Therapist for Panic Attacks and Anxiety in Los Angeles and Across California
Mindfulness-based CBT to stop panic from running your life.
Hi, I'm Jeff. I'm a licensed therapist (MS, LPCC) and anxiety is what I specialize in: panic attacks, panic disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and phobias. If you've had a panic attack, you know how convincing it is. Your body tells you something is very wrong. Therapy can teach you how to stop believing it, and how to stop the cycle that keeps it coming back.
Book a free 15-minute callNo pressure, no commitment. We'll talk about what's going on and whether I'm the right fit.
Does this sound like you?
If it's panic:
- Out of nowhere your heart pounds, you can't get a full breath, you feel dizzy or unreal, and you're sure you're having a heart attack or losing your mind.
- You've been to urgent care or the ER and been told you're fine. That didn't help.
- Now you're afraid of the next one, and that fear is its own problem.
- You've started avoiding things: driving, freeways, flying, crowds, being far from home, being alone.
If it's anxiety:
- Worry runs in the background all day and you can't turn it off.
- You lie awake replaying conversations or rehearsing tomorrow.
- Social situations feel like a performance you're going to fail. You avoid them or endure them.
- A specific fear (flying, heights, driving, needles, animals) has quietly made your world smaller.
Both are treatable. Both respond well to the same approach.
How mindfulness-based CBT helps with panic and anxiety
I use Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The basic idea is simple: our thoughts lead to our feelings, and our feelings lead to what we do. If you don't like the way you feel or act, we can find the thoughts driving it, question them, and replace them with something more accurate.
The mindfulness part keeps you in the present, without judging what's coming up. That matters for anxiety because most of it lives in the future: what if, what then, what's next.
For panic specifically, we also work directly with the physical sensations. Panic attacks are frightening because a racing heart or a tight chest feels dangerous. In session, we practice bringing those sensations on deliberately, in a safe setting, so your body relearns that they're uncomfortable but not harmful. That's usually the piece that finally breaks the cycle.
What to expect
A free 15-minute phone call. You tell me what's going on. I tell you honestly whether I think I can help. If I'm not the right fit, I'll say so and point you somewhere better.
The first session. We go through your history, when the panic or anxiety started, what sets it off, and what you've been avoiding. We set goals that matter to you: driving again, taking the flight, sleeping through the night.
The work. Usually weekly at first, then spacing out as you improve. You'll learn tools in session and practice them between sessions. Most people notice a difference within the first several weeks.
Social anxiety and specific phobias
Social anxiety. If meetings, parties, dating, or even ordering food make you feel watched and judged, that's not shyness, it's a treatable pattern. We work on the thoughts that drive it and gradually practice the situations you've been avoiding, at a pace you control.
Specific phobias. Fear of flying, heights, driving, needles, animals, enclosed spaces. These respond very well to structured, gradual exposure combined with CBT. Most people are surprised how quickly a fear they've had for decades starts to move once we work on it directly.
Why work with me
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in California (MS, LPCC #423)
- I've lived with anxiety, panic, and OCD myself. The treatments I use are the ones that worked for me.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- In-person, telehealth, or walk-and-talk sessions
In person, online, or walking
In my office. I'm in Los Feliz, at 4620 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
By video. I see clients by telehealth anywhere in California, including the Bay Area, San Diego, Orange County, and Sacramento. For panic and anxiety, video sessions work just as well as in person.
Walk and talk. Some people find it much easier to open up side by side than face to face. I offer sessions walking around the Silver Lake Reservoir. Moving helps anxious energy settle, and it's a good option if the idea of sitting in a therapist's office is itself part of the anxiety.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
Fees
Sessions are 50 minutes and $250. I offer a sliding scale based on financial need, so if cost is the thing stopping you, ask me about it on the call.
Questions people ask before booking
Can therapy actually stop panic attacks?
For most people, yes. CBT is the best-supported treatment for panic disorder. The goal isn't just fewer attacks; it's no longer being afraid of them, which is what makes them stop.
Do I need medication for panic or anxiety?
Not necessarily. Many people do well with therapy alone. I'm not a prescriber, so that decision is between you and a physician or psychiatrist. If I think medication might help, I'll say so and can refer you.
What's the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?
"Panic attack" is the clinical term: a sudden surge of intense fear with strong physical symptoms that peaks within minutes. "Anxiety attack" isn't a formal diagnosis, but people usually mean a building wave of worry and tension. Both are things we can work on.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on how long you've been dealing with it and how much you practice between sessions. Some people feel meaningfully better within 8 to 12 sessions. Others stay longer to work on related issues. We'll check in on progress regularly.
Do you offer anxiety counseling online?
Yes, by telehealth anywhere in California.
Is walk-and-talk therapy private?
We walk in a public space, so it's not the same as a closed office. We keep our voices low and I'm careful about what we discuss when others are nearby. Plenty of clients find it more comfortable, not less. If you'd rather keep things in the office or on video, that's fine too.
Do you take insurance?
I'm a private-pay practice, which is what lets me keep a small caseload and offer a sliding scale. Many clients get part of the cost back through their plan's out-of-network benefits; I provide the paperwork for that each month, and I'm happy to walk you through it on the call.
Book a free 15-minute call
Pick a time below. We'll talk for 15 minutes about what's going on, and you can decide whether you'd like to keep going. No obligation.
Prefer to call or email? (323) 362-6555 · jeff@jeffreybornstein.com