Anxiety Therapy For College Students
When your student calls feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure they can cope, you want to know how to help. But reassurance and advice may only go so far.
At Empowered Mind Therapy, we help young adults understand their anxiety, develop ways to manage it, and build confidence in their own decisions. If you’re helping your college student find a therapist, we can talk through the next step together.
You Can Hear How Much They’re Struggling. You Wish You Knew What Would Help.
Maybe the calls have become more frequent. They’re worried about an exam, a conversation, an assignment they haven’t started. You listen, reassure them, and try to help them work out what to do.
Then the next call comes, and they sound just as overwhelmed.
Or perhaps they tell you very little. You get “I’m fine,” even as you notice they’re sleeping poorly, avoiding things they used to enjoy, or finding reasons to come home.
You may be wondering how much to ask. You want them to know you’re there, but you also want to respect their independence. You don’t want every conversation to feel like you’re checking up on them.
And underneath it all is the question: How do I help when I can’t make this easier for them myself?
They may have asked you to find a therapist. Or you may be looking for a way to bring up the conversation. Wherever you’re starting, we can help you explore whether our practice could be a good fit.
Does This Sound Familiar?
They call or text feeling overwhelmed, and your reassurance seems to help only briefly.
They spend so much time worrying about assignments that getting started becomes difficult.
A disappointing grade or uncomfortable interaction leaves them questioning themselves for days.
They want friends and connection, but anxiety makes reaching out feel intimidating.
They’re doing well academically, yet you can hear how much pressure they’re putting on themselves.
They avoid classes, activities, or conversations that make them anxious.
You’re unsure whether to offer advice, step in, or give them more space.
They’ve said they want help, but finding a therapist has become another overwhelming task
You can start with what you’ve noticed. You don’t need to have the whole situation figured out before asking about support.
When Anxiety Starts Deciding What They Feel Able to Do
College asks young adults to manage a great deal: unfamiliar expectations, changing relationships, more independent decisions, and questions about what comes next.
For some students, anxiety becomes part of nearly every decision. They rehearse what to say before speaking in class. They put off an assignment because they’re afraid they won’t do it well. They decline an invitation, then feel worse about being alone.
From the outside, you may see hesitation, procrastination, irritability, or repeated requests for reassurance. What can be harder to see is how much effort they’re spending trying to avoid getting something wrong.
Even a student who earns good grades and meets their responsibilities can be struggling. Performance doesn’t tell you how they feel getting through the day.
Therapy gives your student somewhere to understand those experiences and work on the patterns keeping them stuck. Together with their therapist, they can explore their worries, practice different responses, and take steps toward the things that matter to them.
As a parent, you can help open the door to that support. Your student can have a voice in choosing the therapist and shaping the work.
How Therapy at Empowered Mind Can Help Your College Student
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Your student may know they’re anxious without understanding why the same situations keep becoming overwhelming. Therapy can help them recognize triggers, the meaning they attach to uncertainty or mistakes, and how they respond when worry takes over.
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Starting an assignment, attending office hours, or joining a conversation can feel difficult when anxiety is high. Their therapist can help them work toward manageable steps, with attention to their goals and readiness.
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You may know exactly what you want and need somewhere to talk about why it matters. Or you may need to sort through which goals still feel meaningful. We can make room for that conversation without requiring you to arrive with a finished plan.
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If they’re afraid of being judged, left out, or saying the wrong thing, social situations can become exhausting. Therapy can help them understand those fears and practice ways to communicate, set boundaries, and pursue relationships they want.
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Your student can explore how to make choices, tolerate uncertainty, and respond when things don’t go as planned. The goal is to strengthen their confidence in handling challenges and seeking support when they need it.
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Treatment goals can include things your student cares about: participating in class, sleeping more consistently, enjoying friendships, or spending less time replaying conversations. Their therapist will work with them to identify meaningful goals and review how things are going.
What Your Student Would Actually Talk About in Therapy
A session might begin with the assignment they keep putting off, the invitation they wanted to accept but declined, or the thought that kept them awake the night before.
Together, your student and their therapist can look at what happened, what they were afraid might happen, and how they responded. They may explore perfectionism, fear of disappointing people, social worries, or the pressure to look as though they have everything under control.
The work can include practical skills for responding to anxious thoughts and emotions, making difficult tasks more approachable, and communicating their needs. Depending on the clinician and your student’s needs, treatment may draw on approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and DBT skills.
There is also room for your student to talk about things you may not know are weighing on them. A trusting relationship gives them space to speak honestly and have a say in what they want help with.
If you’re initiating the inquiry, we can discuss how to invite your student into the process. Questions about parent involvement and privacy can be addressed as part of deciding how to move forward.
About Dr. Shaneze Gayle Smith
I am licensed to provide therapy in 41 states and would be honored to support you on your journey towards self-growth and healing.
Fee: $375; In-person & Virtual. Accepting New Clients in Nov.
You may be used to being the person who figures things out. You work hard, take responsibility, and find a way forward. So it can be unsettling to still have that drive, yet struggle to find room for it now that you’re a mother. I want you to have somewhere you can say how frustrating that feels without having to explain how much you love your baby.
I work with entrepreneurs, high achievers, and mothers who carry a great deal of responsibility. In our work together, I’m interested in what you’ve been carrying, what you miss, and what happens inside when you try to make your own needs a priority. We can explore the pressure to keep everything running, the difficulty of asking for support, and the guilt that can make even an hour to yourself feel complicated.
I offer a warm, grounded space where your ambitions belong in the conversation. Together, we’ll look at the expectations, boundaries, and support shaping your daily life, and explore how you can feel more connected to yourself within motherhood.
Education
PhD in Clinical Psychology, Seton Hall University (Health Psychology & Child/Adolescent Focus)
Psychology Residency, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center
MS in Forensic Psychology, Walden University
Medical School (3 years), Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School
BA in Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University
Credentials
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Experience working with entrepreneurs, high achievers, and mothers navigating significant responsibilities, chronic stress, and difficulty prioritizing their own needs.
Trauma-informed training with attention to how early family experiences can shape self-worth, expectations around achievement, and boundaries.
Expertise in the mind-body connection, including the relationship between emotional distress, chronic stress, and physical symptoms.
About Vernee Brooks, LPC, LMHC
I am licensed for therapy in New York, New Jersey & Texas.
Fee: $250; Virtual Only. Accepting New Clients Now.
Maybe the hardest part is admitting how much you want something for yourself. You want to pursue the opportunity, finish the project, or have time to think about your own future. Then you find yourself wondering whether wanting those things makes you selfish. With me, you can talk honestly about that conflict—including the frustration or resentment you might usually soften before saying it out loud.
I work with professional women who look capable on the outside while privately struggling with self-doubt, people-pleasing, or putting their needs last. My approach is collaborative and practical, while still going deep. We’ll explore what makes it difficult to claim time for yourself, whose expectations you’re trying to meet, and what happens when you ask others to share the load.
If there’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding or a boundary you’re unsure how to set, we can work through it together. I want to understand what matters to you and help you find a way to speak for it, even when doing so feels uncomfortable.
Education
M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Walden University
BA in Psychology, Rutgers University
Credentials
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Experience supporting professional women and high-functioning adults with self-doubt, people-pleasing, and difficulty setting boundaries.
Training in trauma-informed therapy and complex family dynamics, including their influence on identity, self-worth, and relationship patterns.
Expertise in anxiety and panic associated with childhood emotional abuse and invalidation, particularly among Black women and BIPOC individuals.
About Christine Pacheco, LMSW
I am licensed for therapy in New York.
Fee: $200. Virtual Only. Accepting New Clients Now.
I’m especially drawn to working with high-achieving mothers who are used to being the person everyone can count on. You may hold yourself to incredibly high standards at work, at home, and as a parent — constantly thinking about what you could be doing better, feeling guilty when something falls through the cracks, and struggling to give yourself the same grace you offer everyone else. Perfectionism can make it difficult to rest, ask for help, or feel like what you’re doing is ever quite enough.
I also work with mothers navigating major changes in their family life, including divorce, separation, difficult co-parenting relationships, and single motherhood. When the life you carefully planned changes, you may find yourself grieving what you expected while simultaneously managing the practical and emotional demands of creating something new. For high-achieving women, this can be especially difficult when you’re accustomed to feeling capable and in control.
As a mother myself, I understand how easy it is for your own needs, ambitions, and identity to get pushed to the bottom of the list. In our work together, we can explore the expectations you’re carrying, the pressure to hold everything together, and the parts of yourself you want to reconnect with. Our goal isn’t to help you become even better at managing everything — it’s to create a life where you don’t have to carry everything perfectly in the first place.
Education
Master of Social Work, Fordham University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Brooklyn College
Credentials
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), attachment-based therapy, person-centered therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
A clinical focus on life transitions, including new parenthood, career changes, and questions about identity and success.
Training in trauma-informed therapy for complex family systems, with attention to self-doubt, people-pleasing, and patterns of over-functioning.
Expertise in supporting BIPOC mothers working to change intergenerational patterns, and in addressing emotional dysregulation and the effects of chronic invalidation.
Anxiety Therapy for College Students: Questions Parents Ask
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Yes. You can use the free consultation to ask about our approach, fees, scheduling, and whether a clinician may be a good fit. If your student is interested in moving forward, we can discuss how to involve them in the next step
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You can be concerned about how they’re feeling even when their grades are strong. Therapy can address persistent worry, difficulty sleeping, social anxiety, or the pressure to perform. Your student and their therapist can discuss what support fits their experience.
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You can ask what feels uncomfortable about the idea and offer to help them explore their options. Some students want to read about a therapist first; others have questions about what sessions involve. We can discuss possible next steps without assuming your student is ready to commit.
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Therapy centers on your student’s needs and goals. Before treatment begins, ask the clinician how parent involvement, consent, privacy, and communication would work in your student’s circumstances. If your student wants family participation, that can be discussed with the therapist.
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That depends on where your student will physically be during sessions and the clinician’s authorization to practice there. Tell us their college location and where they expect to be during breaks so we can confirm whether a particular therapist can work with them.
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Campus counseling can be a valuable source of support. Services vary by school, so the best fit depends on what is available and what your student needs. In a consultation, you can ask about our approach and scheduling as you compare options.
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That depends on your student’s concerns, goals, and treatment needs. Their therapist can discuss an initial plan and review progress with them over time.
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We work as out-of-network providers. During the consultation, you can ask about fees, checking out-of-network benefits, and the information needed to understand potential reimbursement. Coverage and reimbursement depend on the individual plan.
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You can begin with: “I’m helping my college student find a therapist for anxiety, and I’d like to learn about your practice.” We can discuss what you’ve noticed, answer your questions, and explore an appropriate next step.