Anxiety Therapy in Calgary
When your mind doesn’t slow down or your body can’t settle.
Anxiety doesn’t always look the same.
For some, it’s constant overthinking. Replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, or feeling stuck in “what if” scenarios.
For others, it shows up in the body. Tension, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, or a sense of always being on edge.
Over time, it can feel exhausting.
Like your mind never fully turns off.
You might notice:
Your thoughts looping or spiralling
Difficulty relaxing, even when things are “fine”
Feeling tense, on edge, or easily overwhelmed
Trouble sleeping or slowing down at night
Overanalyzing decisions or interactions
Avoiding situations that feel uncertain or uncomfortable
When anxiety is more than general anxiety
Anxiety doesn't always show up the way most people expect. For some, it's a steady low-grade tension that responds well to general regulation work. For others, anxiety has organized into more specific patterns.
A few of the more specific patterns we work with regularly:
Panic disorder and panic attacks. Sudden surges of intense physical symptoms — racing heart, shortness of breath, chest tightness, a sense that something is catastrophically wrong. Over time, the fear of having another attack can become its own problem, narrowing the situations and places that feel safe.
Social anxiety. More than shyness or introversion. Intense self-consciousness in social situations, rumination before and after interactions, replaying conversations for hours or days, and avoidance of being seen or evaluated.
Specific phobias. Persistent fears of particular things or situations, such as flying, heights, needles, rodents, driving, enclosed spaces. The fear is usually disproportionate to actual danger, and the person often knows this, which doesn't change how it feels. Phobias tend to expand over time, and the avoidance required to manage them can shape major life decisions.
Health anxiety. Persistent fear of having or developing a serious illness, often despite medical reassurance. Shows up as repeated body-checking, frequent appointments, hours of symptom research, or sometimes the opposite — avoiding medical care entirely. Anxiety produces real physical sensations that deepen the loop of believing something is wrong.
Generalized anxiety with rumination. Persistent worry organized around specific themes such as, finances, relationships, work, the future. The mind cycles through worst-case scenarios and replays decisions already made. The worry feels productive but rarely resolves anything.
What changes when anxiety has organized into these patterns
General coping skills are usually not enough for complex anxiety challenges. The most effective approach is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard treatment for panic, social anxiety, OCD, phobias, and related conditions.
ERP works in a way that initially feels counterintuitive: rather than helping you reduce anxiety in the moment, it helps you build the capacity to be with anxiety without responding to it through avoidance, ritual, or reassurance-seeking. The work is structured, paced, and collaborative. The goal is to slowly reclaim the parts of life that anxiety has narrowed.
OCD, Complex Anxiety, & Compulsive Behaviours
Michael Grisonich is a Registered Provisional Psychologist in Calgary with specialized training in OCD and related disorders, and a primary focus on OCD, complex anxiety, and compulsive behaviours. He works with all forms of OCD and has a particular clinical interest in moral and religious OCD and scrupulosity, an area that is often misunderstood and underserved. He also works with social anxiety, panic, phobia, porn addiction, body dysmorphia, and other behavioural compulsions.
Michael sees clients in person in Calgary and online across Alberta, bringing the same evidence-based, structured approach to both.
Michael Grisonich, Registered Provisional Psychologist
You May Also Be Navigating
If you think you might be experiencing something different, you can click to read more below, or learn more about our online group offering starting in Fall 2026.
Often, anxiety isn’t just about what’s happening in the moment.
It can be connected to deeper patterns, such as, how you respond to stress, uncertainty, pressure, or even how you’ve learned to stay in control or anticipate what might go wrong.
Therapy offers a space to slow this down.
Not by forcing the anxiety away, but by helping you understand it, and respond to it differently.
This may include:
recognizing patterns in your thinking
working with the nervous system, not just the mind to build capacity
building more space between you and the anxiety
developing a different relationship with uncertainty
How can we help?
Our team of Calgary therapists uses evidence-based approaches that address anxiety on both levels: the thoughts that keep you stuck and the physical responses that keep your nervous system activated.
Depending on what you need, treatment may include:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for identifying and shifting the thought patterns that feed anxiety
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for building tolerance for uncertainty and moving toward what matters, even when anxiety is present
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) when anxiety is rooted in past experiences or unprocessed events
Somatic and nervous system-based work for regulating the body so the mind can settle
Mindfulness-based approaches for building awareness and space between you and anxious thoughts
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for building capacity to be with anxiety without responding through avoidance, ritual, or reassurance-seeking.
The goal isn't just short-term relief. It's helping you feel more steady, clear, and in control over time.
Start with a Consultation
We offer a complimentary consultation to help you determine whether therapy feels like a right next step.
FAQ
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Why does my anxiety feel constant, even when nothing is wrong?
Anxiety doesn’t always need a clear trigger. For many people, it becomes a pattern in how the mind and body respond to uncertainty, stress, or anticipation, which is why it can feel constant, even when things seem fine on the surface.
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How do I know if what I’m experiencing is anxiety or something else?
Common signs of anxiety include persistent overthinking, difficulty relaxing, physical tension, and feeling on edge. If it's interfering with your sleep, focus, or daily life, it's worth exploring further with a therapist.
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Why do I keep overthinking everything?
Overthinking is often your mind trying to gain control or prevent something from going wrong. The problem is, it tends to create more anxiety rather than resolving it, keeping you stuck in a loop.
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Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety often shows up in the body. Tension, restlessness, a racing heart, stomach discomfort, difficulty sleeping. For many people, the physical symptoms are just as noticeable as the thoughts.
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What type of therapy is best for anxiety?
The most effective approaches are CBT, ACT, EMDR, and somatic or nervous system-based therapies. The "best" one depends on what's driving your anxiety, which is why we match you with a therapist whose approach fits your situation.
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How long does anxiety therapy take?
It varies. Some people notice meaningful shifts within 6-10 sessions, especially for situational anxiety. Longer-standing or trauma-related anxiety may take longer. We'll give you a realistic sense of timeline after your consultation.