Anxiety Treatment in Northern Virginia
Evidence-based care for anxiety disorders in children, teens, and adults — serving Lansdowne, Ashburn, and communities across Loudoun County.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the United States, affecting approximately 40 million adults and millions of children and adolescents each year. While occasional anxiety is a normal response to stress, an anxiety disorder involves persistent, excessive worry or fear that does not subside on its own and can significantly impair daily functioning.
At Lansdowne Mental Health Services, our experienced providers offer comprehensive evaluations and personalized treatment plans for patients of all ages in Lansdowne, Ashburn, and throughout Northern Virginia. We understand that living with anxiety can feel isolating and overwhelming, and we are committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care that helps our patients regain a sense of control and well-being.
Types of Anxiety Disorders We Treat
Anxiety disorders encompass a range of conditions, each with distinct characteristics. Our Loudoun County practice provides specialized treatment for the following:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD is characterized by chronic, excessive worry about a wide range of everyday matters — health, work, finances, family, and more — even when there is little or no reason for concern. People with GAD often find it difficult to relax, experience muscle tension, and have trouble sleeping.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety involves an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated in social situations. It can lead to avoidance of work meetings, school presentations, social gatherings, and even routine conversations, significantly limiting a person's personal and professional life.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is marked by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks — sudden episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain. Many patients develop a persistent fear of future attacks, which can lead to avoidance behaviors.
Specific Phobias
A specific phobia is an intense, irrational fear of a particular object or situation, such as flying, heights, animals, or medical procedures. While the fear may seem disproportionate, it can cause significant distress and avoidance that disrupts daily routines.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety disorders produce both emotional and physical symptoms. Recognizing these symptoms is an important first step toward seeking treatment. Common signs include:
- ✓Persistent and uncontrollable worry or dread
- ✓Restlessness, irritability, or feeling on edge
- ✓Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
- ✓Sleep disturbances, including trouble falling or staying asleep
- ✓Physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, or nausea
- ✓Avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety
- ✓Muscle tension, headaches, or chronic fatigue
In children and adolescents, anxiety may manifest as frequent stomachaches, school refusal, clinginess, or meltdowns. If you or your child is experiencing several of these symptoms regularly, we encourage you to reach out to our Ashburn-area office for an evaluation.
Our Evidence-Based Treatment Approach
Lansdowne Mental Health Services uses proven, research-backed methods to treat anxiety disorders. Our providers work with each patient to develop a treatment plan that considers the type and severity of their anxiety, their personal preferences, and their treatment history.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is widely considered the gold standard for anxiety treatment. CBT helps patients identify distorted thinking patterns that fuel anxiety and replace them with more balanced, realistic thoughts. Through structured sessions, patients learn coping strategies, relaxation techniques, and gradual exposure methods that reduce avoidance behaviors and build confidence.
Medication Management
For moderate to severe anxiety, medication management can be an essential component of treatment. Our board-certified providers may prescribe SSRIs, SNRIs, or other appropriate medications to help reduce the intensity of anxiety symptoms. We carefully monitor each patient's response, adjusting dosages as needed and watching for any side effects to ensure the best possible outcome.
Exomind TMS Therapy
For patients who have not responded adequately to traditional treatments, we offer Exomind transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive neurostimulation therapy that targets specific brain regions associated with anxiety. Exomind TMS delivers gentle electrical stimulation through a comfortable headband device, requiring no sedation and no downtime. This innovative treatment option is available at our Lansdowne office and represents the latest advancement in anxiety care.
Who We Help
Our anxiety treatment programs serve patients across the lifespan. Whether you are seeking care for yourself or a loved one, our team in Northern Virginia is here to help:
- ✓Children experiencing separation anxiety, school anxiety, or excessive worry
- ✓Teenagers dealing with social anxiety, academic pressure, or panic attacks
- ✓Adults managing generalized anxiety, work-related stress, or phobias
- ✓Individuals with co-occurring conditions such as depression, ADHD, OCD, or PTSD
We believe that effective treatment requires understanding the whole person, not just their symptoms. Our providers take the time to listen, build trust, and create a treatment environment where patients feel safe and supported throughout their recovery journey.
Related Services
Anxiety often occurs alongside other mental health conditions. Explore our related services for a comprehensive treatment approach:
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety Treatment
Our providers treat a full spectrum of anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, specific phobias, Separation Anxiety Disorder, and Selective Mutism. We also treat anxiety symptoms that co-occur with other conditions such as depression, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD. Each treatment plan is tailored to the specific type and severity of the patient's anxiety.
You should consider seeing a psychiatrist if your anxiety is persistent and interferes with your daily life, work, school, or relationships. Warning signs include frequent panic attacks, avoidance of everyday situations due to fear, chronic insomnia related to worry, physical symptoms like chest tightness or shortness of breath, and inability to control anxious thoughts despite your best efforts. If self-help strategies or primary care treatment have not provided sufficient relief, psychiatric evaluation is a recommended next step.
Most insurance plans provide coverage for anxiety evaluation, therapy, and medication management. Coverage details vary by plan, so we recommend contacting our office or your insurance provider to verify benefits, copays, and any preauthorization requirements before scheduling your first visit.
Both therapy and medication are effective for treating anxiety, and research consistently shows that a combination of the two often produces the best results. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps patients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns, while medications such as SSRIs or SNRIs can reduce the intensity of anxiety symptoms. Our providers will discuss all options and help you choose the approach that best fits your situation and preferences.
The duration of anxiety treatment varies depending on the type and severity of the condition, as well as the individual's response to treatment. Many patients begin to notice improvement within four to six weeks of starting medication or therapy. Short-term therapy courses often last 12 to 20 sessions, while some patients benefit from longer-term support. Our providers schedule regular follow-ups to track progress and make adjustments as needed.
Take the First Step Toward Relief from Anxiety
You do not have to manage anxiety alone. Our compassionate team offers effective, personalized treatment for children, teens, and adults throughout Northern Virginia.