What Does a Psychologist Do for Anxiety? An NYC Doctor Answers

1. What does a psychologist do for anxiety?

A psychologist is trained in providing a variety of methods to alleviate your anxiety. As a Manhattan psychologist who works with ambitious New Yorkers, I offer a multi-pronged approach to alleviating anxiousness. I help clients identify triggers, discover thought patterns that exacerbate anxiety, focus on here-and-now techniques to manage flareups and ultimately gain a toolbox of available techniques to apply to difficult moments. In my experience, the fast-paced life of New Yorkers leads them to have to constantly juggle multiple stressors at once, so anxiety is almost an inevitable part of the NY experience, but there is a tipping point beyond which the anxiety can take over your life. This is where therapy can be immensely helpful.

2. How do psychologists test for anxiety?

A psychologist typically assesses through detailed questioning about your current symptoms and history, including any traumatic life events that may have played a role in your anxiety. Some psychologists offer questionnaires and other formal assessment tools to better understand the nature of your anxiety.

As your psychologist I am better able to help you if I understand many of the details related to the present and the past, but I don’t dwell in the past. I am much more focused on the here and now. The beginning of therapy involves me asking you lots of questions, and then the nature of the conversation shifts into a more collaborative conversation.

3. What type of psychologist should I see for anxiety?

A clinical psychologist is well trained to offer you tools to manage your anxiety. Some clinical psychologists are trained in multiple methods of treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychoanalysis. Clinical psychologists receive a doctorate in psychology and train in a variety of contexts, including hospitals, clinics and schools. Counseling psychologists represent another option, but they are less common in New York City. Please note that other mental health professionals, such as clinical social workers and mental health counselors can be just as (if not more) effective as a clinical psychologist, but Doctors of Psychology generally receive more formal training on the path to their doctoral degree. Other mental health professionals typically subject themselves to other forms of training after they receive their degree. Please note that there are many exceptions to the comments I made in this paragraph.

I am a clinical psychologist who has trained in just about every type of clinical setting. New York City has offered me so many opportunities to train with such a variety of people from diverse backgrounds and professions. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. I love to talk shop!

4. Can a psychologist help with anxiety?

A psychologist can help with anxiety, but there are a lot of factors involved in determining the extent to which therapy will help. I have found that the following factors play a role in determine success with anxiety treatment for New Yorkers:

a. Timing –  Success in therapy is connected to how ready you are and open to subjecting yourself to the therapeutic process. Some clients are in a place in their lives where therapy truly fits in with their life situation. Other clients are initially resistant and fearful, but slowly evolve into a state of readiness to change.

b. The presence of a Medical Condition – Sometimes medical issues slow down progress in talk therapy. Medication might be needed, but that should be determined by a psychiatrist.

c. Your investment in valuing your mental health – In my experience as a New York City psychologist, my clients who allocate a good amount of time to caring for their mental health, even outside of therapy, tend to fare much better than clients who barely make time for therapy and other wellness activities. I respect the extremely busy schedule of ambitious New Yorkers, but to truly manage your anxiety more effectively, you need to allocate time and energy.

5. Is it better to see a therapist or a psychologist?

It really depends on the amount of training of the mental health professional. Many therapists who are not clinical psychologists have undergone more training than psychologists. Look into the breath of experience and areas of expertise of the therapist to determine what works for you. Psychologists are considered one type of therapist.

6. How do I choose a psychologist for anxiety?

In the age of the pandemic, it is even harder to find a therapist because so many people are seeking mental health care. Start with the listing sites on the web, including psychologytoday.com and good therapy.org. Cross reference your findings with the list of in-network psychologists listed on your insurance company’s website. It is a frustrating process for many people to find a therapist. Plan to reach out to 10-20 therapists to find one who is available.

Google each therapist to see if they have a website and more information about their expertise and areas of interest.

If you are able to go out of network to find a therapist in New York City, you can probably find a psychologist who has tons of expertise in exactly the issues that you want to focus on. I purposely created my therapy practice website to give potential clients a lot of information about my approach to therapy and my thoughts about many topics in mental health so that people can get a sense of what I am like even before meeting me. See here for a list of articles I’ve written and expert input I’ve offered.

7. What are 3 coping skills or strategies for anxiety?

a. One coping skill for managing anxiety is to identify your triggers. When you are very aware of the exact stressor, you can work with a clinical psychologist to develop tools to take action.

b. Another coping skill is to become very aware of bodily sensations associated with anxious states. How does anxiety show up in your body? It’s different in everyone. When you have a keen understand of your physical symptoms, you’re less likely to be surprised by the way your body responds in the future. The goal is to be able to say, “Oh, my heart is racing not because I’m having a catastrophic medical issue, but because my anxiety has been triggered.

c. Distraction is king. Redirecting your attention away from your anxiety may also work to reduce symptoms.

(Disclaimer: These strategies are for informational purposes only. Please consult a medical or mental health help if you are experiencing significant anxiety.)

8. How do you calm down/ reduce anxiety?

Anxiety is reduced by developing tools to make you feel more prepared for future episodes of anxiety. It all comes down to what you tell yourself, so self-talk is crucial.

9. What triggers anxiety?

Many things can trigger anxiety, including specific environments, painful thoughts, or in some cases, medical issues.

10. Is anxiety a form of mental illness?

It’s tricky to define what constitutes mental illness. Anxiety is a mental health condition. The word “illness” is less clear to define. The DSMV-TR generally defines mental illness as emotional distress that significantly interferes with one or many aspects of your life, including social, occupational, relationship or school functioning.

11. What is anxiety?

Think of anxiety as the anticipation that a catastrophe is going to occur. Anxiety is the interpretation of an impending threat of some variety. Your mind and body react to the conscious or unconscious message that you won’t be able to handle the threat.

Why a New York City Psychologist Has the Best Job in the World

What Exactly Does a Clinical Psychologist Do?

Find out exactly what a clinical psychologist does. Here are some commonly asked questions regarding the role of a clinical psychologist in New York City.

What is the role of a clinical psychologist?

A clinical psychologist works with people to improve their social, emotional, mental and behavioral problems. First, a clinical psychologist conducts an assessment of the problem to arrive at a diagnosis via interviews, observation and sometimes psychological testing. Next, they create a treatment plan with the client and help them to identify goals that the client wants to work on. Then, the clinical psychologist carries out psychological treatment to help the client achieve the goals. Progress is monitored over the course of treatment.

I have been conducting psychotherapy in New York City for over 20 years. One benefit of being a clinical psychologist, as opposed to other types of therapists in NYC, is that my clinical doctoral training in assessment and diagnosis tends to be more extensive than what is offered in most other mental health degree programs.

Some clinical psychologists do research, teach or consult for organizations/businesses to solve systemic and individual issues.

Is the job of a clinical psychologist in New York City different than that in other places?

The role of clinical psychologists in New York City is generally the same as that in other parts of the country. However, there are a few subtle but important differences when compared to clinical psychologists in New York State or other places.

First, in NYC clinical psychologists tend to be more trained in working with people from diverse backgrounds. The amazing diversity of NYC’s population necessitates that New York City clinical psychologists have an added sensitivity to people with alternative lifestyles and varied backgrounds.

Second, the fast-paced speed of everyday life, the noise, the lack of space and the general pressure to achieve success makes New York City a challenging place to live. As a Manhattan clinical psychologist, I am frequently helping people manage their career achievement needs and the stress generated from wanting to “make it big” here in New York. As a result, I have the honor of working with some incredibly ambitious people who are changing the world.

Third, it is my belief that a New York City clinical psychologist also helps people cope with the lack of a sense of community in the city. Other parts of the country have more of a community feel. The absence of community creates the potential for feeling a sense of emptiness, isolation and loneliness, especially when you are new to NYC. A clinical psychologist in New York City who has been in practice for a long time must know how to help patients cope with this kind of challenge.

Please note that other kinds of NYC psychotherapists with lots of clinical experience also learn to help people manage the unique combination of isolation and pressure found in New York City.

What is the Difference Between a Therapist and a Psychologist?

A therapist is a generic term for any mental health clinician who meets face-to-face (or online) with patients to alleviate their emotional suffering. Be careful though. There are also many types of therapists that are not associated with mental health, such as a physical therapist, speech therapist and occupational therapist.

A psychologist is a type of therapist, one with the most rigorous training out of all the types of mental health therapists.  Psychologists tend to have more years of clinical training and more hours of supervision and clinical experience even before they graduate from their program.

How long does it take to become a clinical psychologist?

In order to become a clinical psychologist, you need to complete your Bachelor’s Degree first. Some clinical psychologist also complete a two-year Master’s Program in Counseling or a related mental health field before their clinical psychology doctoral program. However, clinical psychology doctoral program students are awarded a Master’s Degree after two years and them they continue on for their doctorate.

Overall, a doctorate in clinical psychology can take between 4-7 years, sometimes even longer. There are three years of graduate classes during which doctoral students are completing supervised clinical training (aka externships) in various mental health settings, such as a hospital, clinic or school counseling center. Once the coursework is complete, the doctoral student has to complete a one-year internship in an accredited mental health setting. After the internship the doctorate is awarded. Then the new psychologist must complete  about 2000 hours of post-graduate training before receiving a license in a particular state. Please note that the information provided here varies greatly across states in the US. Please see here for more on the topic.

What is the difference between a psychologist and a clinical psychologist?

A psychologist is a general term for a professional who went to a doctoral program in psychology. A clinical psychologist is an expert in the human mind that attended an accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology. Clinical psychologists also work directly with human subjects. In other words, clinical psychologists work with clients. Other non-clinical psychologists may draw from the same knowledge based but they do not necessarily work directly with clients.

There are other types of psychologists, including industrial psychologists, social psychologists, forensic psychologists and sports psychologists.

Do you need a doctorate to be a clinical psychologist?

Yes, you need a doctoral degree to be a clinical psychologist. You can get a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree or a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) degree in order to be a psychologist.

In some mental health settings, I have seen people loosely use the word “psychologist” to refer to the mental health clinician on staff regardless of their degree, but the true definition of the role implies earning a doctorate in psychology.

What is a PsyD ?

A PsyD or Psy.D. represents a “doctor of psychology,” which is a practitioner’s degree in clinical, counseling or school psychology). In contrast to a PhD, the training you receive at a PsyD program tends to involve more clinical training and more hours of supervised face-to-face interaction with patients. There are probably exceptions. Phd programs in clinical psychology tend to have more of a research focus. While a lot more PhDs are hired for teaching roles, PsyDs are hired as well in universities.

In my PsyD program I received extensive training in clinical psychology, conducted hundreds of hours of supervised psychotherapy AND I wrote a PhD-level dissertation. It was not my original intention to create such a mammoth dissertation, and you generally do not have to write a huge dissertation in a PsyD program. It can be a more contained project.

Is a clinical psychologist a doctor?

Yes, a clinical psychologist is considered a doctor of psychology (not to be confused with an MD, or medical doctor.

What is the difference between a clinical psychologist, a clinical social worker, a mental health counselor and a marriage and family therapist?

A clinical social worker (LCSW) helps people to cope with emotional, behavioral and mental issues, but the training does not include as much emphasis on assessment and diagnosis as compared to a clinical psychology doctoral program. Many LCSWs take their education a step further by attending extensive training programs in specific areas following the completion of their clinical hours for licensure. Social workers receive impressive training in understanding and navigating through various systems that interact with the individual. See here for more on this degree.

A mental health counselor is a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling. See here for more on this degree.

A marriage and family therapist (LMFT) is a specialized degree that focuses primarily on marital and family counseling. There is also training in individual therapy. See here for more on this degree.

What is the difference between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in New York State?

A clinical psychologist is a PhD or PsyD helps alleviate emotional suffering via various forms of talk therapy.

A psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor (M.D.) who went on to specialize in psychiatry. Psychiatrists tend to work with people who are grappling with more serious forms of emotional suffering, but not always. Some psychiatrists also conduct psychotherapy. They tend to lean toward medication as the solution for emotional problems.

Clinical psychologists in New York State are not permitted to prescribe medication. Nor do they do not receive any formal training in prescribing medication.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions about the field of clinical psychology or to get started in therapy.