Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

4,121 people sought anxiety therapy help at Chesapeake in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a anxiety can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO, +24 more
Anger, Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, +11 more

As a woman of color, I understand issues related to gender and race.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO, Cigna | Evernorth, +3 more
Self Harm, Anger, Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, +5 more

As a human being, I understand the unique challenges and stresses we all go through on this wild ride we call life.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO, +24 more
Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, ADHD, Life Transition, +3 more

Thank you for taking the first step! Now, let me share with you the gift of therapy.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO, +23 more
Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, Life Transition, Anxiety, +1 more

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO, +24 more
Anger, Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, +6 more

As an African American woman with a PhD who was raised by two parents in the military, I understand diverse cultures and extreme pressures that indivi... As an African American woman with a PhD who was raised by two parents in the military, I understand diverse cultures and extreme pressures that individuals experience. Read more

Ife Milligan

Hear from Ife Milligan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

View Ife Milligan's profile

What is your go-to approach for anxiety therapy?

My focus in treating anxiety is utilizing DBT techniques. I find these techniques that emphasize self-regulation quite beneficial because they provide useful alternatives to address anxiety.

What tools do you teach in anxiety therapy?

I teach DBT techniques in my sessions that are primarily to treat anxiety. These techniques provide coping skills, relaxation exercises, and emotional self-regulation that include mindfulness, which is also effective.

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety therapy?

I believe a client demonstrates progress with anxiety when they are able to lessen fear-based responses to triggers and lead a more functional life.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement anxiety therapy?

I encourage self-care, relaxation techniques, as well as somatic exercises to supplement therapy.

What should someone do to prepare for starting anxiety therapy?

I encourage clients to remain open to the progress that is possible and the transformations that can occur with the techniques provided.

Starting Anxiety therapy

What is anxiety therapy?

Anxiety therapy helps people better understand and manage their anxiety. Anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Chesapeake, VA can develop a treatment plan that will help you better manage your day-to-day anxiety or your anxiety disorder.

How does anxiety therapy work?

Anxiety therapy involves talking to a therapist about symptoms, potential causes, and more. Thriveworks Chesapeake therapists will then work with you to determine where your anxiety might stem from and teach you effective coping mechanisms.

How to deal with anxiety?

One of the best ways to deal with anxiety is to learn about your own anxiety: your symptoms, what triggers it, and what coping mechanisms have been effective in the past. When you learn what your anxiety is tied to, it can help you be mindful of what’s really happening as well as prevent and mitigate symptoms by processing and working through the issue in therapy. Other strategies that have been shown to help manage anxiety are meditation, challenging anxious thoughts, exercising, and journaling.

Symptoms of anxiety

Common symptoms of anxiety include:

  • Sense of impending danger
  • Nervousness/restlessness
  • Trouble focusing
  • Excessive sweating
  • Shaking
  • Headaches
  • Stomach issues
  • Fatigue
  • Panic attacks
  • Increased heart rate

What is the best therapy for anxiety?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be incredibly effective in treating anxiety and anxiety disorders. Other effective techniques include exposure therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and EMDR therapy.

Is anxiety therapy conducted in person or online?

Anxiety therapy is conducted both in person and online, depending on the individual’s preferences and their therapist’s availability. We suggest choosing the option that best suits your needs.

How long does anxiety therapy last?

On average, people can tend to attend 15 to 20 session of anxiety therapy (five or more months). However, this number is heavily dependent on the type of anxiety that’s being treated and its severity, with many choosing to attend anxiety therapy for a longer period of time to ensure its effectiveness long-term.

Is therapy worth it for anxiety?

Yes, it is worth going to therapy for anxiety. If you are struggling with regular anxious thoughts and feelings that are affecting your day-to-day life or you suspect that you have an anxiety disorder, you should seek expert anxiety help.

Need more help deciding?

Therapy for Anxiety in Chesapeake, VA—Counseling

Anxiety disorders distinguish themselves from this normal feeling through their severity and longevity. If you are experiencing unfocused thoughts, constant worry, or isolation because of your anxiety, you are not alone

Thriveworks Chesapeake has worked with many people who are plagued by an anxiety disorder. Call or book online to get anxiety therapy today.

Anxiety: What Is It?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health, Fifth Edition recognizes many different ways that anxiety can show itself. A few examples include:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – is what most people think of when they talk about anxiety. It involves a persistent and severe feeling of worry and anxiety that lasts for a minimum of six months and is experienced on more days than not and for a majority of those days. This anxiety is often accompanied by irritability, fatigue, restlessness, and more.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) – anxiety can also look like fear of social interactions. Many people avoid interacting with other people, particularly strangers. They feel extreme embarrassment and as if people are judging them. SAD often leaves people feeling isolated and alone.
  • Panic Disorder – a panic attack can arise without warning, and it can escalate to the point that people feel as if they will die. The symptoms then subside within a few minutes of the attack’s onset. People’s hearts may race, their limbs may go numb, they may struggle to breathe, and they may experience chills or hot flashes. If these attacks recur, an individual may have panic disorder.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – the stress and anxiety people experience during a traumatic event can linger with them. PTSD is often associated with veterans, and for good reasons, but people can experience PTSD after any kind of trauma. They may experience instructive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks that force them to relive the event. They may also feel the same intense emotions they felt during the event after the event has ended.

The Physical and Emotional Cost of Anxiety

Anxiety extracts a high cost from people. It can affect people’s mental and physical health, and common side effects include…

  • Disrupted Appetite – People may want to eat all the time, or they may have difficulty eating anything at all when they are experiencing anxiety. Understandably, when someone has anxiety, their weight may fluctuate as well, reaching an unhealthy high or low level.
  • Irregular Sleep Patterns – As with appetite, anxiety can cause people to want to sleep all the time, or they may develop insomnia. They may be unable to wake rested, fall asleep quickly, or sleep through the night.
  • Fatigue – Fighting any illness is draining, and anxiety is no different. A lack of energy is a common side effect. Normal activities can leave people who have anxiety exhausted.
  • Difficulty Focusing – Negative thoughts can dominate an individual’s mind when they have anxiety. Channeling positive thoughts upon accomplishing a task can feel impossible. Discouragement and distraction are common companions to those with anxiety.
  • Indecisiveness – When clear thinking is difficult, it follows that decision-making is also difficult. People with anxiety often describe themselves as feeling stuck. Daily decisions and normal cognitive processes are infinitely more difficult when an individual has anxiety.

Scheduling Counseling for Anxiety through Thriveworks Chesapeake

When you read about the different forms that anxiety can take, did anything stand out to you? If you recognize some symptoms in your own life, know that help is available. The counselors, psychologists, and therapists at Thriveworks Chesapeake have helped many of their clients find the right diagnosis and the right treatment. We are ready to help.

When you contact our office,  one of our scheduling specialists will help you make an appointment.

But we do offer evening and weekend sessions. We also accept many forms of insurance.

We know that fighting anxiety is tough—scheduling therapy should not be. Let’s work together against anxiety. Call or schedule online Thriveworks Chesapeake today.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Chesapeake therapists and counselors accept 27 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | Exchange

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

Show more
Self-pay costs at Chesapeake
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
Sarah Hawkins is a very compassionate person. She always encouraged me to try my hardest to solved my problems using her advise. I am bless for having her as my therapist.
Read more Sarah Hawkins is a very compassionate person. She always encouraged me to try my hardest to solved my problems using her advise. I am bless for having her as my therapist.
Sarah Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
I find the sessions to be quite beneficial. I feel that I am progressing alone nicely.
Eugene Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Andrea Stephen is a kind and compassionate counselor. She listens to her clients intently, because she genuinely cares. Her passion to help those who are hurting is what motivates her. She is an asset to the Mental Health industry.
Read more Andrea Stephen is a kind and compassionate counselor. She listens to her clients intently, because she genuinely cares. Her passion to help those who are hurting is what motivates her. She is an asset to the Mental Health industry.
Chesapeake Oct 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I would like to sing the praises of Andrea Stephen and give her a big shout-out for a job well done!!! I have had the pleasure of studying with her in multiple classes, as a fellow student in the counseling program. Later on, we serendipitously worked alongside each other in the field. Andrea is a genuine listener, faithful encourager, and a beacon of hope. She is a counselor who truly cares about her clients and wants to see them thrive.
Read more I would like to sing the praises of Andrea Stephen and give her a big shout-out for a job well done!!! I have had the pleasure of studying with her in multiple classes, as a fellow student in the counseling program. Later on, we serendipitously worked alongside each other in the field. Andrea is a genuine listener, faithful encourager, and a beacon of hope. She is a counselor who truly cares about her clients and wants to see them thrive.
Chesapeake Oct 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I've had the pleasure of working with Tammy Boone for about 5 months now and it has been a wonderful journey. She has challenged me to do the work and express myself in ways I never thought was possible. She provides ways to cope with difficult situations without being judgmental. I couldn't have asked for a better clinician!
Read more I've had the pleasure of working with Tammy Boone for about 5 months now and it has been a wonderful journey. She has challenged me to do the work and express myself in ways I never thought was possible. She provides ways to cope with difficult situations without being judgmental. I couldn't have asked for a better clinician!
Chesapeake Feb 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Dr. P. Jones, I can only say that she is simply the best!!! I found Dr. Jones in a rush, she had authentic concern for the situation, she went over and WELL ABOVE assisting us with our needs. She was our angel during this process!!!
Read more Dr. P. Jones, I can only say that she is simply the best!!! I found Dr. Jones in a rush, she had authentic concern for the situation, she went over and WELL ABOVE assisting us with our needs. She was our angel during this process!!!
Chesapeake Jan 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Jones for the past 9 months. She is incredibly genuine and easy to confide in, even over our online sessions. She was able to help me through a difficult time and I will truly miss my sessions with her. I highly recommend her services. Thank you Dr. Jones!
Read more I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Jones for the past 9 months. She is incredibly genuine and easy to confide in, even over our online sessions. She was able to help me through a difficult time and I will truly miss my sessions with her. I highly recommend her services. Thank you Dr. Jones!
Chesapeake Dec 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Close out review with Dr. Patricia Jones. Outstanding service and was extremely helpful in giving me several techniques that I can use. Having video sessions was very convenient and effective. Highly recommend Dr. Jones just for her listening skills and the ability to relate to what you are going through. Very passionate about her job and you will not be disappointed when selecting her as your counselor!
Read more Close out review with Dr. Patricia Jones. Outstanding service and was extremely helpful in giving me several techniques that I can use. Having video sessions was very convenient and effective. Highly recommend Dr. Jones just for her listening skills and the ability to relate to what you are going through. Very passionate about her job and you will not be disappointed when selecting her as your counselor!
Chesapeake Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Chesapeake is near Zero’s Subs, and shares an office building with Pamela Smith MD. We off of Poplar Hill Road, and across from Bedei Compounding Pharmacy Services.

Phone number

(757) 210-9381

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • English
  • Spanish
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

23 photos