Anxiety Therapy in Sacramento, CA
When anxiety starts shaping your thoughts, decisions, and daily life, it can leave you feeling constantly on edge and mentally exhausted.
Dr. Lara Kennerly provides anxiety therapy in Sacramento to help adults understand the patterns behind their anxiety and develop healthier ways to respond to stress, worry, and overwhelming thoughts.
In-person in Sacramento | Virtual across California
Does Your Mind Feel Like It Never Really Turns Off?
You might wake up already thinking about everything you need to do that day. Your mind starts running through responsibilities, conversations, and what could go wrong before you’ve even finished your first cup of coffee.
Throughout the day, the thoughts keep circling. You replay things you said. You second-guess decisions. Sometimes even small choices start to feel overwhelming.
Your body might stay tense, like you’re always bracing for something. It can be hard to focus, hard to relax, and sometimes hard to be fully present with the people around you.
At night, when things finally get quiet, your mind often does the opposite. The “what if” thoughts show up, and sleep becomes difficult because your brain keeps trying to solve problems that aren’t even happening yet.
Experiences like this are very common with anxiety. In fact, the Anxiety & Depression Association of America reports that anxiety disorders affect over 40 million adults in the United States each year.
When anxiety becomes constant, it can start shaping how you think, feel, and move through everyday life. Therapy can help you understand what is driving these patterns and learn ways to quiet the cycle of worry and overthinking.
Common Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety can affect both the mind and body, often in ways that make everyday situations feel more difficult than they should.
Common signs of anxiety include:
-
Persistent worry that feels difficult to turn off
-
Racing or repetitive thoughts
-
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because your mind keeps going
-
Feeling tense, restless, or constantly on edge
-
Difficulty concentrating or staying focused
-
Overthinking conversations, decisions, or future situations
-
Feeling easily overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities
-
Physical symptoms such as a tight chest, rapid heartbeat, or muscle tension
-
Avoiding situations that trigger stress or worry
When these patterns begin affecting sleep, work, relationships, or daily routines, it may be a sign that anxiety is taking up more space in your life than it should. Therapy can help you better understand these patterns and develop healthier ways to respond to worry and stress.
Different Types of Anxiety
Anxiety can take many forms. While everyone experiences it differently, there are several patterns that therapists commonly see.
Some of the most common types of anxiety include:
Generalized Anxiety
Ongoing worry about everyday responsibilities, decisions, or future events that feels difficult to control.
Social Anxiety
Intense fear of being judged, criticized, or embarrassed in social or professional situations.
Panic Attacks
Sudden waves of intense fear or physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness.
Health Anxiety
Persistent worry about physical health or the possibility of having a serious illness.
Performance Anxiety
Fear of making mistakes or not meeting expectations in work, school, or high-pressure situations.
Obsessive-Compulsive Patterns (OCD)
Unwanted intrusive thoughts followed by repetitive behaviors or mental rituals, such as checking, reassurance seeking, or “what if” thinking that feels difficult to stop.
Many people experience a mix of these patterns rather than just one type. Anxiety therapy focuses on understanding how these patterns show up in your life and helping you develop healthier ways to respond to them.
When Anxiety Shows Up as OCD
For some people, anxiety doesn’t just show up as worry. It can take the form of intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors that feel difficult to control.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) often involves unwanted thoughts that create distress, along with actions or mental rituals meant to reduce that discomfort. This might look like repeatedly checking things, needing reassurance, or feeling stuck in cycles of “what if” thinking that are hard to quiet.
OCD Treatment in Sacramento, CA
OCD can feel overwhelming, especially when intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors start interfering with daily life. Many people try to manage these patterns on their own, but the cycle often continues without the right support.
At Navigating Rough Waters Therapy, Dr. Lara Kennerly provides OCD treatment in Sacramento for adults who are experiencing intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, or persistent mental loops that feel difficult to control.
Treatment focuses on helping you better understand how these patterns develop and learning new ways to respond to intrusive thoughts without relying on compulsive behaviors. Over time, many people begin to notice that the intensity of these thoughts decreases and that they feel more in control of their reactions.
Therapy for Anxiety in Sacramento, CA
Anxiety can show up in many different ways. Some people experience constant worry or racing thoughts. Others notice physical symptoms like tension, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, or a feeling of always being on edge.
At Navigating Rough Waters Therapy, Dr. Lara Kennerly provides anxiety therapy in Sacramento for adults who want to better understand the patterns behind their anxiety and develop healthier ways to respond to stress, worry, and overwhelming thoughts.
She works with individuals experiencing different forms of anxiety, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, performance anxiety, and chronic overthinking.
Therapy focuses on helping you slow the cycle of overthinking, build greater emotional balance, and feel more grounded in everyday life.
Sessions are available in person in Sacramento, serving individuals from nearby communities including Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Davis, Citrus Heights, Natomas, and West Sacramento. Secure virtual therapy is also available across California, offering flexible options for individuals seeking support.
How Anxiety Therapy Helps You Reclaim Control
Anxiety therapy focuses on helping you better understand the patterns behind constant worry, racing thoughts, and feeling on edge.
Rather than simply trying to “stop” anxiety, therapy helps you explore what is driving these reactions and how they developed over time. Many people begin noticing that anxiety is connected to long-standing habits of thinking, pressure to stay in control, or the nervous system remaining stuck in a heightened state of alert.
Through therapy, you can begin to:
-
Recognize the patterns that trigger anxiety
-
Learn ways to slow racing thoughts and constant worry
-
Develop healthier responses to stress and uncertainty
-
Feel more grounded and emotionally balanced
-
Build greater confidence in everyday decisions
-
Over time, many people notice that situations that once felt overwhelming begin to feel more manageable.
The goal of therapy is not to eliminate every anxious thought. It is to help you respond to those thoughts differently so anxiety no longer controls how you move through your day.
Meet Your Anxiety Therapist in Sacramento, CA
Dr. Lara Kennerly, PsyD
I understand how exhausting it can feel when your mind rarely slows down. Anxiety can quietly shape how you think, make decisions, and move through everyday life, often leaving you feeling tense, overwhelmed, or mentally drained.
As a licensed psychologist, I work with adults who are navigating persistent worry, racing thoughts, and the pressure to stay in control. In therapy, we take time to understand the patterns behind your anxiety and explore healthier ways to respond to stress and uncertainty.
Many of the people I work with are high-achieving professionals, first responders, or individuals carrying significant responsibilities where anxiety often stays hidden beneath the surface.
My goal is to offer a thoughtful and steady space where you can slow down, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and begin building a calmer and more grounded way of moving through daily life.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.”
— Dan Millman
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck in This Cycle
Living with constant worry, racing thoughts, and tension can make everyday life feel exhausting. Many people assume this is simply how their mind works.
But anxiety patterns can change. Therapy can help you understand what is driving these reactions and learn ways to respond to stress with greater calm and clarity.
You deserve the opportunity to feel more present, steady, and at ease in your daily life.