How do I know if Lisa Chen & Associates is the right fit for me?

We offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. It's a chance to get to know us, understand our approach, and see if we align with your needs. The purpose of an initial consultation is to determine if you are a good fit for working together. You can expect a 15–20 minute conversation where you will have the opportunity to share your concerns, goals, and what you hope to achieve through therapy. This is also a chance for you to ask questions and get a sense of the therapist's approach and personality.

Our fees range from $180 to $350 per 50-minute session based on the clinician's experience, specialized training, and services provided. Lisa Chen's fees are $350 per 50-minute session for both individual and couples counseling. Licensed Client Session fees are $200 for individual and $225 for couples counseling per 50-minute session. Associate Clinician fees are $180 for individual and $200 for couples counseling per 50-minute session. We also reserve spots for clients requesting a sliding-scale rate to accommodate financial needs.

Do you accept insurance?

Lisa Chen & Associates are out-of-network providers. We provide monthly insurance statements ('Superbills') for you to seek partial reimbursement from your insurance company according to your policy. For questions about your out-of-network benefits, please contact your insurance carrier before scheduling.

What is your cancellation policy?

Weekly clients are allowed 3 free cancellations every 6 months, and bi-weekly clients are allowed 2 free cancellations every 6 months, beginning from the date of your first session. You will be responsible for payment for your normally scheduled session time for all cancelled appointments beyond this. Please provide at least 48 hours' notice for cancellations. You may always choose to reschedule and/or take sessions virtually to accommodate occasional scheduling conflicts.

How often should I expect to meet?

We recommend weekly therapy sessions for optimal progress. However, there are times when clients prefer to meet twice a week for more complex challenges. During your initial phone consultation, let us know if you are interested in more frequent sessions.

Are you offering in-person sessions?

Yes, we are seeing clients in our South Bay office located at 2615 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 326, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. We also offer telehealth sessions for California residents.

How do I get started with counseling?

The first step is to schedule an initial consultation by calling our office or submitting the contact form on our website. This allows us to understand your needs and match you with the best therapist for your situation. From there, we'll work with you to schedule ongoing sessions.

Anxiety Therapy Hermosa Beach | High-Functioning Anxiety Help

Anxiety Therapy in Hermosa Beach for High-Functioning Professionals

You’re holding everything together, but your mind won’t slow down.

Anxiety doesn’t always look like panic.

For many high-functioning individuals, it shows up as constant thinking, pressure, and an inability to fully relax, even when things are going well.

What Anxiety Actually Is

It is not just worry or stress.
It is a persistent state of internal activation.

You may feel:

Constant mental activity or overthinking
Difficulty relaxing, even when nothing is wrong
A sense of urgency or pressure
Physical tension or restlessness
Trouble being present

Anxiety is not just about what you think.

It is about how your system has learned to stay on alert.

How Anxiety Shows Up Day to Day

High-performing professionals who are used to holding everything together without showing the cost of it

Anxiety often becomes part of how you function.
You may notice:
- Overanalyzing decisions or conversations
- Difficulty turning your mind off
- Feeling responsible for everything going right
- Anticipating problems before they happen
- Trouble relaxing, even during downtime
Because you are still functioning, anxiety can feel normal.
Over time, it becomes exhausting.

It’s not always obvious anxiety. It’s the feeling that your mind never fully lets you rest.

Anxiety in High-Functioning Individuals

Many of our clients do not initially describe themselves as anxious.

They describe themselves as:

Driven
Responsible
High-performing

But underneath that, there is often a constant sense of pressure.

In high-performing environments across Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and the South Bay, anxiety often fuels success.

But it also creates:

Chronic tension
Difficulty slowing down
A sense that you are always “on”

Anxiety becomes both a driver and a cost.

Start Here

What Drives Anxiety

Anxiety is rarely random.

It is often shaped by patterns such as:

Early experiences that required you to stay alert or perform
A strong internal standard for responsibility or success
Difficulty tolerating uncertainty or loss of control
Learned patterns of overthinking or anticipation

These patterns are often adaptive.

But over time, they create a system that remains chronically activated.

Anxiety isn’t random. It’s your system trying to stay ahead of something it once had to manage.

How We Work with Anxiety

We do not focus only on managing anxiety.

We work to understand what is driving it.

Our approach integrates:

Internal Family Systems to work with the parts of you that feel pressure, fear, or urgency
EMDR to process experiences that keep your system activated
Psychodynamic therapy to understand deeper patterns

In practice, this means:

Reducing internal pressure
Increasing your ability to feel grounded and present
Shifting patterns that keep anxiety in place

The goal is not just to feel less anxious.
It is to feel more steady, more present, and more in control of your internal experience.

Anxiety often overlaps with other patterns.

Many individuals experiencing anxiety are also navigating burnout or perfectionism.

You may notice:

Ongoing pressure to perform
Difficulty slowing down without feeling behind
A sense that your mind is always working

These patterns are connected.

Understanding how they interact is often key to creating meaningful change.

Anxiety, Burnout, and Perfectionism

Anxiety Treatment Near Manhattan Beach and the South Bay

We provide anxiety treatment in Los Angeles, including Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and the South Bay.We also offer virtual therapy throughout California.

Many clients seek anxiety treatment after noticing that high levels of responsibility, pressure, or performance expectations are creating ongoing internal strain.

Quick Summary

Anxiety therapy in Hermosa Beach helps individuals understand and reduce persistent overthinking, internal pressure, and chronic stress. Our approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and psychodynamic therapy to create lasting change. Services are available in Hermosa Beach and throughout California via telehealth.

Explore Other Challenges We Treat

Those with anxiety often experience overlapping challenges such as depression, burnout, or relationship strain. You can explore the full range of concerns we support clients with on our What We Treat page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Anxiety in Los Angeles

Anxiety is often driven by internal patterns, not just external circumstances. Many high-functioning individuals remain in a state of mental activation even when life is stable.
- Increased heart rate or palpitations: Anxiety can cause your heart to beat faster and harder, supplying oxygen and nutrients to your muscles in preparation for action.
- Rapid breathing: Breathing becomes faster and shallower during anxiety. This helps oxygenate the blood and deliver it to the muscles, enhancing their ability to respond quickly.
- Muscle tension: Anxiety can lead to muscle tension and stiffness, especially in the neck, shoulders, and back. This physical response is the body's way of preparing for potential danger.
- Sweating: Anxiety triggers the release of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, which can increase sweating. This is part of the body's cooling mechanism during times of heightened activity.
- Digestive issues: Anxiety can disrupt the normal functioning of the digestive system. It may cause symptoms like stomachaches, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.
- Weakened immune system: Prolonged anxiety can suppress the immune system, making you more susceptible to illnesses and infections.
- Sleep disturbances: Anxiety often leads to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, resulting in insomnia or poor sleep quality. This can further exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
- Changes in appetite: Anxiety can affect your appetite, leading to either a decreased or increased desire to eat. Some people may experience comfort eating or loss of appetite during times of heightened anxiety.
- Headaches: Tension headaches or migraines can be triggered or intensified by anxiety. The muscle tension and increased blood flow associated with anxiety can contribute to these headaches.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness: Anxiety can cause a sense of dizziness or lightheadedness due to changes in blood pressure and breathing patterns.
Yes. Many individuals with anxiety continue to perform at a high level while experiencing constant internal pressure, overthinking, or tension.
Approaches like Internal Family Systems and EMDR are effective because they address the underlying emotional and experiential roots of anxiety.
Yes. We offer anxiety therapy in Hermosa Beach and serve clients across Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and the South Bay, as well as virtual sessions throughout California.