Anxiety Treatment in Coral Springs, Florida

What anxiety disorders are

An anxiety disorder is persistent, excessive fear or worry that lasts for months and interferes with work, relationships, or daily life. Unlike everyday nervousness, which fades once a stressful situation passes, an anxiety disorder keeps the brain's threat response switched on long after the trigger is gone.

The most common types include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) — ongoing, hard-to-control worry about everyday things such as health, money, or family, lasting six months or more.
• Panic disorder — repeated, unexpected panic attacks: sudden surges of intense fear with physical symptoms like a racing heart, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
• Social anxiety disorder — intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social or performance situations, often leading to avoidance.

Anxiety is not only mental. Many people first notice physical symptoms. If anxiety is making you feel sick to your stomach, read about why anxiety causes nausea and how to manage it. A tight or heavy chest is another common sign — see anxiety chest tightness and when to worry. If your mornings feel worst, our article on why anxiety is worse in the morning explains the cortisol pattern behind it.

When anxiety needs professional care

Consider professional care when worry or fear lasts for several weeks, is out of proportion to the situation, and gets in the way of sleep, work, relationships, or activities you used to enjoy. Other signs include panic attacks, avoiding places or situations, and physical symptoms — nausea, chest tightness, or a racing heart — that your doctor has checked and linked to anxiety rather than a medical cause.

You do not need to wait until symptoms are severe. Anxiety disorders are treatable, and starting with therapy or medication early can prevent them from becoming more entrenched. A consultation gives you a clear diagnosis and a plan — no obligation to begin treatment.

Telehealth is available for some visits, such as therapy and follow-up appointments, for patients located in Florida.

The anxiety treatment ladder at NWCOA

We present anxiety treatment as a ladder, starting with the first-line options that carry the strongest evidence and the fewest risks, and adding advanced options only when earlier steps have not worked. A consultation decides where you enter the ladder — most people start with therapy, medication, or both.

1. Psychotherapy — CBT, DBT, EMDR and trauma-focused therapy.
2. Medication management — psychiatric prescribing and monitoring.
3. Advanced options when anxiety comes with depression — TMS, SPRAVATO®, IV ketamine, and SAINT® (for the depression component).

Therapy for anxiety

Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is a first-line treatment for anxiety disorders. At NWCOA, licensed clinicians offer cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you identify and change the thought patterns that feed worry; dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which builds skills for managing intense emotions; and EMDR and trauma-focused therapy, which address anxiety rooted in past events. NWCOA offers exposure therapy.

Therapy gives you lasting tools — not just symptom relief — and it can be used alone or alongside medication. Learn more on our psychotherapy page.

Medication management for anxiety

Psychiatric medication management uses prescription medicines to reduce anxiety symptoms. Common drug classes include SSRIs and SNRIs (antidepressants also used for anxiety) and, for short-term use, certain other medications. Your prescriber chooses based on your symptoms, history, and any other conditions, and adjusts the plan over follow-up visits.

We do not recommend starting, stopping, or changing any medication on your own — that is a decision made with your prescriber. See our medication management page for how evaluations and follow-ups work.

When anxiety comes with depression

Anxiety and depression often occur together. When they do, the advanced options below may become part of your plan — but each is cleared or approved for the depression component, not for anxiety on its own. If you are anxious and depressed at the same time, read depressed and anxious at the same time and panic, anxiety and depression.

• Standard TMS — FDA-cleared for major depressive disorder (MDD); certain devices are also cleared for OCD and/or anxiety symptoms that occur with depression (BrainsWay Deep TMS™ received the first OCD clearance in August 2018; BrainsWay in 2021 and NeuroStar® in 2022 for anxiety symptoms in adults with depression).
• SPRAVATO® (esketamine) — FDA-approved for adults with treatment-resistant depression (on its own or with an oral antidepressant) and for depressive symptoms in adults with MDD who have acute suicidal thoughts or behavior, taken with an oral antidepressant. Given in the clinic under a REMS program with at least 2 hours of observation; no driving until the next day after a restful sleep. Not approved for anxiety.
• IV ketamine / ketamine-assisted psychotherapy — not FDA-approved for depression or anxiety; used off-label.
• SAINT® Neuromodulation System — FDA-cleared for MDD in adults whose depression has not improved enough on prior antidepressants; NWCOA treats adults 22+. SAINT® is not for anxiety.

Is TMS used for anxiety?

TMS is FDA-cleared to reduce anxiety symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder — often called “anxious depression.” Two systems hold this clearance: BrainsWay Deep TMS™ (2021) and NeuroStar® (2022). In that group, anxiety typically improves alongside depression. TMS is not FDA-cleared for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or social anxiety on their own; small studies exist but there is no pivotal trial, so any such use is off-label.

If you have anxiety without depression, psychotherapy and medication remain the evidence-based first-line treatments. For the full condition-by-condition breakdown, read our TMS for anxiety, OCD and PTSD page.

Ketamine for anxiety

IV ketamine is not FDA-approved for anxiety; it is used off-label for anxiety that has not responded to standard care. Some patients report rapid relief, but the evidence is limited and individual results may vary. Ketamine works on the glutamate system in the brain, which is different from how SSRIs and SNRIs work.

We offer IV ketamine and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) as one option within a full treatment plan, not as a standalone cure. Learn more on our ketamine for anxiety page.

Serving Broward and south Palm Beach from Coral Springs

Our only clinic is in Coral Springs, at 9734 W Sample Rd, 2nd Floor, Suite B. We serve adults from across Broward County and south Palm Beach County from this single location — including patients searching for anxiety treatment in Fort Lauderdale, Tamarac, Margate, Pompano Beach, Coconut Creek, Parkland, and Deerfield Beach. There is no second office.

If you are looking for anxiety treatment near you, a free consultation is the first step. We verify your insurance benefits for free before you commit to any plan.

Anxiety treatment options compared

Frequently asked questions

Cited research

1. Cole EJ, Phillips AL, Bentzley BS, et al. "Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SANT) for treatment-resistant depression." Am J Psychiatry. 2022;179(2):132–141. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.20101499
2. Carpenter LL, Janicak PG, Aaronson ST, et al. "Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for major depression: a multisite, naturalistic study." Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(7):587–596. doi.org/10.1002/da.21949
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "FDA approves new nasal spray medication for treatment-resistant depression; available only at a certified doctor's office or clinic." FDA news release, March 5, 2019. fda.gov
4. Cuijpers P, Cristea IA, Karyotaki E, et al. "How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta-analytic update." World Psychiatry. 2016;15(3):245–258. doi.org/10.1002/wps.20346