Anxiety Counseling in New Braunfels

Anxiety isn’t always racing thoughts. Sometimes it’s a tight chest, a short fuse, or waking up at 3 AM with your mind already running. Sometimes it’s a kid with a stomachache every school morning.

We offer anxiety counseling in New Braunfels for kids from age 5, teens, and adults. Come to our office on North Walnut Avenue, or meet by secure video anywhere in Texas.

Anxiety Looks Different for Everyone

Plenty of anxious people look calm. They get everything done. The lists are checked off, the kids make it to practice, the work is in early. But their shoulders haven’t dropped in months, and their jaw aches by dinner.

Here’s how it tends to show up at different ages:

Adults: a squeezed chest, rereading the same email six times, canceling plans and then feeling awful about it
Teens: stomachaches on school mornings, snapping at parents, scrolling late because lying still feels worse
Kids: clinging at drop-off, not sleeping alone, asking the same question after you've already answered it
Hormonal changes, like perimenopause: your body reacts hard to things it handled fine last year

Worry is a normal feeling for kids at times. What matters is when it starts to affect daily life and routine. In kids, anxiety often comes out as not listening, or as anger. Watch for the behavior chart in the backpack or the call from school in the middle of the day. If it’s happening more often than not for about six months, it’s worth a call.

Stress or Something More?

Some worry serves a purpose. The knot before a tough conversation and checking the weather before a float trip on the Comal both help you prepare. They show up, assist, and then leave.

Stress has a cause, and it fades when the cause is gone. Anxiety sticks around after the deadline passes. The National Institute of Mental Health describes anxiety disorders the same way: worry that doesn’t go away and can get worse over time.

You’ve probably been told it’s just stress. But if things calm down and you’re still up at 3 AM with your jaw clenched, that part deserves attention.

Signs it’s time to call:

You avoid things you used to do without thinking, like driving over a bridge or eating somewhere busy
Your body won't settle: racing heart, tight chest, stomach trouble, and the doctor found nothing
You plan your week around what you can avoid
The people who love you keep asking if you're okay, and you keep saying yes

If the worry started a few weeks ago with a move, a new job, or a sick parent, and it’s already easing, give it time. When it’s been months, that’s the line. It’s okay to cross it and ask for help.

How We Treat Anxiety

Talking about your week helps. But anxiety usually runs on avoidance. Skipping the scary thing buys a few minutes of relief. Then the fear comes back a little stronger.

So we look at what your anxiety does, not just how it feels. Do you check the locks four times? Text your spouse until they answer? Skip the I-35 exit where you once had a panic attack? Those details tell us more than any checklist.

We use approaches with research behind them:

CBT: cognitive behavioral therapy, for thoughts that loop and won't quit
ERP: exposure and response prevention, for anxiety built on rituals and avoidance
ACT: acceptance and commitment therapy, for living your life even when worry comes along
DBT: dialectical behavior therapy, for feelings that hit so hard you can't think straight
EMDR: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, for anxiety that sits on top of an old wreck, an assault, or a hard childhood

Anxiety and OCD overlap more than most people realize. If your anxiety comes with checking, counting, or asking the same question over and over, read about our OCD treatment.

Who Treats Anxiety Here

Most of the clinicians at RiverBend Counseling work with anxiety. Here’s who to ask for:

Adults

Jay Jeter, LPC-S, Michael Wong, LPC, who is EMDR trained, Dr. Allison Stewart, PsyD, with more than 30 years of experience, and Julie Ross, LPC Associate, supervised by Jay Jeter, LPC-S.

Teens and Young Adults

Kenzi Gray, LPC Associate (supervised by Jay Jeter, LPC-S), Valerie Hubbard, LPC-S, and Julie Ross, LPC Associate, supervised by Jay Jeter, LPC-S.

Children From Age 5

Tia Wigley, LPC Associate (supervised by Jay Jeter, LPC-S), and Dr. Allison Stewart, who uses play therapy with young children.

Hormonal Changes and Perimenopause

Valerie Hubbard, LPC-S, who works with women’s hormonal health and the stress that comes with it.

Julie Ross, Tia Wigley, and Kenzi Gray are LPC Associates supervised by Jay Jeter, LPC-S.

Your First Session

Most people put off the first call because they don’t know what happens next. Here’s the plain version:

You call or reach out online, and we match you with a clinician who fits
You complete intake paperwork, and we check your benefits before your first session
You meet in person on North Walnut Avenue, or online from anywhere in Texas
We ask specific questions: when it started, what your body does, what you've stopped doing
We talk through a plan, and you decide if it sounds right

Nobody diagnoses you on day one. Nobody makes you dig into your childhood before you take your coat off. Sessions run 45 to 60 minutes.

You don’t have to know where to start. “I don’t even know where to begin” is a fine first sentence. And if your clinician isn’t the right fit, tell us. With ten clinicians, there’s usually a better match.

Insurance and Cost

Money is the question people hesitate to ask. You can ask it on the first call. Nobody here will make it awkward.

Coverage depends on your clinician:

We bill your insurance directly and check your benefits before your first session. Superbills are available on request. Some people prefer to pay privately, and that’s okay too. Our rates, including reduced fee openings, are on our Rates and Insurance page.

Related Services

Frequently Asked Questions

How is anxiety counseling different from venting to a friend?

Counseling works on what your anxiety does, not just how it feels. Venting brings a moment of relief. We look for the avoidance and habits underneath, then help your body learn the scary thing isn’t dangerous.

Do you see kids and teens?

Yes. We see children from age 5, teens, and adults. Tia Wigley and Dr. Allison Stewart work with young children, and Dr. Stewart uses play therapy.

Can I do anxiety counseling online?

Yes, anywhere in Texas. Online sessions use the same approaches as in person. They help when a drive after work feels like one more thing to dread.

What if my anxiety comes from something that happened years ago?

That’s common, and it’s worth mentioning in your first session. Sometimes anxiety is an old alarm still reacting to a wreck, an assault, or a hard childhood. Michael Wong, LPC, is EMDR trained and works with this kind of anxiety.

How do I know if it's anxiety or just stress?

Stress fades when its cause is gone. Anxiety stays after the deadline passes. If you’re still waking at 3 AM weeks later, or avoiding things you used to do, it’s worth a call.

Does insurance cover anxiety counseling?

Often, yes, depending on your clinician. Between our clinicians, we take Aetna, BCBS/Anthem, Christus, Cigna, Meritain, Optum, and United, plus Medicare and TriCare with Dr. Allison Stewart. We check your benefits before your first session.

Let's Get You Set Up

Call (830) 515-8480 and we’ll match you with a clinician who fits. In person on North Walnut Avenue, or online anywhere in Texas.

Resources

National Institute of Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
An overview of anxiety disorders from the federal government’s lead mental health research agency, including how they differ from everyday worry, common types, and treatment options.

International OCD Foundation: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/treatment/erp/
How ERP works and what to expect, useful when anxiety comes with rituals, checking, or constant reassurance seeking.