You can live a fulfilling life without anxiety overwhelming your MIND and BODY.
Anxiety Therapy in California
I provide therapy for anxiety that goes deeper than breathing exercises. My practice helps you understand where the stress and anxiety comes from, build real tools to manage it, and finally feel at home in your own mind.
Anxiety doesn't always look the way people expect it to.
Sometimes it's the racing thoughts at 2 a.m. that won't turn off. The constant sense that something bad is about to happen. The way you can smile through a meeting while your chest feels tight and your mind is already three steps ahead, preparing for the worst.
Sometimes anxiety looks like overachieving, overplanning, or staying so busy you never have to sit with what's underneath. Sometimes it looks like avoidance such as skipping the party, the phone call, or the difficult conversation, because it just feels easier not to.
Whatever it looks like for you, you deserve support that goes beyond surface-level coping skills.
What I can help with.
You may be in the right place if you...
Worry constantly, even when things are technically fine
Feel on edge or irritable without a clear reason
Struggle to fall asleep because your mind won't stop
Experience physical symptoms: tight chest, racing heart, headaches, fatigue
Avoid things that make you anxious — then feel worse for avoiding them
TYPES of Anxiety I work with.
Generalized Anxiety (GAD)
Persistent, hard-to-control worry about everyday things such as work, health, family, the future. This can also include worry around life transitions and circumstances such as relationships, relationship anxiety, academic or career transitions, and high school or college life. If anxiety feels like your default setting, this may resonate.
High-Functioning Anxiety
You appear calm and capable on the outside. Inside, you're exhausted from managing constant worry, perfectionism, and the fear of falling short. Many high achievers live here without realizing it has a name.
Social Anxiety
Fear of judgment, embarrassment, or being perceived negatively in social situations. This can show up as dreading gatherings, overthinking interactions after they've happened, or avoiding connection altogether.
Anxiety in Mothers
Postpartum anxiety, worry about your child's safety, and the crushing pressure to do everything perfectly — motherhood can intensify anxiety in ways that feel isolating and hard to name. You can read more on my Maternal Mental Health page.
Anxiety Rooted in Cultural Pressure
For first-generation or individuals of different cultural backgrounds, anxiety often carries an extra layer: family expectation, the pressure to succeed for people who sacrificed everything, and the weight of navigating multiple worlds at once. I understand this context personally and clinically. You can read more on my Culturally Sensitive Therapy page.
My Approach to Anxiety THERAPY.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT is particularly well-suited for anxiety. Rather than fighting anxious thoughts, we work on changing your relationship to them — building psychological flexibility so anxiety no longer dictates what you do. You learn to move toward what matters even when anxiety shows up.
Attachment Therapy: Many anxiety patterns have roots in early experiences — how we learned to feel safe (or unsafe) in relationships, and what we came to expect from the world. Understanding these roots doesn't just explain anxiety; it helps shift it at a deeper level.
Psychodynamic Therapy: We look beneath the surface, exploring the unconscious patterns, unresolved experiences, and longstanding beliefs that keep anxiety alive. This is where lasting change lives.
These approaches are always held within a culturally affirming, person-centered lens. I want to understand the full context of your anxiety — not just your symptoms, but your life, your history, and what meaning you've made of it all.
Learn more about the approaches that inform my therapy practice.
"Anxiety isn't a character flaw. It's a signal. Together, we can uncover what it's telling you and understand how to move forward.”
— Dr. Rachana Ali
Who I work with
I offer anxiety therapy via telehealth throughout California to:
Adults navigating generalized anxiety, high-functioning anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout
Teens and young adults managing school pressure, social anxiety, and identity challenges
Mothers experiencing postpartum anxiety, overwhelm, and the weight of parenting
High achievers who look fine on the outside but feel exhausted on the inside
Anyone who has tried to manage anxiety alone and is ready for a different kind of support
Ready to start? Here’s how…
1. Reach out
Fill out my contact form or send an email. You don't need to have everything figured out before you reach out.
2. Free 15-minute consultation
We'll connect briefly by phone so you can get a feel for how I work and ask any questions you have. No pressure, no commitment.
3. Begin therapy
If it feels like a good fit, we'll schedule your first session. All sessions are via secure telehealth from wherever you are in California.
Your Questions, Answered
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Positive thinking alone rarely works for anxiety and it can backfire, because forcing yourself to think positive can feel like you're dismissing your real experience. Anxiety therapy goes deeper. We work to understand why anxiety is showing up, what it's protecting you from, and how to build a different relationship with anxious thoughts, one where they don't control your choices.
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Yes. All of my sessions are via secure, HIPAA-compliant video telehealth, and research consistently shows that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy for anxiety. Many clients find the convenience of telehealth actually makes it easier to show up consistently, which matters for progress. I see clients throughout California.
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Absolutely. Long-standing anxiety often has roots in early experiences, relationship patterns, or learned ways of moving through the world. Psychodynamic therapy, in particular, is well-suited for anxiety that has been present for a long time because we work to understand those roots rather than just manage symptoms. Many clients who have 'always been anxious' find that anxiety can genuinely shift with the right support.
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There can be moments when exploring anxiety feels uncomfortable. Naming something out loud that you've been avoiding is vulnerable. But therapy shouldn't feel like unnecessary suffering. I work at your pace, and we're always in it together. My goal is for you to feel supported, not overwhelmed.
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I am considered an out-of-network provider, and therefore, do not accept insurance. Please visit my Fees page or contact me for more information.
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Yes. As a first-generation Indo-Fijian American, I have both personal and clinical experience with the particular kind of anxiety that comes from navigating family expectations, cultural pressure, the izzat and 'log kya kahenge' dynamic, and the weight of being the person your family worked so hard for. You won't need to explain your cultural context before we can do the real work. Learn more on my Culturally Sensitive Therapy page.
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Yes, absolutely. Mothers need a space that is entirely theirs. A space in which they feel heard and seen. A space that will accept the many dualities of the mothering experience. I am here to help you - you are not alone. Learn more about my work with mothers and maternal mental health here.
You don't have to keep managing alone.
Anxiety that has been part of your life for years can still change. Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation — a quiet, no-pressure space to share what's going on and ask any questions.