly during intensive phases of exposure work or IFS — longer sessions may be arranged with your therapist.
How long does anxiety treatment take?
It depends on the nature and severity of your anxiety. Many clients begin to notice meaningful improvement within 8 to 12 sessions. Others — particularly those working through longer-standing or complex anxiety — may benefit from a longer course of treatment. We’ll give you an honest picture of what to expect at the outset.
Do you accept insurance?
All of our therapists are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO. If you are paying out of pocket or using a Health Savings Account (HSA), please visit our fees page for current rates. A sliding scale is available for clients who qualify.
Do you prescribe medication?
Our therapists do not prescribe medication. If medication may be appropriate given your situation, we can refer you to a trusted psychiatrist for evaluation. With your written permission, we’re happy to coordinate care collaboratively.
Do you offer telehealth?
Yes. We offer secure virtual therapy for clients throughout Illinois. Many clients combine in-person and telehealth sessions depending on their schedule and preference.
Or call us directly at 773.528.1777 — confidential, no obligation.