Top Anxiety & Trauma Therapist in San Jose, CA

You might be struggling with anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere, or you suspect your current anxiety is connected to past experiences but aren’t sure how they relate. Perhaps you’ve been told you need to “deal with your anxiety first” before addressing trauma, or you’re wondering if you need separate treatments for each issue.

As an anxiety and trauma therapist in San Jose, California, I frequently work with clients whose anxiety and trauma are deeply interconnected. In fact, understanding this connection is often the key to creating lasting change … because treating anxiety symptoms without addressing underlying trauma rarely produces permanent relief.

The anxiety-trauma connection:

How trauma manifests as anxiety:

The aftermath of a traumatic event can leave you overwhelmed, anxious, and unable to cope. It’s common to get stuck in reliving, avoiding, and reacting to reminders of what happened. You can end up in survival mode and be uncertain how to return to normal.

Why anxiety often has roots in trauma:

Anxiety can be unmanageable and sometimes feels like it’s controlling your life. Anxiety about work, family, health, money, and life’s daily challenges can lead to chronic fear and worry. What many people don’t realize is that this chronic anxiety often stems from unprocessed traumatic experiences that taught your nervous system to stay on high alert.

Common patterns I see:

Childhood trauma creating adult anxiety:

Negative events from your past still affect everything you do. Childhood and young adult trauma can shape people in unhealthy ways. Sometimes, even though you have tried, you can’t shake the enduring negative impact of the past.

Early experiences of:

• Criticism or harsh treatment creates anxiety about making mistakes
• Unpredictable environments lead to chronic vigilance and worry
• Neglect or emotional unavailability causes anxiety in relationships
• Bullying or social rejection fuels social anxiety in adulthood

Relationship trauma fueling current anxiety:

Negative relationship events have left you insecure, confused, and unable to trust yourself or the important people in your life. Relationship trauma, such as assault, verbal abuse, infidelity, or manipulation, can leave you hypervigilant, confused, and over-reactive to even small events between you and your loved ones.

When things go wrong, you may find yourself resorting to negative behaviors in response. You frequently overreact or shut down … anxiety takes over in situations that remind your nervous system of past betrayals or harm.

Sexual trauma and pervasive anxiety:

Sexual trauma has left an imprint that you didn’t choose but that you live with every day. After sexual trauma, certain moments, places, or even a casual touch can trigger anxiety, fear, or dissociation. You may feel disconnected from your body, your relationships, and even your sense of safety.

Health experiences creating health anxiety:

Acute health emergencies, chronic pain, and significant health problems can create anxiety that is hard to manage. Sometimes the worries about being unwell and what will come next overtake the reality of your situation … past medical trauma fuels present-day health anxiety.

How I treat anxiety and trauma together:

Integrated EMDR and CBT approach:

I have 25 years of experience helping clients overcome anxiety and trauma using a focused blend of evidence-based therapies, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness.

With the evidence-based methods of EMDR and CBT, I effectively promote your healing from trauma and help you establish patterns of long-term resilience.

CBT for immediate anxiety management:

In anxiety therapy, I will help you understand your anxiety triggers, decrease your avoidance, and change your negative thought patterns. You will learn relaxation and coping skills to get through stressful moments.

CBT provides practical tools you can use right away to:

• Manage panic attacks and intense anxiety
• Challenge anxious thoughts in the moment
• Face situations you’ve been avoiding
• Develop stress management skills
• Regulate your emotions more effectively

EMDR for processing trauma at the root:

In trauma therapy, I will help you process painful experiences, reduce your emotional distress and reactivity, and regain a sense of control. EMDR addresses the traumatic memories and experiences that fuel your anxiety … creating change at a deeper, more lasting level.

EMDR helps you:

• Process-specific traumatic events driving anxiety
• Release the emotional charge of difficult memories
• Shift negative beliefs formed during trauma
• Reduce triggers and emotional reactivity
• Experience relief that lasts beyond the therapy session

Mindfulness for present-moment awareness:

I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.

Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.

Learn more about this integrated approach on my EMDR and CBT therapy page.

Why does treating both together work better?

Addressing symptoms and causes:

• CBT manages current anxiety symptoms so you can function better now
• EMDR processes the traumatic roots fueling the anxiety
• Together, they create both immediate relief and lasting change
• You don’t have to choose between feeling better now and healing deeply

Creating comprehensive change:

When you address both anxiety and trauma together, you experience:

• Faster overall improvement than treating one at a time
• More complete and lasting results
• Better understanding of yourself and your patterns
• Skills for managing current stress while healing past wounds
• Relief from symptoms plus freedom from their underlying causes

The transformation clients experience:

From stuck to free:

Before treatment, you might feel:

• Anxious
• Stressed
• Stuck
• Triggered
• Miserable

After integrated anxiety and trauma treatment, clients report feeling:

• Relaxed
• At Ease
• Free
• Responsive
• Joyful

Real results clients notice:

Clients who work with me often find that:

• Anxiety and fear no longer dominate their decisions
• They have more energy, confidence, and enjoyment in their daily lives
• They develop stronger stress-management skills and the ability to set healthy boundaries
• They feel more in control of their emotions, especially in conflict or high-pressure situations

Specialized treatment for various presentations:

Depending on your specific situation, we can focus on:

• Childhood trauma therapy when past experiences drive current anxiety
• Relationship trauma therapy when betrayals fuel relationship anxiety
• Sexual trauma therapy when trauma affects intimacy and safety
• Health anxiety therapy when medical experiences create persistent worry
• General anxiety therapy or trauma therapy as needed

Who benefits from integrated treatment:

High-achieving professionals in the South Bay:

I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who are used to solving problems on their own but are ready for a different kind of support.

You don’t have to choose between managing anxiety symptoms and processing trauma. You can do both … and doing both creates the most complete and lasting healing.

Accessing integrated treatment in San Jose:

Convenient Willow Glen location:

My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).

Flexible scheduling:

Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents, making specialized anxiety and trauma therapy accessible throughout the Bay Area.

For questions about treatment duration, session costs, and what to expect, visit my FAQ page.