Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety. Evidence-based treatment from board-certified psychiatrists across California — in-person and via TelePsychiatry.
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Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in the United States, affecting roughly 1 in 5 adults each year. They show up as constant worry, racing thoughts, physical tension, panic attacks, or avoidance of situations that trigger fear.
Anxiety becomes a clinical issue when it's persistent, hard to control, and gets in the way of work, relationships, or sleep. The good news: it's one of the most treatable mental health conditions. Most patients see meaningful improvement within a few weeks of starting treatment.
Common anxiety diagnoses we treat include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and health anxiety.
If symptoms are interfering with daily life — or if you've felt this way for more than two weeks — it's worth a conversation with a psychiatrist.
Effective treatment usually combines medication, therapy, and lifestyle factors. We work with you to find the right combination.
First-line medication treatment. Examples include sertraline, escitalopram, venlafaxine. Effective for generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety.
Non-sedating, non-addictive option for generalized anxiety. Works well for some patients who don't tolerate SSRIs.
Used cautiously and short-term for severe panic or acute episodes. We're conservative about long-term use due to dependence risk.
Helpful for performance anxiety and physical symptoms (heart racing, trembling).
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy have strong evidence for anxiety. We can refer to vetted local therapists.
If you've tried 2+ medications without good response, genetic testing can help guide which medications are most likely to work for you.
Anxiety treatment isn't one-size-fits-all. Some people need short-term medication while they learn skills in therapy. Others need long-term pharmacologic support. Some get the most relief from lifestyle changes and CBT.
Initial evaluations at UMG run 60–90 minutes — long enough to understand your full picture. We screen for comorbidities (depression, ADHD, sleep disorders, medical contributors) that often look like anxiety but need different treatment.
If medication is the right step, we explain options, side effects, and trade-offs in plain language. The decision is yours.
Four California clinics for in-person care, plus TelePsychiatry for patients anywhere in the state.
SSRIs and SNRIs typically take 2–6 weeks to reach full effect, with many patients noticing improvement around weeks 2–3. Buspirone usually takes a similar timeframe. If you need faster relief, we discuss short-term options at the first visit.
No. Many patients use medication for 6–12 months while building skills in therapy and stabilizing, then taper off with a doctor's guidance. Some patients benefit from longer-term medication. The choice is yours.
SSRIs commonly cause mild nausea, headache, or sleep changes in the first 1–2 weeks; these usually fade. Sexual side effects can persist in a minority of patients. We discuss every common and uncommon side effect before you start anything.
Yes. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons patients use our TelePsychiatry service. Initial evaluations and follow-ups can both be done virtually anywhere in California.
Yes. We accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, and most major commercial insurance.
