Anxiety Therapy Portland

If you’re looking for anxiety therapy in Portland, you're probably already worn down by worry, panic, overthinking, or the constant pressure to hold it all together. Anxiety can make ordinary experiences feel extraordinarily difficult. Like rehearsing what you're going to say ten times before making a phone call, white-knuckling a meeting that otherwise would just feel routine, or finally having a quiet evening to yourself only to have it turn into hours of replaying things that you've said, worrying about what you missed or what might go wrong next. Even rest can stop feeling restful when your mind keeps looking for the next danger ahead or fixating on things that already happened. You're exhausted from having to put on a brave face for the people in your life. You show up, you “function,” but inside, it feels like you’re “going crazy” or “losing it.” Your body can feel hot as your heart races, adding to the fear that something is terribly wrong. Living this way can feel like you’ve got blinders on that only allow you to focus on what’s troubling you. You’ve mastered the art of hiding your fear, but the effort it takes is leaving you emotionally exhausted.

Sometimes you want to share what you’re feeling, but you’re afraid that it will just make it more real or that you’ll feel more alone if you’re not understood. It’s like you’re always on high alert, and even well-meaning conversations can feel overwhelming. Other times you say nothing and shut down, quietly spiraling, convinced no one could really understand what you’re going through.

You’re afraid, and you feel alone…right at the moment you need support the most. That’s where anxiety counseling in Portland can help. It isn’t about ‘fixing’ you. We can make sense of what you’re going through together and find ways for you to care for yourself when anxiety feels this overwhelming. Anxiety can become less consuming, even if that feels hard to imagine right now.

When Anxiety Starts to Feel Like Who You Are

After a while, anxiety stops feeling like something that is happening and starts feeling intertwined with who you are. Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I’m just an anxious person”? I hear that a lot and it would make sense that we would question ourselves that way when anxiety is so persistent. When worry has been around long enough, it starts telling a very convincing story.

The story usually sounds something like: “something is wrong with me and I’m too sensitive and everyone else seems to know how to move through life with a secret instruction manual that I clearly missed.”

I don’t see anxiety that way, like it’s a character flaw. I’ve found that it’s often a part of us that works overtime trying so hard to keep us safe or one step ahead of any potential hurt, danger or discomfort. That definitely does not make it a pleasant experience. It can wear us down, grip our chests, hijack our attention, keep us awake, and make life feel so much smaller than it used to be.

Let’s not leave panic out. That jarring experience where the heart races, breathing gets shallow and our bodies suddenly do not feel like our own anymore. Even when the panic passes, it leaves a mark and we begin to scan for any potential scenario where it could come back.

This is how anxiety starts rearranging our lives. Plans get canceled. Errands get delayed. Messages go unanswered. We stay busy because slowing down means being alone with our thoughts. We avoid people because being seen feels too vulnerable, then we feel lonely because we’re carrying so much by ourselves. We begin searching for reassurance, then need more reassurance, and then somehow feel even less clear and confident.

I’m struck by how often people are dealing with all of this and still telling themselves, “I should be able to figure this out.” That’s a lot of pressure to carry when you’re already trying so hard to feel better.

That pressure to manage on your own can leave you wondering whether your anxiety is really “bad enough” for therapy. Getting through the day doesn’t tell us how much it’s taking out of you, or what you’ve had to put aside to keep going.

Therapy gives us a way to notice and understand what your anxiety is responding to. What you’ve been through matters, and so does what you’re dealing with now. We can take those experiences seriously without adding another demand to “get over it.”

Hi, I’m Eric Goodwin, and I Offer Anxiety Therapy in Portland and Across Oregon

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and have been practicing since 2013. Many of my clients have already tried a lot of “tools” to “manage” their anxiety by the time we meet: breathing exercises, podcasts, self-help books, commanding themselves to calm down, pretending everything is fine, keeping busy, or the old chestnut of “just buck up.”

These approaches can definitely offer a degree of support and I also understand that even with these tools at our fingertips, anxiety can really dig its heels in. When part of you is trying so hard to “do the right things” and another part still feels scared, I want to hear about both. I know how frustrating it can be to keep trying and still feel overwhelmed by anxiety.

If this experience is familiar to you I’d like to share that I don’t see these experiences as failures but instead see signs that anxiety may need a different kind of approach than another quick fix or a stern approach. That bootcamp-like inner coach can get especially loud when a practice you hoped would help falls away. We can look at what got in the way and explore how to start again with mindful self-compassion.

Your way of making sense of your life matters here. I want to understand the words and images you reach for, the memories that come up, and what those experiences mean to you. That includes the parts of your experience you may feel ashamed of or find difficult to share. We humans are lovely, messy, weird, and more than one thing at once. Sometimes, understanding more of the story can bring some refreshing perspectives and some kindness toward the parts of ourselves we’ve been so quick to judge.

What Anxiety Therapy Looks Like With Me

The therapy we do together won’t be rushed, and I’ll pay attention to when things begin to feel overwhelming so we can slow down. I believe you’ve felt enough of that already. I’m also not going to expect you to arrive and immediately open the deepest or most painful parts of your story before we have built enough trust. In fact, if you feel pressure to jump in headfirst around vulnerable topics, I’ll encourage us to take our time. What you’re already experiencing, right here, right now, gives us a great place to start.

We can begin by noticing how anxiety is showing up for you and what already helps you feel even a little more grounded. Together, we can explore how anxiety moves through your body and mind, what tends to intensify it, and what helps you stay connected to yourself when it starts to rise. The questions I ask in anxiety therapy help us explore what your mind is trying to solve and what feels so urgent about it.

As we continue, we can begin to look at the patterns that keep anxiety spinning. Often there’ll be an inner critic that judges your fear, pushes you to hide it, or tells you that you should be handling things better by now. I don’t think we need to make that voice the enemy. In many cases, it’s trying to protect you from rejection, danger, or the awful feeling of being caught off guard. Even a voice that is trying to protect you can be harsh and exhausting to live with.

This is part of how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can help with anxiety and self-criticism. We can get curious about the parts of you that worry, avoid, shut down, or keep pushing through, and listen for what they are afraid would happen if they stopped working so hard. If part of you is exhausted and another part insists you can’t afford to rest, both deserve our attention. We can explore what makes stopping feel risky and what support you need to be able to take a break.

We can work toward moments when anxiety shows up and you have a little more say in what happens next. When every choice starts to feel like something you need to get exactly right, that might mean being able to ask, “What do I want here, and what would help me feel supported enough to try?” You do not have to abandon yourself and your hopes when fear appears.

How Anxiety Therapy Can Help

One of the things I’ve noticed from doing this work for over 10 years is that change can sometimes begin even after the initial consultation, before the first actual session. There’s something about how anxiety functions that seems to separate us from each other. That inner critic, along with those societal messages of rugged individuality we internalize, can leave us feeling like we have to figure everything out alone, quietly, while still looking like we’re keeping up with life and its myriad responsibilities.

So when another person is finally there with you, listening carefully and taking what you’re saying seriously and without judgment, something inside can start to soften and relax a bit. And as trust builds, I’ve watched clients begin to understand their experiences with greater clarity. They start to see patterns of anxiety and self-criticism that once felt like “just who I am” with a growing curiosity and new perspectives. They begin bringing that understanding into the moments when anxiety shows up, drawing on practices and different ways of relating to what they’re feeling.

Those moments, the “real life” moments, where our anxiety surfaces are such a vital part of therapy. We pay attention to what happens when you take those insights back into your day-to-day experiences: those hard-to-have conversations, the frustrating workdays, the too-quiet evenings. That might mean being able to say what you need during a hard conversation, even while you’re nervous about saying it. When we meet again, we can explore what felt different, what still felt hard to approach, what surprised you, and what helped.

As you discover what helps in those everyday moments, you can begin to trust your ability to care for yourself when anxiety shows up. You have experiences to draw on, including a better sense of when you need support from someone else.

Over time, those moments can build momentum. There’s the possibility of feeling less trapped by the old, worn cycle of bracing, avoiding, overthinking, and criticizing yourself for being anxious in the first place. Anxiety may still show up, but it doesn’t have to be in the driver’s seat. You can begin to feel the liberation of having more choice about how you live and feeling more connected to yourself.

Begin Anxiety Therapy in Portland and Across Oregon

You can want support and still feel nervous about reaching out. You do not need to have the right words or a perfectly organized explanation before we talk. We can figure out where to begin together.

I’m Eric Goodwin, a Licensed Professional Counselor offering online anxiety therapy for adults in Portland and throughout Oregon. My work is grounded in mindfulness, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, and LGBTQ+-affirming therapy.

If something on this page helped you feel a little more understood, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation. You can tell me a little about what’s been happening, ask questions, and see how it feels to talk together. Call (971) 533-5590 or fill out the consultation form to schedule your consultation.

FAQs About Anxiety Therapy in Portland and Across Oregon

What kinds of anxiety do you work with?

I work with adults experiencing chronic worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety, and anxiety around work or relationships. Anxiety that gets tangled up with shame, self-criticism, or questions of identity and belonging is a particular focus in my practice.

Do I need an anxiety diagnosis before we can work together?

Nope. You don’t need to arrive with a diagnosis or know the clinical name for what you’re experiencing. We can begin with what has been happening and what you’d like help with.

Do you offer techniques for managing panic attacks?

I do. Panic can be frightening enough on its own, and then there’s the worry about when it might happen again. We can explore grounding practices and ways to care for yourself during and after an attack. I’ll want to hear what you’ve already tried and how it felt. Sometimes advice that sounds calming doesn’t feel calming at all when you’re the one panicking.

Can therapy help if I’ve felt anxious for years?

Yes. When anxiety has been around for years, it can be hard to imagine life feeling any different. Of course you want some relief.

We can work toward anxiety feeling less frightening and less consuming. I’ll also want to hear about anything you’ve come to think you “just have to live with,” and what you would like to be able to enjoy or try.

What if I understand my anxiety but still can’t seem to change it?

Knowing where a fear comes from doesn’t necessarily stop you from feeling it. You can understand an anxious reaction very well and still feel your whole body responding when it happens.

If previous therapy gave you insight but left you unsure how to care for yourself in those moments, we can talk about what you need from anxiety therapy this time. I’ll be interested in what you’ve tried, what helps even a little, and where you’re still struggling.

What if paying attention to my anxiety makes me feel more anxious?

If a mindfulness practice leaves you feeling more overwhelmed, I want to know. We can pause, change our focus, and work out what feels manageable together. You don’t have to keep pushing through an exercise just because it’s supposed to be helpful.

Can you help with anxiety about connecting with other LGBTQ+ people?

Yes. You can care deeply about finding community and still feel anxious about being seen in it. As a Queer therapist offering LGBTQ+-affirming therapy, I’ll want to understand what those relationships and communities mean to you.

We can take experiences of exclusion or rejection seriously, including what you’re dealing with now. We can also explore how you’d like to participate and what support you need, with respect for your boundaries.

Does caring for my anxiety mean accepting a situation that is hurting me?

No. Sometimes anxiety is responding to a situation that needs to change. You can need to leave an unsustainable job and still be scared about what leaving would mean. We can take both seriously as you consider your options and the support you’d need.

For information about fees, insurance, scheduling, privacy, and online appointments, visit my general therapy FAQs.