Racing thoughts at 3 a.m. A chest that feels tight before you’ve even opened your email. Avoiding the phone because answering it might mean bad news. If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not imagining things, and you’re not alone — anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health concerns treated by therapists across Staten Island, from teenagers dealing with social anxiety at New Dorp or Tottenville High School to adults managing panic attacks on the way to the ferry.
The hard part isn’t admitting you need help. It’s figuring out which of the many “anxiety therapists near me” results is actually going to understand your anxiety — whether that’s generalized worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, phobias, or anxiety tangled up with something else entirely. We compared ten Staten Island providers who specifically treat anxiety, so you can skip the guesswork.
Disclosure: this comparison is published by Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC. We’ve ranked ourselves first because we believe — and our clients tell us — that our combination of clinical depth, in-person care, and full-team support is hard to match. Every other practice listed here is described fairly and factually, because anxiety is hard enough without bad information making it harder.
What Actually Matters When Choosing an Anxiety Therapist
Before the list, a quick note on what separates effective anxiety treatment from well-meaning but generic counseling:
- Use of evidence-based protocols. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has the strongest research base for anxiety disorders, with studies showing meaningful symptom reduction for many clients. Exposure-based techniques, DBT skills, and somatic approaches can also play a role depending on your presentation.
- Specificity, not just a checklist. “We treat anxiety” should mean something more concrete — does the therapist distinguish between panic disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and trauma-driven anxiety, since each responds to slightly different tools?
- A plan, not just a vent session. Good anxiety therapy gives you something to practice between sessions. If you leave every appointment with nothing but “see you next week,” that’s worth questioning.
- Fit and format. Some clients do better with a structured, skills-based therapist; others need more relational, exploratory work first. In-person sessions can also matter more for anxiety specifically, since therapists can read body language and physiological cues that get lost over video.
1. Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC — Staten Island’s Most Complete Anxiety Care Team
📍 12 Jefferson Blvd, 2nd Floor, Staten Island, NY 10312 | 📞 718-966-0317
Mindful Therapy Solutions tops this list because anxiety rarely shows up alone — it’s tangled up with depression, relationship stress, trauma, or major life transitions more often than not — and this practice is built to treat the whole picture, not just the symptom.
Founder Elissa Donner-Guzman, LCSW-R, CASAC, SAP brings 19+ years of clinical experience treating anxiety across the lifespan, from children to adults, using a blend of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused techniques, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care — the exact combination of approaches research supports for anxiety, panic, and the avoidance patterns that come with it. Because Mindful Therapy Solutions operates as a structured teaching practice, every clinician on the team — including Clinical Supervisors Dr. Racine Henry, LMFT and Michelle Perlongo, LMHC-D, along with therapists Canada Baltimore, LMSW and Brandi Monroe-Vislosky, LMSW — works under a consistent, high standard of clinical training rather than operating in isolation.
Why this practice stands out specifically for anxiety treatment:
- Dedicated individual therapy built around “mastering emotional regulation techniques” and “finding clarity and inner peace” — language the practice uses precisely because generic talk therapy isn’t enough for anxiety that’s taken over daily functioning.
- DBT availability, which gives clients concrete distress-tolerance and emotion-regulation skills alongside traditional CBT — particularly useful for panic attacks and anxiety that escalates quickly.
- Group therapy specifically for social anxiety in teens, giving younger clients a space to practice social skills with peers who understand exactly what they’re going through, rather than facing it alone.
- A calm, private, HIPAA-compliant in-person office, which matters more for anxiety than almost any other concern — many clients with panic or social anxiety actually do better easing into a predictable, in-person routine than starting cold over video. Teletherapy remains available for those who need it.
- Real client outcomes, not just claims. On the practice’s testimonials page, one Brooklyn client describes the team as people who give “friendly reminders that you have an appointment” — small, practical support that matters enormously when anxiety makes you want to cancel.
You can learn more about the founder’s background and the practice’s philosophy of care, check the FAQ page for answers about what a first session looks like, or go straight to booking a free consultation.
2. National Social Anxiety Center — Staten Island Regional Clinic
A regional affiliate clinic led by a licensed psychologist who completed an extramural program at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research (personally supervised by Dr. Judith Beck), this clinic is one of the few Staten Island providers with a hyper-specific focus on social anxiety disorder specifically, rather than anxiety in general. If social anxiety — fear of judgment, public speaking, eating in front of others — is your primary struggle, this kind of narrow specialization can be valuable.
3. My Quiet Place Counseling
📍 2381 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306
Marina Krugolets, LMHC, LPC has practiced for nearly two decades, with a specific interest in depression and anxiety disorders alongside adjustment issues and relationship discord. Her approach is intentionally eclectic — combining CBT, mindfulness, and person-centered work — and she offers both in-person and video sessions, which has made her a popular option for clients who started therapy during the pandemic and never went back to in-person care.
4. Tree of Life Mental Health Counseling
📍 2460 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
Founded by Krystie DeCicco, Tree of Life lists anxiety and social anxiety as core specialties and is known for incorporating Sand Tray Therapy — a more creative, less verbally demanding modality that can work well for clients (especially teens) whose anxiety makes traditional talk therapy feel intimidating.
5. Holistic Mental Health Counseling Services
📍 2460 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
This somatic-focused practice treats anxiety and panic attacks through body-based techniques like Brainspotting and AEDP, working from the premise that anxiety often lives in the nervous system, not just in thought patterns. It’s a strong option for clients who’ve done CBT before and want to try a different entry point into the same problem.
6. Island of Hope Counseling
📍 Staten Island, NY 10308
A team-based practice with multiple licensed clinicians, Island of Hope specifically lists anxiety, panic attacks, and behavioral problems among its core focus areas, and offers evening and weekend appointments — a practical advantage for clients whose anxiety is tied up with a demanding work schedule.
7. The Art of Body Mind & Spirit – Psychotherapy
A Board-Certified Creative Arts Therapist with a graduate degree from NYU, this practice approaches anxiety through an integrative, expressive lens rather than pure talk therapy, aiming to build coping skills, self-esteem, and emotional and cognitive health through the therapeutic relationship and creative techniques.
8. Love Yourself First Counseling, LCSW, PLLC
📍 2483 Arthur Kill Rd, Staten Island, NY 10309
This South Shore practice treats anxiety alongside OCD and ADHD using advanced CBT certification, plus the option of creative arts and music therapy for clients who want a less conventional approach to managing anxious thoughts.
9. Crasmere Psychiatric Services
A multi-specialty group offering both psychiatric and counseling services, Crasmere is a relevant option specifically for clients whose anxiety may benefit from medication evaluation alongside talk therapy — something purely talk-therapy practices can’t offer without an outside referral.
10. Hope Therapy Services
A telehealth-focused practice offering individual, family, and couples therapy for various mental health diagnoses including stress and anxiety, with a stated emphasis on creating a welcoming, non-judgmental environment — a solid option for clients who specifically want the flexibility of fully remote sessions.
How to Know Which Approach Fits Your Anxiety
Not all anxiety is the same, and not all anxiety therapy should look the same either:
- Panic attacks often respond best to CBT combined with specific breathing and grounding techniques, plus gradual exposure to feared situations.
- Social anxiety benefits from therapists who actively practice social scenarios with you — sometimes in group settings — not just discuss them.
- Generalized, free-floating worry often responds well to a combination of CBT and mindfulness-based approaches that help you notice and interrupt worry spirals.
- Anxiety tangled up with a relationship or family conflict may need couples or family-inclusive sessions in addition to individual work, since the anxiety may be partly situational.
- Anxiety with a trauma history underneath it usually needs trauma-informed care first, since standard anxiety techniques can sometimes feel incomplete without addressing the root cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
What therapy approach works best for anxiety?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has the strongest research support for most anxiety disorders, often combined with exposure techniques and, for some clients, DBT-based emotion regulation skills. The “best” approach ultimately depends on your specific symptoms and what a licensed therapist identifies during an assessment.
How long does anxiety therapy take to show results?
Many clients notice some relief within the first several sessions as they learn concrete coping tools, while deeper, lasting change for chronic anxiety patterns often takes a few months of consistent work. Progress isn’t linear, and a good therapist will check in regularly on what’s working.
Can anxiety therapy help with panic attacks specifically?
Yes. CBT-based approaches are particularly well-studied for panic disorder, helping clients understand the physical sensations driving panic and gradually reduce the fear response through practiced techniques and, when appropriate, controlled exposure.
Do I need a referral to see an anxiety therapist in New York?
No referral is required to see a licensed therapist in New York State for outpatient counseling. If you’re hoping to use insurance, it’s worth confirming your specific plan’s requirements, but most Staten Island counseling practices, including Mindful Therapy Solutions, can help verify this before your first appointment.
What’s the difference between everyday stress and an anxiety disorder that needs treatment?
Stress is typically tied to a specific, identifiable trigger and tends to ease once that situation resolves. An anxiety disorder tends to persist, feel disproportionate to the actual situation, and interferes with daily functioning — work, relationships, sleep, or basic routines — even when there’s no immediate threat. If anxiety is affecting your day-to-day life, that’s a reasonable signal to talk to a professional.
Take the First Step Toward Calm
Anxiety convinces you that waiting is safer than reaching out. It usually isn’t. Mindful Therapy Solutions LCSW PLLC offers a free consultation to match you with the right approach — whether that’s individual therapy, group support, or care that also addresses depression alongside anxiety. Contact us today at 718-966-0317 to schedule your initial assessment.