Break Free from Anxiety

Treatment for Anxiety: Overcoming people-pleasing and burnout

Anxiety Therapy for Overwhelmed Professionals in MD, NV, SC and VT

Q: What is anxiety therapy?

Anxiety therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach to reducing chronic worry, nervous system overwhelm and anxiety-driven patterns like people pleasing, perfectionism and overthinking. It focuses on both the mind and body so anxiety no longer controls your daily life.

Q: What is high-functioning anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety refers to appearing successful and capable on the outside while internally struggling with constant worry, pressure to perform and difficulty slowing down. Many people pleasers experience this form of anxiety without realizing it.

Q: What types of therapy do you use for anxiety?

I use evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness and somatic tools, boundary and assertiveness training, and EMDR when appropriate.

Q: Can anxiety therapy help if I have tried therapy before?

Yes. Clients come after talk therapy or self-help efforts that did not fully address their anxiety or people pleasing patterns. My approach is structured, collaborative and focused on sustainable change.

Q: Do you offer online anxiety therapy?

Yes. I provide HIPAA-compliant virtual anxiety therapy for adults in Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont. Online therapy allows you to receive care without the stress of commuting.

Last Updated: January 2026

Finding peace shouldn’t feel like another task on your never ending to do list.

If you are someone who is driven, capable and relied upon by others, anxiety can quietly become the fuel that keeps you going while slowly wearing you down. As a specialist in anxiety, OCD and trauma, I provide online, evidence-based anxiety therapy for overwhelmed individuals throughout Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont.

Schedule an Anxiety Therapy Consultation for more information.

A Space to Finally Slow Down

Whether you are navigating the high-pressure expectations of life in Bethesda or Potomac, or balancing a demanding career in Ellicott City, I offer a space for anxiety therapy, where you can finally slow down.

Many of my clients are high functioning people pleasers who:

- Are dependable, responsible and the go-to person for everyone else.
- Look perfectly fine on the outside while feeling tense and overextended on the inside.
- Feel emotionally exhausted from carrying the weight of others’ expectations.
- Are dependable, responsible and often the one others turn to. On the outside, everything looks fine. On the inside, they feel tense, overextended and emotionally exhausted.

I also provide specialized virtual care for professionals in Summerlin, Henderson, Las Vegas and beyond. This work is about helping you feel calm and grounded not because you are doing more, but because you are no longer carrying everything alone.

Judy Wang is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over a decade of experience providing anxiety therapy to busy professionals. She is licensed in Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont and is EMDR certified.

Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Worry and High-Functioning Anxiety

Anxiety often feels like an internal motor that refuses to shut off, even when you’ve checked everything off your list. High-functioning anxiety is the appearance of success while internally struggling with chronic worry. It often shows up as constant overthinking, people pleasing and difficulty resting, even when life looks successful on the outside.

For many people pleasers, anxiety shows up as a constant pressure to say yes, to be helpful and to meet expectations, even when it means ignoring your own needs. You may feel responsible for keeping everyone else comfortable while quietly feeling overwhelmed or resentful.

The Hidden Cost of Doing it All

This cycle often includes:

- Chronic Worry: Constantly replaying conversations or fearing you’ve disappointed someone.
- The Guilt Gap: Feeling “bad” or selfish whenever you try to rest or set a boundary.
- Secret Fears: Feeling successful but secretly afraid of being found out or failing.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, chronic anxiety is more than stress. Left unaddressed, it can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion and physical symptoms that make it even harder to keep up.

Shifting from "What If" to Self-Trust

In our online sessions, we work together to understand how your anxiety and people pleasing are connected. We identify the patterns that keep you stuck and begin shifting you from constant what if thinking and automatic yes responses into greater confidence and self trust.

This is not about becoming someone who doesn’t care. It is about learning to honor and take care of yourself with the same dedication you offer to everyone else.

What Anxiety Therapy Helps With

Anxiety therapy helps overwhelmed professionals reduce chronic worry, calm their nervous system and break people pleasing patterns that lead to burnout.

Treatment for anxiety can help you:

- Quiet constant overthinking and mental “what if loops.
- Calm the nervous system and reduce physical tension.
- Stop automatically saying yes when it costs you emotionally.
- Release guilty around setting boundaries or disappointing others.
- Build confidence and self trust in your decisions.
- Reconnect with your own needs instead of prioritizing everyone else’s comfort.
- Ease perfectionism and fear of not being good enough.

Form many of my clients, anxiety therapy also helps them understand why slowing down fees uncomfortable and why they feel responsible for others’ emotions. As these patterns shift, anxiety no longer controls your choices. You respond with intention instead of reacting from fear or guilt.

Anxiety therapy is not about doing more or trying harder. It is about creating space so you can feel calmer and more grounded in your daily life.

When did anxiety take over your life?

You’re the one everyone turns to when they need something done. You’re reliable, dependable and … exhausted. People see you as capable but you silently doubt it. You are often driven to do because of the anxiety.

of being

Does this sound familiar?

- You wake up in the middle of the night, filled with anxiety about all the things you have to do just so you don’t disappoint anyone.
- Your colleagues ask you to do them a favor, you reluctantly say “yes” because you fear they may reject you for saying no.
- You come home, tired from work, the house is a mess, your partner’s watching TV and you’re still expected to cook and clean up after.
- You feel that familiar lump in your throat when you’re asked for something and you want to say no but can’t.
- You’re exhausted and running on empty wondering why no one notices you’re about to fall apart.

~ You don’t have to live this way. Treatment for Anxiety can help. Therapy gives you the tools to set boundaries and reclaim your energy without guilt ~

Practical Tools to Manage Stress

Our approach to anxiety treatment is grounded in evidence-based practices that go beyond traditional talk therapy. We don’t just talk about anxiety; we work to shift how your brain and body respond to it. We utilize clinical modalities such as:

- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): To identify and challenge the “what-if” thoughts that fuel your anxiety.
- Mindfulness & Somatic Tools: To ground your nervous system when you feel overwhelmed or on the verge of panic.
- Boundary Setting & Assertiveness Training: To help you transition from a reluctant yes to a confident no, protecting your time and energy.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): To help live your life aligned with your values.

This clinical foundation ensures that your healing is backed by psychological science, providing you with a structured roadmap that works in your busy life. Anxiety treatment here is more than just talking; it’s about gaining the tools to quiet your inner critic and reclaim your focus.

Therapy Here is More Than Just Talking

We take action. Focusing on making real, lasting changes, not just discussing the problem.

We connect the dots. Understand the past helps shape the future. We’ll turn these insights into a meaningful path towards purposeful transformation.

We create space for growth. Emotions are part of our experience but they don’t have to define you. You’ll learn to make room for your feelings and to gently step beyond these feelings, creating space for lasting change.

Schedule an anxiety therapy consultation to learn more about how Anxiety Therapy can help you.

Expert Online Therapy Across Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont

I provide HIPAA-compliant online anxiety therapy for residents in Bethesda, Potomac, Ellicott City, and throughout Nevada, Vermont and South Carolina. Virtual therapy allows you to prioritize your mental health without the added stress of a commute, fitting seamlessly into your professional or family schedule. Whether you are at home or in the office, you deserve a space that is entirely yours.

Meet Your Specialist

Hi, I'm Judy, a LCPC and EMDR Certified Therapist

I help overwhelmed people pleasers who feel burned out, depleted and emotionally exhausted. You give so much to everyone around you, yet you often feel taken advantage of or disrespected by the very people you are trying to support, whether it is your partner, family, friends or colleagues. If you feel like you’re constantly running on empty while trying to keep everyone else happy, you’re not alone and you don’t have to stay there.

Through specialized anxiety therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), I help you process the “why” behind your people pleasing and give you the how for changing it. In a safe and empathetic environment, we will identify the patterns that keep you stuck in a cycle of guilt and exhaustion.

Treatment for anxiety involves working together to focus on:

- Identifying Root Patterns: Understanding the origin of the reluctant yes and the internal pressure to perform.
- EMDR-Informed Healing: Using specialized techniques to reduce the emotional sting of past experiences that fuel current anxiety and perfectionism.
- Sustainable Confidence: Learning to set firm boundaries and gain appreciation from others without the crushing weight of guilt.

We’ll focus on making changes one step at a time, helping you build the confidence to prioritize your own needs. You can learn more about me here.

What Working with Me Looks Like

Anxiety therapy begins with a personalized understanding of what’s driving your anxiety beneath the surface, not just the symptoms. Sessions focus on nervous system regulation, emotional safety and breaking long standing anxiety patterns using evidence-based methods. Therapy is collaborative, goal-oriented and tailored to your pace and needs.

Imagine Waking Up with Confidence and Peace

Consider how it would feel, waking up every morning with a quiet confidence, at peace knowing you don’t have to prove your worth by how much you give or how hard you work for others.

Instead,

- You feel grounded and secure in who you are.
- You realize that you matter too, that your needs are valid and your voice deserves to be heard.
- You no longer experience the feeling of anxiety before saying no.
- You are appreciated and cherished, knowing that you are supported as much as you support others.
- You receive recognition from colleagues and supervisors as they finally see the value you bring to the team.

This is where transformation begins with treatment for anxiety.

What clients have shared

While I can’t share specific testimonials due to confidentiality, I can share the transformations my clients have experienced through treatment for anxiety.

I set my boundaries and they didn't hate me!

My family is helping out more, I feel like I really to have a partnership with my significant other and I feel so grounded and relaxed.

It was initially a struggle at work but now people are doing their work and my boss is noticing my contributions.

Is My Treatment for Anxiety Right for You?

My approach to treatment for anxiety is for you if:

- You’re ready to get unstuck and take action to move forward, not just talk about it.
- You want to own your own growth and break the cycle of they ask, you give.

This approach is best suited for adults who want active, evidence based treatment rather than solely supportive talk therapy.

Yeah but...

You might think, “I should be able to handle this myself” and you’ve tried but it hasn’t worked. That’s why treatment for anxiety is so important. Let me be the guide to cheer you on and hold you accountable so that the changes stick.
You might worry, “what if I change and others don’t like it?” The truth is, setting boundaries can be uncomfortable. Some people may push back but those that truly care about you will respect your growth. And the ones who don’t? They were benefiting from your lack of boundaries, not your well-being. Treatment for anxiety helps you create relationships that are built on mutual respect and not obligation.
You might feel guilty about spending time and money on yourself. But treatment for anxiety is an investment in your future. Just like saving for retirement, prioritizing your mental health now allows you to reap the rewards of a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

This Sounds Good but...

You’ve poured so much into previous therapies, self-help books and endless podcasts, hoping to make the changes you need. But if you’re reading this, it means those efforts didn’t fully work. You’re still feeling stuck. That’s where treatment for anxiety comes in.
My approach is different. We’ll work together in a way that genuinely honors your needs, your worth and the balance you’re ready to create.

Just Another Day or Day One

Imagine your life feeling like it belongs to you again. Moments when you can rest without the familiar worry creeping in, without the sense that you’re letting someone down. In this new reality, you would feel steady and supported. You’d have the space to be who you are with no need to prove your worth through self-sacrifice or constant giving.

Now, imagine if nothing changed. Six months from now, you’re still exhausted, overworked and filled with anxiety about disappointing others.

Your future self is asking you to take this step. Don’t wait another day. Start your treatment for anxiety today!

This is your time to finally choose you. You can choose to make today just another day or you can make it Day One on your healing journey.

If anxiety is quietly running your life, even while everything “looks fine” on the outside, support is available. Begin anxiety therapy today so you can start feeling grounded and confident again.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Therapy

What is anxiety therapy?

Anxiety therapy is a structured, evidence based approach to reducing chronic worry, nervous system dysregulation and anxiety driven patterns like people pleasing, perfectionism and overthinking. It focuses on both the mind and body so anxiety no longer controls your daily life.

How do I know if I need anxiety therapy?

If anxiety is affecting your sleep, relationships, work performance or ability to relax, therapy can help. Many high functioning professionals seek anxiety therapy when they feel emotionally exhausted, guilty for setting boundaries or constantly worried about disappointing others.

What is high functioning anxiety?

High functioning anxiety refers to appearing successful and capable on the outside while internally struggling with constant worry, pressure to perform and difficulty slowing down. Many people pleasers experience this form of anxiety without realizing it.

How is people pleasing connected to anxiety?

People pleasing is often driven by anxiety around rejection, conflict or being seen as not good enough. Anxiety therapy helps uncover these patterns and teaches you how to set boundaries without guilt while staying connected to others.

What does anxiety therapy help with?

Anxiety therapy helps reduce overthinking, calm the nervous system, break automatic yes responses, support healthier boundaries and improve self trust.

What types of therapy do you use for anxiety?

I use evidence based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness and somatic tools, boundary and assertiveness training and EMDR when appropriate.

Is anxiety therapy just talking about my problems?

No. Therapy here is active and practical. We focus on understanding patterns, learning new skills and making real changes that help you feel calmer and more grounded in daily life.

Can anxiety therapy help if I have tried therapy before?

Yes. Clients come to me after talk therapy or self help efforts that did not fully address their anxiety or people pleasing patterns. My approach is structured, collaborative and focused on sustainable change.

Do you offer online anxiety therapy?

Yes, I provide HIPAA compliant virtual anxiety therapy for adults in Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont. Online therapy allows you to receive care without the stress of commuting.

Who do you work best with?

I specialize in working with overwhelmed professionals and people pleasers who feel burned out, emotionally exhausted and anxious despite appearing successful.

How long does anxiety therapy take?

The length of therapy varies depending on your goals and needs. Many clients begin noticing shifts within a couple of months, especially when therapy is focused and active.

How do I get started with anxiety therapy?

You can start by scheduling a 20-minute consultation. This allows us to talk about what you are experiencing and determine if anxiety therapy is a good fit for you.

by Judy Wang