Therapy for Anxiety and Overwhelm in McKinney, TX
Serving clients across Texas, Colorado, and Washington
Could It Be Anxiety Behind the Guilt and the Short Fuse?
You micromanage the whole week because it feels like everything falls apart unless you're the one in control.
You lie awake replaying the moment you snapped at your kids, and beat yourself up for it.
You feel guilty the second you sit down, because there's always something you “should” be doing.
You hold yourself to a standard no one could reach, then feel like you’re falling short anyway.
You’re carrying it all on your own while your spouse is gone, and you feel guilty for how overwhelming it feels.
What Anxiety and Need for Control Can Feel Like
Your alarm goes off and your mind is already running through the list. You get everyone out the door, answer emails between meetings, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks, because you won't let it. By dinner, your patience is gone. You snap over something small, and the guilt follows you through bedtime. When the house is finally still, your mind isn't. It's already planning tomorrow.
Therapy services in McKinney, TX and virtually across Texas, Colorado, and Washington
Anxiety Like This Is More Common Than It Looks
Specialized DBT skills to cope with the overwhelm and rethink the expectations
So many working moms and military spouses live this way, carrying it all while looking like they have it handled. When you try to talk about it, you might hear "that’s motherhood" or "you knew what you signed up for," so you stop bringing it up. That kind of loneliness makes the anxiety even heavier.
Loosening Anxiety’s Grip Is Possible
Anxiety rarely fades just because life slows down, and for most of the women I work with, life doesn't slow down. The patterns that kept you going, like planning for every worst case and holding yourself to an impossible bar, tend to stick around until you learn a different way to respond. Willpower alone usually isn't enough.
That's where therapy can help. At Compass Care Counseling, I help working moms and military spouses reset the bar on what they expect of themselves and raise the compassion they give themselves. I'm a working mom and military spouse too, so you don't have to justify the hard to me.
What Will an Anxiety Therapist Provide for Me?
It starts with a free 15 minute consultation, a short conversation to see if we're a good fit. In our first full session, we'll talk about what's been going on, what a hard day looks like for you, and what you'd like to feel different. You don't need to have the right words. We'll figure it out together.
As a Certified DBT Therapist, I teach skills you can use in the moment, like calming your body when worry takes over or pausing before you react. I'll introduce you to practices like mindfulness, self-compassion, and acceptance. We'll also look at the expectations you've been carrying, where they came from, and which ones you want to keep. I'll meet you with curiosity instead of judgment, every session.
Progress usually happens in small, real moments. Over time, clients often find that they:
Pause before they react, even on hard days
Stop beating themselves up for struggling or feeling
Ask for what they need without guilt or second guessing
Notice the unfair expectations they carry and start to change them
Recover more quickly when their mind gets pulled into worry
Feel grounded in their values and more confident moving through hard seasons of life
Change won't happen overnight. When it does come, it tends to last, because it's built on skills you practice in your real life.
You May Have Some Concerns about Anxiety Therapy. That's Okay.
"I don't have time for one more thing." That makes sense. Sessions are virtual, so there's no drive or waiting room. I also have morning openings, so you can fit therapy in before your workday starts.
"What if it's not bad enough for therapy?" You don't have to wait until you're falling apart. If the anxiety is affecting how you feel or how you show up for the people you love, that's reason enough to reach out.
"Do you take insurance?" I'm private pay, and I provide superbills for clients who wish to pursue out of network reimbursement through their insurance. Many clients find this gives them more flexibility and privacy in their care.
"We might PCS soon. Is it worth starting?" Yes. Because sessions are virtual, we can keep working together after a move, as long as you're living in Texas, Colorado, or Washington.
How Do I Take the Next Step?
Reaching out can feel like a big step, especially when you're used to handling everything on your own. You can start small, with a free 15 minute consultation, and we'll talk about what you need and whether we're the right fit. There's no pressure, just a conversation. If you have questions, feel free to send me a quick message!
Therapy for Anxiety in McKinney, TX FAQ:
-
I help you change your relationship to anxiety rather than trying to get rid of it. I will lead you in looking at the patterns that keep it going, like overthinking, avoidance, or catastrophizing, and practice noticing those in real time. From there, we work on responding to your anxiety with compassion and understanding so it has less control over your actions and you can stay more connected to what matters to you.
-
Most people don’t come to therapy because their anxiety is “bad enough.” They come because it’s taking up more space than they want it to or getting in the way of experiencing joy. If anxiety is stopping you from living the life you want to live, that’s enough. Therapy isn’t just for crisis. It’s a resource to help you move towards your most meaningful and fulfilling life.
-
There isn’t a set timeline for anxiety therapy. It depends on what you’re experiencing and what you want to get out of it. Some people notice shifts within a few sessions as they start responding differently to anxiety. For others, it takes more time to change long-standing patterns. The goal is to help you feel empowered to manage fear independently.
-
Anxiety is part of being human. It’s something your mind and body do to try to protect you, not something you’re supposed to get rid of completely.
You will continue to experience anxiety in your life. I’m here to teach you how you relate to it so it doesn’t take over or dictate your choices. As the relationship shifts, anxiety tends to feel less intense, show up differently, and have less control over your life.
-
It can feel confusing when anxiety shows up without a clear reason, but often there is something happening underneath, even if it’s not obvious. Your mind and body may have learned to stay on alert. After a while, that can start to feel like anxiety is just “always there,” even when nothing specific is happening. Basically, your system is doing its job a little too well. Here, I’ll guide you in understanding your mind and body and teaching your nervous system how to feel safe again.
-
Yes. Therapy is one of the most effective ways to manage anxiety, and many people start to feel a difference once they have skills they can use in real moments. I use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), two well researched, evidence based approaches. DBT teaches skills for calming intense emotions, and ACT helps you make room for anxious thoughts without letting them run your life. Over time, you’ll understand what triggers your anxiety, respond to it with more confidence, and recover more quickly when it shows up. Progress takes practice, and the changes tend to last because you build them into your everyday life.
-
The right kind of anxiety therapy depends on how your anxiety shows up and what you want to change. Anxiety looks different for everyone. For some people, it’s constant worry that never seems to turn off. Others experience sudden panic attacks, or intense fear around specific situations. Common approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In my practice, I draw mainly from DBT and ACT and tailor sessions to what you experience. A free 15 minute consultation is a good place to talk through what you’re experiencing and whether my approach is a good fit.
-
Helping your body feel safe and processing your fear are what calm anxiety. In the moment, slow breathing with a longer exhale can tell your nervous system to settle. Grounding helps too, like naming five things you can see or pressing your feet into the floor. Moving your body, even a short walk, can burn off some of that built up energy. Over time, regular sleep, steady routines, and practicing these skills when you’re calm make them easier to use when you’re not. Therapy can help you find which tools work best for you and process the fears that show up for you.
-
The need for anxiety medication is different for everyone. Some people find relief through therapy alone, while others find that medication is a helpful part of their care. As a therapist, I’m not a medication provider, so I don’t prescribe medication. What we can do in therapy is talk through the decision together, including any questions, concerns, or mixed feelings you have about it. If you decide to explore medication, I can support you in advocating for yourself with your primary care doctor or make a referral to a psychiatric provider.
-
Anxiety often gets worse from habits that bring quick relief but keep the fear going. Avoiding what makes you anxious can feel safer in the moment, and over time it teaches your brain that the situation really is dangerous. Overplanning and trying to control every detail can do the same thing. So can looking for constant reassurance. Lack of sleep, too much caffeine, and scrolling through worst case news can keep your body on high alert. Being hard on yourself for feeling anxious adds another layer of stress. None of this means you’re doing anything wrong. These patterns are common, and therapy can help you notice them and try something different.
All services are offered on a private pay basis, with super-bills provided for clients who wish to pursue out of network reimbursement through their insurance.
Anxiety Therapy Session Fees in McKinney, TX
Individual Therapy Sessions
$150 per hour
Couple's Therapy Sessions
$165 per hour
Sliding Scale
(Limited openings available)
Offering Therapy for Anxiety in McKinney, TX
Meet Haley Alexander MS, LPC, LMHC, C-DBT
Hi, I'm Haley! I'm a Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist who works with adults navigating anxiety and emotional overwhelm that touches nearly every part of daily life. You might find yourself ruminating constantly, feeling pressure to keep up, or struggling with the guilt of allowing yourself to relax. You may feel exhausted but wired, irritable with the people you care about, or drained by the effort it takes to manage it all.
As someone who understands the pace and pressure of high stress work environments or the demands of parenting, I know how easy it is for anxiety and overwhelm to build over time. I want to teach you the power of sitting with your experience instead of pushing it away. Instead of fighting your thoughts or judging your reactions, we create space to understand them. I take a steady, non-judgmental approach that helps you relate to your anxiety and difficult emotions with more clarity and compassion.
Mom Anxiety: Controlling the Controllable When Life Feels Out of Control
Latest Blog written by Haley Alexander, C-DBT Therapist in McKinney, TX
Mom anxiety loves to control what it can when everything else feels out of control. Here's why your brain plans for the worst, where all that shame comes from, and two DBT skills to help you meet yourself with more kindness.