Anxiety therapy
in Ontario.
Understand worry, work with your body's alarm response and take practical steps toward the things anxiety makes difficult.
What anxiety is trying to do.
Anxiety is a normal response to uncertainty or a possible threat. It draws your attention to what might go wrong and prepares you to respond. Feeling anxious does not mean there is something wrong with you.
The question is how anxiety is affecting your life. You might find yourself replaying conversations, worrying about your health, struggling to sleep or avoiding situations you used to enjoy. Therapy can help you understand these patterns and respond differently.
When anxiety helps
Anxiety can prompt you to prepare for an interview, take care with a difficult decision or respond to danger. When it fits the situation and settles afterward, it can be useful.
When anxiety gets in the way
Anxiety can become unhelpful when it is frequent, intense or hard to switch off. Constant worry, checking and avoidance can take time away from work, relationships and rest, even when there is no immediate danger.
The fight-or-flight response.
When your brain detects a threat, your body prepares to protect you. Your heart can beat faster, breathing can speed up, muscles can tense and you may sweat or feel an unsettled stomach. This is often called the fight-or-flight response; some people also feel frozen or unable to act.
This response can help in genuine danger. But a feared possibility, a social situation or a worrying thought can also set it off. The alarm is real, even when it is stronger than the situation calls for. Understanding it can help you respond to the sensations without automatically treating every one as an emergency.
How I help with anxiety.
I use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you understand the links between your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviour. Together, we look at what sets off anxiety and what keeps it going. CBT is not about forcing positive thoughts or dismissing real problems.
For example, the thought 'Everyone will notice that I'm nervous' might bring a racing heart and lead you to skip a social event. Avoiding it can bring relief now, but leave the prediction untested. We can examine that prediction and plan a manageable step that gives you new information.
Work with anxious predictions
Notice all-or-nothing thinking, worst-case predictions and assumptions about what other people think. We can examine the evidence and develop a more balanced response, while allowing for uncertainty.
Practise mindfulness
Learn to notice thoughts and sensations without immediately reacting to them. Mindfulness can help you return attention to the present. It is not a demand to empty your mind or make every uncomfortable feeling disappear.
Change avoidance gradually
Choose small, agreed steps toward situations anxiety has made difficult. We can look at avoidance and reassurance-seeking that bring short-term relief but keep fear going. This is planned together, not a surprise or a test of willpower.
Test what you expect
A behavioural experiment might involve contributing one comment in a meeting, then comparing what happened with what you feared. The goal is to learn through experience, rather than wait until you feel completely confident.
Work with Chelsie.
I provide practical, collaborative therapy for adults dealing with anxiety and chronic worry. My work draws on CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). We can explore how your experiences shape anxiety and choose strategies that fit your goals. You can use the consultation to ask about my approach and whether it feels like a fit for you.
Education
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University; Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, McGill University
Professional registration
Member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), Registration #11680
What sessions involve.
We start by understanding what you are experiencing, rather than assuming every anxious person needs the same tools. Your goals might include sleeping with less worry, speaking up at work or spending less time checking for reassurance.
Your first session
The first 50-minute appointment includes intake and assessment. We discuss your background, current concerns, previous support and what you want to change. We begin identifying patterns and a plan for our work together.
Ongoing sessions and practice
We can review a recent anxious situation, practise a skill and agree on a manageable experiment between sessions. We then discuss what you learned and adjust the plan. Practice is an opportunity to learn, not homework you have to do perfectly.
Start with a conversation.
A complimentary 15-minute phone consultation gives us a chance to discuss your concerns, answer questions and consider whether we are a good fit before a full session.
Appointments are individual and virtual. You need a private space, a stable internet connection and to be physically located in Ontario at the time of your session.
Session details
- Session fee
- $190 per 50-minute session
- Format
- Individual virtual therapy
- Who I work with
- Adults 18+ in Ontario
Questions about anxiety therapy.
How do I know whether my anxiety needs support?
Consider support if worry or physical tension is hard to manage, or if anxiety is affecting sleep, work, relationships or things you want to do. You do not need to wait until it becomes a crisis. The consultation is a place to discuss what has been happening.
Will therapy get rid of all anxiety?
Anxiety has a protective role, so removing every anxious feeling is not the goal. We work toward anxiety having less influence over your choices and helping you respond with more flexibility. Progress and outcomes vary.
Will I have to face my fears straight away?
We plan behavioural changes together and choose manageable steps. We discuss why an exercise might help and what you are willing to try. You can tell me when the pace or approach does not feel right.
How much does therapy cost, and is it covered by insurance?
Sessions cost $190 for 50 minutes. I provide a receipt, but do not offer direct billing. Check with your insurer that your plan covers services provided by an Ontario Registered Psychotherapist and ask about any limits.
How long does anxiety therapy take?
There is no fixed number of sessions that suits everyone. We discuss your goals and review what is changing, what remains difficult and whether the approach needs adjusting. You can ask about frequency and likely next steps during the consultation.
Show all questionsShow fewer questions
What if mindfulness makes me focus more on my anxiety?
Mindfulness does not have to mean closing your eyes or concentrating on your breathing. We can adapt the practice, for example by noticing the room around you or bringing attention to an everyday activity. Let me know if an exercise increases distress so we can adjust it.
Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Anxiety can involve a racing heart, tense muscles, sweating and stomach discomfort. But physical symptoms should not automatically be attributed to anxiety. Speak with a medical professional about new or unexplained symptoms; seek urgent medical care for symptoms that could be an emergency.
Can I attend from anywhere in Ontario?
Yes. I work virtually with adults aged 18 and older who are physically in Ontario during each appointment. You need privacy and a stable internet connection.
What can I ask before choosing a therapist?
You can ask how I work with your particular concern, what sessions might involve, how we will review progress and what happens if an approach is not helping. You are welcome to raise questions about fees, scheduling and fit during the free consultation.
Read more about anxiety.
The anxiety and CBT explanations draw on the educational resources below. This page is general information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan.