Anxiety Therapist Answers: What is Exposure Therapy?

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

You often decline invitations to birthday parties, family gatherings, or after-work drinks, saying you're too tired or have other plans, just to avoid feeling judged or awkward in social situations. You refuse to go on family vacations that require flying because you are too afraid of it.

You've lived with anxiety for so long that avoiding uncomfortable situations, thoughts, and feelings has become so natural. But deep down, you know that avoiding everything that provokes anxiety will not make things better in the long term. Maybe you've heard about exposure therapy and how effective it can be for treating anxiety, and now you're searching online for "exposure therapy near me." Still, the idea of facing the things you fear can sound scary, or at the very least, uncomfortable. You might be wondering, “What exposure therapy actually treats?” “When is it not recommended?” or “Could it really help with my anxiety or phobia?”

I am an anxiety therapist, and I'll answer these questions and more in this article so you can make an informed and confident decision when choosing the right anxiety treatment in Orlando. Exposure therapy is one of the most researched and effective forms of anxiety treatment in Orlando and beyond.

Trauma Therapy Orlando: Making Sense of Chaotic Relationships

If you regularly feel guilty, bad, anxious, overwhelmed, angry, lost, or powerless in relationships (romantic or otherwise), seeing this discord through the lens of the trauma triangle can be life-changing. Yes, you read that right, this could Change. Your. Life. Once you can see what is happening and develop some tools to do something different, you will be able to experience connection without the chaos.

Anxiety Therapy Orlando Guide to Creating Resilient Teams and Stronger Leaders

If you feel like your team crumbles under stress, or that your own exhaustion is fueling burnout around you, you’re not alone. Resilient teams aren’t built by pushing harder; they’re built by leaders who know how to manage their own anxiety and create safety. This series is your action plan for exactly that.

Throughout this series, we've explored several key strategies to help you foster resilience within yourself and your team. From managing your nervous system to embracing psychological safety, each post has provided tools that empower leaders to navigate stress, build stronger teams, and reduce burnout.

In case you missed any of the posts or need a refresher, here’s a recap of the core strategies and the links to the full articles.

EMDR Therapy in Orlando: Costs, Insurance, and Who It’s Right For

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

You’ve heard about EMDR therapy, and you’re wondering if it might be right for you. You want to feel informed before reaching out to a therapist, and you should be. People often have many questions about EMDR therapy when they call our practice. For example, what does it cost, is it covered by insurance, what does EMDR treat, and who might not be a good candidate? In this article, I will walk through each of these questions and more to give you a clear picture of what to expect.

Anxiety Therapy Orlando: How to Cultivate a Resilient Team That Doesn't Burnout

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

As an anxiety therapist, I see every day how fear of judgment can hold people back from speaking their truth. In the workplace, it’s no different. Maybe you’ve been in a meeting where the room goes quiet, where ideas are kept inside, and mistakes are brushed under the rug. The silence feels heavier than the issue itself, and before long, stress takes the lead.

What if instead of hiding struggles or protecting egos, you and your team could face obstacles together with clarity, openness, and trust? What if challenges became opportunities for growth and innovation? That’s exactly what the ACE Strategy is designed to create: a culture of psychological safety and resilience.

Orlando Anxiety Therapy: How Anxiety Can Affect Your Relationship Choices

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

Making decisions has always made you feel uncomfortable. Anxiety has a way of turning fairly simple choices into overwhelming battles in your head. There are just too many "what ifs." You feel overwhelmed with options and fear that whichever choice you make, it might be the wrong one.

In this article, we'll explore how anxiety can sway your relationship decisions and how the right support, like anxiety therapy, can help you shift from fear-driven choices to those based on your values and needs. 

Anxiety Therapy Orlando: How Psychological Safety Reduces Workplace Stress

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

You’ve been in that meeting. The one where someone shares an idea and the room goes quiet. Not because it wasn’t helpful, but because no one wants to say the wrong thing. So they say nothing at all...

Or maybe you’ve watched a high performer stop offering feedback. A new hire holds back a question. A manager pushes through exhaustion, too afraid to ask for help.

This is what a lack of psychological safety looks like. Not drama. Not a disaster. Just… silence. Disconnection. People are protecting themselves instead of engaging. A psychologically safe workplace doesn’t mean people are always comfortable. It means they’re not afraid.

Anxiety Therapist Shares How to Become a Better Decision-Maker

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

Your friends invite you out to dinner. You’re excited…it’s been too long since you’ve had a chance to catch up. But then, there’s that project waiting on your desk, the one with a deadline breathing down your neck. Part of you wants to say yes, and another part feels you should stay home and finish the work. No matter what you choose, guilt creeps in, and you feel stuck in the middle. Sound familiar?

When even simple choices like what to eat, what to wear, or whether to accept an invitation start to feel overwhelming, decision-making can turn into a source of stress rather than freedom. And when anxiety is part of the picture, those everyday moments of choice can feel paralyzing.

Anxiety Therapist Orlando Shares How to Break Free from Menopause Anxiety

 Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

You're in your 40s or 50s. You know changes are part of this stage of life, yet they still catch you off guard. You feel like you're on edge all the time. You worry nonstop about everything. It feels like stress hits harder than it used to. Some days, you can't focus on even the simplest tasks. You forget things all the time. And then there's sleep. You've always been a good sleeper who drifted off easily, but now you find yourself lying awake for hours. The longer the sleepless nights last, the more worried and uncomfortable you feel, and soon you notice it spilling over into your mood and daily life.

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. For many women, this midlife transition is about much more than hot flashes and shifting hormones. It can also bring emotional ups and downs that feel unsettling and, at times, overwhelming.

Anxiety Therapist Orlando: Shares Tips for Dealing with Insomnia 

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

It's 3 a.m., and you're lying in bed, calculating how many hours of sleep you'll get if you manage to fall asleep soon. You think to yourself, “If I don’t sleep, I’ll blow my presentation tomorrow. I’ll be exhausted in the morning. I haven’t slept well all week. I'll never sleep again." The longer it takes you to drift off, the more anxious you become. You get up, make a cup of tea, and read a book. When you finally go back to bed, you feel wide awake.

Trauma Therapy Orlando: What is Trauma Bonding?

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

You are in a relationship that feels like an emotional rollercoaster. You no longer feel safe. What you do feel is a mix of shame, confusion, self-doubt, and grief. Maybe your partner is too controlling. Perhaps you feel pressured to do things you're not comfortable with. You constantly question your worth and second-guess your thoughts and feelings. And yet, you still feel deeply connected to this person.

Perhaps your childhood experiences make it harder to feel safe in adult relationships. Past wounds can leave deep imprints, shaping how we see ourselves and connect with others.

If this sounds familiar, know that you are not weak, broken, or alone.

As an Orlando Therapist, I’ve seen how deeply trauma bonds can affect people and how hard they can be to break.

But healing is possible, and support is available to help you break free and rebuild

Stress and Anxiety Therapy Orlando: Effective Leaders Know How to Manage Their Stress

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

What if your most powerful leadership move… was to pause?

As a leader, you're constantly in motion, whether it’s making decisions, holding space for others, putting out fires, or navigating pressure from all sides. That kind of constant activation can take a toll. Over time, your nervous system may start to run on overdrive, your clarity clouded by anxiety, and your ability to lead intentionally begins to slip

Stress and Anxiety Therapy Orlando: The Leadership Thermostat That Sets Your Team’s Culture

By: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

We often think of leadership in terms of output, what’s accomplished, how quickly, how well. But underneath every decision, deadline, and meeting is something quieter but just as powerful: the energy you're bringing into the room.

Every team has an emotional tone. Sometimes it's buzzing with anxiety. Other times it’s sluggish or tense or scattered. That tone isn’t just about personalities or work stress. It often starts with you, the leader. Your nervous system sets the pace, the pressure, and the culture. That’s not a burden, it’s an opportunity.

Anxiety Therapy Orlando: How to Be Kind, Direct, and Assertive Without Guilt

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC 

How often do you say yes when you want to say no? How often do you simply go along to keep the peace? You stay silent when a team leader dismisses the idea you’ve spent hours working on. You agree to intimacy when you're not in the mood for it. Maybe you just want to please. Perhaps you've been raised to be "nice" and avoid conflict. You're used to putting others' needs ahead of your own. Or you don't want to upset or disappoint others. Too often, you don’t ask for what you need or share your opinion because you don’t want to rock the boat, but it leaves you feeling drained, resentful, and frustrated.