Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

7,944 people sought anxiety therapy help in Illinois in the last year

Discover how starting anxiety therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 16 therapists in Illinois available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Anxiety therapy

What is anxiety therapy?

Anxiety therapy helps people better understand and manage their anxiety. Anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Normal, IL can develop a treatment plan that will help you better manage your day-to-day anxiety or your anxiety disorder.

How does anxiety therapy work?

Anxiety therapy involves talking to a therapist about symptoms, potential causes, and more. Thriveworks Normal therapists will then work with you to determine where your anxiety might stem from and teach you effective coping mechanisms.

How to deal with anxiety?

One of the best ways to deal with anxiety is to learn about your own anxiety: your symptoms, what triggers it, and what coping mechanisms have been effective in the past. When you learn what your anxiety is tied to, it can help you be mindful of what's really happening as well as prevent and mitigate symptoms by processing and working through the issue in therapy. Other strategies that have been shown to help manage anxiety are meditation, challenging anxious thoughts, exercising, and journaling.

Symptoms of anxiety

Common symptoms of anxiety include:

  • Sense of impending danger
  • Nervousness/restlessness
  • Trouble focusing
  • Excessive sweating
  • Shaking
  • Headaches
  • Stomach issues
  • Fatigue
  • Panic attacks
  • Increased heart rate

What is the best therapy for anxiety?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be incredibly effective in treating anxiety and anxiety disorders. Other effective techniques include exposure therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and EMDR therapy.

Is anxiety therapy conducted in person or online?

Anxiety therapy is conducted both in person and online, depending on the individual's preferences and their therapist's availability. We suggest choosing the option that best suits your needs.

How long does anxiety therapy last?

On average, people can tend to attend 15 to 20 session of anxiety therapy (five or more months). However, this number is heavily dependent on the type of anxiety that's being treated and its severity, with many choosing to attend anxiety therapy for a longer period of time to ensure its effectiveness long-term.

Is therapy worth it for anxiety?

Yes, it is worth going to therapy for anxiety. If you are struggling with regular anxious thoughts and feelings that are affecting your day-to-day life or you suspect that you have an anxiety disorder, you should seek expert anxiety help.

Need more help deciding?

Every time Dana has to make a decision, she thinks about all the potential outcomes of her choice again and again because she is afraid of making the wrong one. She ends up spending hours ruminating about worst-case scenarios.

When Haley reads the news or watches a documentary, she thinks about horrible world-changing events lurking just beyond the corner. As she goes about her day, she wonders when the next natural disaster will strike or whether she will soon become ill. She carefully plans her day to avoid these perceived dangers because she has a feeling that something bad will happen.

Jeff wants to go out with his friends and meet new people, but he can’t bear the thought of being in those kinds of social situations. He knows his nerves will get the best of him and he’ll start overthinking everything. What if they don’t like what he’s wearing or they don’t like how he talks? Jeff doesn’t want to deal with the anxiety so he just decides to stay home.

When José tries to fall asleep at the end of a long day, he can’t stop the steady stream of worries in his head. He thinks about any mistakes he made that day and what he has to do tomorrow. Even once he falls asleep, José knows he’ll likely wake up at least once in the middle of the night and go through this whole process again.

If you feel at all like Dana, Haley, Jeff, or José, you might be experiencing the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. At Thriveworks in Normal, IL, our licensed mental health professionals can help you reduce your anxiety and bring peace and stability into your life. When you’re ready to make a change, give our team a call to schedule an appointment.

What Is an Anxiety Disorder?

Simply put, anxiety disorders are mental health disorders characterized by persistent and intense worry and fear. There are several different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While there are slight variations between each of these disorders, there are some general anxiety symptoms you can look out for, including:

  • Excessive worrying or fear
  • An impending sense of dread and doom
  • Difficulty concentrating and retaining information
  • Disrupted sleep
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension and headaches
  • Lack of control over feelings
  • Feelings of exhaustion
  • Panic attacks

People with anxiety may develop symptoms due to genetics, biology, environmental factors, or a combination. Evaluating how these elements impact your mental health can be useful in developing a treatment plan to reduce anxiety.

Our licensed mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Normal, IL can work with you to address your symptoms and find a treatment plan tailored to your specific situation.

What Does Treating Anxiety Look Like?

The first step is finding a therapist or counselor that is right for you. If you’ve never attended therapy before, this can feel like an especially intimidating step but there’s really no wrong way to choose a provider.

Here are some questions you might consider as you’re picking a provider:

  • How long have they been practicing?
  • What types of clients do they work with?
  • Do I feel a connection with them?
  • Do I feel comfortable sharing personal details?
  • Does their availability match my schedule?

Once you pick a provider, they’ll spend time getting to know you, your personality, your environmental stressors, and your symptoms. Anxiety counseling can look different from client to client depending on the variations in their needs and concerns.

One of the most common forms of therapy used to treat anxiety is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of therapy is based on the idea that people’s thoughts greatly influence their mental, emotional, and behavioral health. In CBT, a therapist or counselor will help you identify and reframe these patterns for more positive and grounded thinking.

Your provider might also determine that medication could be beneficial to your treatment, in which case, they’ll refer you to a psychiatrist who can make that determination and prescribe you medication directly. They may also teach you coping skills, provide suggestions for changes to your sleeping habits, or guide you through relaxation techniques to calm you down in and outside of sessions.

To get started with anxiety treatment, give us a call today at Thriveworks in Normal, IL.

Talk to a Licensed Professional at Thriveworks in Normal, IL

If you’re ready to find control over your anxiety, we’re here to help you. Call or click to schedule an appointment and gain access to these benefits:

  • Morning, evening, and weekend availability
  • Same-day and next-day appointments
  • A flexible cancellation policy
  • Remote and in-person counseling
  • Affordable rates for those paying out of pocket
  • Providers who accept most major insurance plans
  • Online resources, like a text support line and exclusive video content

You don’t need to wait any longer to get help. Schedule an appointment at Thriveworks in Normal, IL today to get started.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Normal therapists and counselors accept 23 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois BCBS | HMO - Essential Health Partners IPA

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois BCBS | HMO - Essential Health Partners Kane County

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois BCBS | HMO - Essential Health Partners Silver Cross

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | BCBS Medicare Advantage (HMO | PPO)

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois BCBS | PPO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

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Self-pay costs at Normal
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Thriveworks Normal reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Kerri was really great at helping me deal with my problems. She is very insightful and a great listener. I would recommend Kerri to anyone who needs some counseling, whether it's a minor or a major problem.
Read more Kerri was really great at helping me deal with my problems. She is very insightful and a great listener. I would recommend Kerri to anyone who needs some counseling, whether it's a minor or a major problem.
Normal Apr 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Normal is located off of Susan Dr. Our building is right behind Walmart, just north of the Shoppes at College Hills. We're currently sharing a building with Gregory M. Dietz D.M.D. and the Children's Center for Dentistry, and our neighbors include Elite Driving Academy, Phillip Harland Tax Preparation Service, and Drake Orthodontics. The closest bus stop to us is Susan Dr & Parkway Ct.

Phone number

(309) 485-5024

Languages spoken by IL providers

  • English
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in CT

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

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