Top-Rated San Diego High-Functioning Anxiety Therapist Allison Barton
Specialized therapy to help you heal, release perfectionism, & start enjoying life
Allison Barton Therapy stands out as the right therapist to help you heal from high functioning anxiety because she:
is certified in EMDR therapy and can help you get to the root cause of the issues you are experiencing
has extensive experience in helping high-achieving women break free from perfectionism, high-functioning anxiety, and trauma
uses trauma-informed care that is empathetic, compassionate, and free from judgment
utilizes evidence based practices that are proven effective to help you heal
uses her compassionate therapeutic style to help clients release guilt and shame
offers flexible and accessible options for therapy, including virtual therapy in San Diego, in office sessions, and walk-and-talk therapy in San Marcos
Meet Allison Barton, LMFT
Expert high-functioning anxiety therapist in San Diego
My name is Allison Barton and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 10 years of experience in the mental health field. I have extensive experience working with clients to reduce high-functioning anxiety and alleviate stress. I offer my clients practical tools to effectively manage anxiety provoking situations and help my clients to improve their overall mental health.
My approach to high-functioning anxiety therapy
Seeking professional support to guide you in managing high-functioning anxiety is important if you have been experiencing chronic stress, excessive worrying, significant anxiety, difficulty concentrating, decreased physical health, and are wanting to improve your overall well being.
I use specific modalities with clients experiencing high functioning anxiety symptoms that are evidence based and proven to be effective. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients accept the life stressors they cannot change and commit to changing aspects of their lives to reduce stress. I also utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to explore and heal the root causes of high-functioning anxiety, which can be caused from trauma, shame, or extreme self-criticism. I also guide my clients to manage anxiety disorders by learning coping mechanisms, exploring anxiety triggers, using deep breathing exercises, and learning how to use progressive muscle relaxation. I teach my clients mindfulness techniques to stay present and slow the racing thoughts that are a common symptom with high-functioning anxiety.
My approach to guiding my clients towards healing is unique because I have personal experience dealing with and managing high-functioning anxiety. I can guide my clients towards relief in their personal and professional lives because I've been there. I am intimately aware of the constant internal struggle that managing high-functioning anxiety can cause, including seeming like you have it all together on the outside while struggling with intense worry internally.
How to get started
I know that finding a therapist can be difficult when you are struggling with anxiety and have worries about finding the right therapist for you. Here are 3 simple steps to get started on your journey to mitigate anxiety:
Schedule a Consultation Call
I suggest that anyone searching for a new therapist request a free consultation with any therapist you're interested in working with. This will help you talk about specific struggles and hear how the therapist would tackle your mental health issues. A consultation call will allow you to ask questions you have prior to committing to a therapist and beginning therapy.
Complete Intake Paperwork
Once you've scheduled your first therapy session, your new therapist will send you intake paperwork to ensure you are aware of their policies. It will also allow you to offer more information about your anxious feelings and your history with anxiety.
Begin Therapy!
The first few sessions with a new therapist will focus on the therapist asking questions to understand your history. You and the therapist will also work together to create a personalized treatment plan that will help you achieve your therapeutic goals.
Common reasons why people seek therapy for high-functioning anxiety
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People who experience high-functioning anxiety often seek support due to negative thought patterns they experience, including constant worries, ruminating about worst case scenarios, feeling pressure internally, and difficulty with self-compassion. These thought patterns make people who experience these thought patterns feel self-doubt and persistent anxiety.
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Individuals who experience high-functioning anxiety often have difficulty with self-care and relaxation due to the pressure they feel to achieve in their everyday life. They often feel guilty if they take time to rest rather than focusing on productive activities.
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People seek therapy for high-functioning anxiety due to a deep seated fear that they are not good enough and they will be "found out" if they make mistakes. They often seek therapy due to wanting a more balanced life and fulfilling life.
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Individuals who experience high-functioning anxiety often struggle with setting boundaries and saying no, which is often due to the internal pressure they feel to prove their worth through achievement. There is also an association with depression, as these individuals believing they are not good enough and experience shame about who they are. They seek therapy to learn to set boundaries when they are feeling burnt out and exhausted by over-achieving and perfectionism.
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Many people with high-functioning anxiety first seek medical help due to physical symptoms including headaches, muscle tension, or stomach issues. When tests do not discover any medical issues, individuals are often encouraged to seek therapy for anxiety in order to manage their symptoms more effectively.
When another practice might be a better fit for your needs
Some mental health issues people experience need very specialized treatment in order to resolve/manage, including issues that require a treatment team of both mental health professionals and medical professionals. If you are experiencing any of the following issues, I encourage you to seek support from the resources listed below.
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Please call 998 to talk to someone who can offer crisis services and can help you find a therapist who specializes in suicidal/homicidal ideation.
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Eating disorders are complex because they require a treatment team including mental health professionals and medical care. I advice seeking support from treatment teams who specialize in eating disorders (UCSD eating disorder program or Rady Children's Hospital for child/adolescent eating disorders).
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If you are experiencing active psychosis, you often need a combination of intensive therapy and medication management first before working on underlying issues you are experiencing. I recommend the following resources and suggest that you can also reach out to your insurance company for further resources:
UCSD first psychosis episode program
UCSD first psychosis episode program
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If you are struggling with substance use or abuse currently, you may need a combination of medical care and mental health care to help you detox safely. For this reason, outpatient therapy services may not be appropriate to start your care with. Here are some resources to consider:
Sharp Health Care substance abuse program
Newport Academy for teens struggling with substance abuse
Pride Detox for LGBTQIA+ specific substance abuse treatment
Call SAMHSA's national help line
San Diego County's substance abuse outpatient programs
Sharp Health Care substance abuse program
Newport Academy for teens struggling with substance abuse
Pride Detox for LGBTQIA+ specific substance abuse treatment
Call SAMHSA's national help line
San Diego County's substance abuse outpatient programs
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Autism/ADHD specific treatment (I highly recommend my colleague Panicha McGuire)
Seeking couples counseling (I highly recommend my colleagues Tamara Sharifov and Natalie Blue)
Seeking a male therapist (I highly recommend my colleague Ori Lindor)
Seeking psychiatric care/medication management
Seeking group therapy versus individual counseling
If you don't live in California or are looking for in person therapy outside of San Diego
FAQs about high-functioning anxiety treatment
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High-functioning anxiety can be caused from various aspects that cause the pattern of overthinking, constant stress, and overachieving.
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Chronic stress or trauma in early life can lead individuals to have difficulty regulating their nervous system. This might lead a person to continually seek achievement or perfection with the goal of managing the heightened state they experience internally.
Women have diverse wants and needs so some people may specifically seek out a male therapist to work with. If a woman wants to practice setting boundaries with men, healing male-related trauma, or breaking negative beliefs about men, they might seek therapy with a male therapist. The most important factor in successful therapy is a good therapeutic relationship, not the gender of the therapist.
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People who have experienced receiving praise for their achievements or for overachieving are likely to continue the pattern in order to gain external validation. These individuals struggle internally with validating themselves and believing they are good enough, so they often seek external validation.
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When individuals have been taught to suppress their emotions from an early age, it can be difficult for them to learn to express their emotions as an adult without shame and guilt. Some families teach children that they are not allowed to cry or are not supposed to talk about negative emotions or experiences, which creates a lifelong struggle to express and experience natural emotions authentically.
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Some people are naturally more sensitive to others' emotional states or are more conscientious, which can set the stage for anxiety to take over. When these individuals are in high pressure situations, they may turn to high functioning anxiety in order to manage their responsibilities and maintain others' positive views of them.
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder and high-functioning anxiety share many of the same features, though there are key differences in presentation and in the way individuals feel who are experiencing generalized anxiety disorder versus high-functioning anxiety.
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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual defines Generalized Anxiety Disorder by excessive worry and worrying more days than not for 6 months or more. Traditional anxiety disorders also include symptoms of restlessness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, and muscle tension.
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While high-functioning anxiety is not a technical diagnosis, it is characterized by a pattern of individuals masking their silent struggle with self-doubt and emotion regulation. High-functioning anxiety includes individuals who attempt to manage their anxiety and stress with their achievements and striving to be perfect. Individuals who experience high-functioning anxiety mirror perfectionists and both struggle to manage stress and practice self-compassion. There are positive aspects of high functioning anxiety, including the success individuals are able to achieve.
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GAD visibly interferes with your functioning, including inability to maintain your responsibilities at work due to worries, your freeze response being activated when you are overwhelmed, inability going to the grocery store due to worries about potential worst case scenarios, or inability to engage in caring for yourself due to fears. High functioning anxiety tends to hide behind accomplishments and achievements, meaning that individuals tend to experience the same fears and worries but mask them through their achievements and high efforts.
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I believe the best therapy for high-functioning anxiety is one that you feel comfortable with and able to stick to. If you have high-functioning anxiety, you may have plans to start therapy but never do because you get caught in endlessly researching the best kind of therapy or the best therapist, which stops you from actually getting the support you need. With that said, I believe therapy that works on the root cause of your high functioning anxiety rather than simply treating your symptoms is the most effective. I want my clients to achieve long lasting results from engaging in therapy with me and I work hard to make sure that we aren't staying surface level in our sessions in order to help my clients achieve lasting change.
Reach out today to start therapy for high-functioning anxiety in San Diego
High-functioning anxiety can stem from a variety of causes previously discussed. It's important to work with a therapist who can help you uncover the underlying issues that cause you to overachieve and over-perform, while helping you heal from these issues.
If you're interested in working with me to heal your high-functioning anxiety, you can schedule a free consultation directly on my contact page. You can also email me if you have additional questions. I would love to support you in your healing journey.