Is it normal for anxiety to get louder when treatment starts working?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive worry about multiple areas of life — such as work, relationships, health, or finances — that feels difficult or impossible to control. This worry is often accompanied by physical symptoms like muscle tension, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and disrupted sleep. GAD is more than everyday stress; it is a recognized clinical condition that responds well to evidence-based therapy.

Most people experience stress in response to specific situations. With GAD, the worry is pervasive and often disproportionate — it jumps from topic to topic and persists even when there is no immediate reason for concern. Clients with GAD often notice that others around them do not seem to worry as intensely, and they frequently feel that their worry is excessive but are unable to stop it on their own. If anxiety is consistently interfering with your daily life, relationships, or sense of wellbeing, it is worth exploring with a professional.

Treatment typically begins with psychoeducation — helping you understand how anxiety works and why certain habits (like reassurance seeking or avoidance) actually reinforce it over time. From there, we use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and reframe unhelpful thinking patterns, alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you engage with life based on your values rather than your fears. Sessions are collaborative, practical, and focused on giving you tools you can use outside of the therapy room.

Yes. The length of time you have experienced anxiety does not determine how much you can benefit from treatment. In fact, many clients who have struggled with anxiety for years find that even just developing an increased understanding of the mechanisms behind it gives them significant relief. Evidence-based approaches like CBT and ACT have strong track records even for longstanding anxiety — because they work with how your brain processes worry, not just with the content of the worries themselves.

This varies from person to person. Some clients notice meaningful shifts within the first few weeks of applying new tools between sessions. Others see gradual progress over the first few months. Weekly sessions, and intensives (90 minute sessions 1-2 days per week), tend to accelerate results because they maintain momentum and accountability. The goal isn’t to “fix” anxiety, because we need some anxiety to survive! The goal is to consistently get back toward living a life you value and that pace is variable for each client. We track your progress throughout treatment and adjust our approach as needed so you are always moving forwards

Yes. Anxiety rarely appears in isolation, and it is common for clients to carry more than one anxiety-related diagnosis. Abigail has specialized training in the full spectrum of anxiety disorders including GAD, OCD, panic disorder, social anxiety, and specific phobias, and treatment is designed to address the full picture of what you are experiencing.

Social anxiety disorder involves an intense, persistent fear of social or performance situations where you might be evaluated, judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. It goes beyond shyness — people with social anxiety often anticipate social events with dread, analyze past interactions for perceived mistakes, and may avoid social situations entirely. It is one of the most common anxiety disorders and responds very well to exposure-based treatment.

A specific phobia is an intense, irrational fear of a particular object or situation — such as flying, driving, needles, heights, animals, or vomiting — that leads to avoidance behavior. Treatment uses graduated exposure therapy, where you build a fear hierarchy and systematically face the feared situations in a controlled, supported way. The goal is to build tolerance and reduce the fear response until the phobia no longer limits your daily life.

No. Exposure therapy is always gradual and collaborative. We first build a detailed understanding of your fear and create a hierarchy of situations ordered from least to most anxiety-provoking. You will never be pushed into a situation before you are ready. Many exposures can also be done imaginally or through video before approaching real-life situations. While talking about phobias in session is an exposure, you will be supported each step of the way and not thrown off the deep end into the work.

We treat a wide range of phobias, including fear of public speaking, social situations, driving, flying, elevators and enclosed spaces, heights, storms, needles and medical procedures, animals and insects (such as bees, spiders, and snakes), and fear of choking or vomiting. If you are unsure whether your specific fear is something we treat, please reach out — the answer is most likely yes.

Shyness is a personality trait that many people manage without significant disruption to their lives. Social anxiety disorder involves a level of distress and avoidance that meaningfully interferes with relationships, work, school, or quality of life. If fear of social situations is stopping you from doing things you care about, it is more than shyness — and it is something that therapy can address.

Specific phobias can often be significantly reduced in a relatively short period — sometimes within a 6-12 sessions with homework between sessions. Social anxiety tends to take a bit longer because the feared situations are more varied and ongoing. Treatment length depends on the complexity of the fear and how frequently you are able to practice exposures between sessions. It also depends on if there are other comorbid concerns that we will be addressing in treatment as well.

A panic attack is a sudden, intense surge of fear that peaks within minutes and is accompanied by physical sensations such as racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and a sense of impending doom. Panic disorder is diagnosed when someone experiences recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and develops significant anxiety about having future attacks, often leading to avoidance of situations where they fear an attack might occur. You can have a panic attack without having panic disorder.

Panic attacks typically involve an abrupt onset of intense physical symptoms — rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, chest tightness, nausea, dizziness, and a strong sense of danger or dread. Many people who experience them for the first time worry they are having a heart attack or a medical emergency. If you have had unexplained episodes of intense physical distress accompanied by fear, it is worth discussing with both your doctor and a mental health professional.

Treatment at Limitless begins with psychoeducation — helping you understand what panic attacks are and why your body responds the way it does. From there, we use exposure therapy to gradually help you approach the situations and physical sensations you have been avoiding. This builds tolerance and breaks the cycle of fear-avoidance that maintains panic disorder. CBT tools are also used to address the catastrophic thinking patterns that often accompany panic.

The goal of treatment is not necessarily to eliminate panic attacks entirely, but to significantly reduce their frequency and intensity, and — most importantly — to eliminate the fear of panic attacks that drives avoidance. Many clients find that as they stop avoiding their triggers and build tolerance to the physical sensations, panic attacks become far less frequent and feel far less threatening when they do occur.

Yes. Exposure therapy for panic disorder is carefully designed and paced, and it is the most evidence-supported approach for this condition. We start with psychoeducation so you understand what is happening in your body during a panic attack and why it is not dangerous. Exposures are introduced gradually and always with your input and readiness. You will not be put in a situation that is unsafe.

Panic disorder often responds to treatment relatively quickly compared to some other anxiety disorders. Many clients see significant improvement within a few months of weekly sessions. Treatment length depends on how severe the avoidance has become and whether there are other contributing factors such as agoraphobia or additional anxiety diagnoses.

Perinatal mental health refers to the psychological and emotional wellbeing of individuals during pregnancy and in the period following birth — typically considered up to one year postpartum, though many professionals take a broader view. It encompasses a range of conditions including anxiety, OCD, depression, and mood changes that can arise during this significant life transition. You do not have to be in crisis to benefit from perinatal mental health support.

Postpartum depression is primarily characterized by persistent low mood, loss of interest, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, and at times difficulty bonding with the baby. Postpartum anxiety involves excessive worry, fear, and hypervigilance — often focused on the baby’s safety or your ability to parent. These conditions can occur together, and many new parents experience elements of both. Abigail specializes in postpartum anxiety and OCD specifically, and can provide referrals if other support is needed.

No. Intrusive thoughts about harm coming to your baby are extremely common in the postpartum period and are actually a recognized symptom of postpartum anxiety and OCD — not a sign that you would ever act on them. In fact, the distress you feel about these thoughts is evidence that they go against everything you value. These thoughts are treatable, and you do not have to suffer through them alone or in silence. Please reach out — this is exactly the kind of thing we are here to help with.

Postpartum OCD involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) related to the baby’s safety or wellbeing, followed by compulsive behaviors designed to reduce anxiety — such as excessive checking, reassurance seeking, avoidance of certain situations, or over-researching. Common obsession themes include harm coming to the baby, contamination, and fears about doing the ‘wrong’ thing. Postpartum OCD is highly treatable with ERP and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Some level of anxiety during pregnancy is very normal — it is a time of significant physical, emotional, and logistical change. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, intrusive, or begins to interfere with your daily functioning or enjoyment of life, it may be time to speak with a professional. You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable to ask for support.

Yes. We understand that finding childcare can be a significant barrier to getting support, especially in the early postpartum period. You are welcome to have your baby with you during sessions. Virtual therapy also makes this easier, since you can attend from the comfort of your own home on your own schedule.

Yes. Perinatal and postpartum mental health challenges are not exclusive to birthing parents. Partners, grandparents, adoptive parents, and parents of all gender identities and family structures are welcome at Limitless Counseling Center. The transition to parenthood affects the whole family, and everyone deserves support.

If anxiety or intrusive thoughts are affecting your sleep, your ability to care for yourself or your baby, your relationships, or your enjoyment of daily life — it is time to reach out. You do not need to be in crisis, and you do not need a formal diagnosis before making contact. Even if you are not sure whether what you are experiencing is ‘enough’ to warrant therapy, we encourage you to get in touch. That is what we are here for, and it may prevent a greater issue down the road.

We help moms navigate a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, mom guilt, difficulty setting boundaries, identity changes that come with motherhood, and perinatal or postpartum mental health concerns. Therapy for moms at Limitless is not limited to clinical diagnoses — if you are feeling depleted, disconnected, or like you are just surviving rather than living, that is a valid reason to come in.

The guilt you are describing is one of the most common things moms bring to their very first session. Taking time to care for your mental health is not selfish — it is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and for your family. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and therapy is one way to start refilling it. The fact that you feel guilty is often a sign that you are already giving a great deal of yourself to others.

No. Therapy for moms at Limitless is for mothers at any stage — whether you have a newborn, a teenager, or grown children. This also includes services for women trying to conceive or going through a challenging fertility journey. Motherhood is a long-term identity and role, and the challenges it brings do not stop after the first year. Wherever you are in your motherhood journey, there is a place for you here.

Yes, fully. Our therapy for moms services are inclusive of all types of mothers, including single moms, LGBTQ+ mothers, adoptive mothers, stepmothers, mothers via surrogacy, and non-gender-conforming parents. Every mom’s experience is unique, and our approach is tailored to yours.

Sessions are 50 to 55 minutes and typically begin with a check-in about how the past week has felt and what you most want to focus on today. From there, we explore what is coming up for you, practice relevant coping skills and tools, and end with setting meaningful goals for the week ahead. The approach is practical and collaborative — not just a space to vent, but a space to actively build skills and make progress.

Yes, please reach out. You do not need to be at a breaking point to benefit from therapy. If something is weighing on you, making daily life harder, or keeping you from being the person you want to be — that is enough. Many clients wish they had started sooner. There is no threshold you have to meet to deserve support.

Limitless Counseling Center specializes in OCD, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, specific phobias, and perinatal and postpartum anxiety and OCD. We also work with clients experiencing trichotillomania, PTSD, seasonal affective disorder, and depression. Our strength is in evidence-based anxiety and OCD treatment, and we use approaches — including ERP, CBT, and ACT — that have strong research support.

We currently work with adults and young adults 18 years of age and older. If you are looking for therapy for a child or adolescent, we are happy to provide referrals to trusted colleagues who specialize in that age group.

Yes. Abigail is trained in Prolonged Exposure (PE), an evidence-based approach for treating PTSD and trauma-related symptoms. This involves working through traumatic memories in a structured, supported way and gradually approaching feared situations related to the trauma. If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, please reach out to discuss whether this would be a good fit.

While Limitless Counseling Center’s primary specialty is anxiety, OCD, and perinatal mental health, depression is often treated alongside anxiety disorders and is listed among the conditions we work with. Please reach out to discuss your specific situation so we can assess whether our services are the right fit for you.

Yes. During the intake appointment, all clients complete a series of validated assessment tools. Abigail reviews these before your first full session and discusses the results with you, including what your scores suggest about your primary concerns. This helps ensure that treatment is targeted to what is actually going on for you, rather than working from assumptions.

Yes. Trichotillomania and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are conditions we work with at Limitless. These often respond to ERP and habit reversal training, and treatment is tailored to your specific patterns and triggers.

Clinical consultation and supervision at Limitless is designed for licensed and provisionally licensed mental health clinicians who want to deepen their skills in evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety disorders. Whether you are brand new to this specialty or want to sharpen your existing ERP skills, supervision provides structured support and practical guidance.

Sessions can be tailored to your needs. Common topics include case conceptualization for OCD and anxiety presentations, designing exposure hierarchies and in-session exposure work, navigating client resistance to ERP, and applying ACT and CBT frameworks. You can bring specific case questions or use the session to build foundational knowledge of evidence-based approaches.

Individual supervision sessions are $150 per session. A brief introductory call (approximately 10 minutes) is offered at no charge so you can ask questions and determine whether supervision is a good fit. Provisionally licensed clinicians may be eligible for a discounted rate — please inquire directly for more information.

Yes. You are welcome to schedule a single consultation to discuss a specific case or question. You are under no obligation to commit to ongoing supervision. Many clinicians find value in both one-time consultations and regular meetings depending on their current caseload and learning goals.

Please email Abigail directly at [email protected] to inquire about supervision availability and scheduling. You can also start by requesting a free 15-minute introductory call to discuss your goals and whether this would be a good fit.

Virtual therapy sessions at Limitless Counseling Center are conducted via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You will receive a link before your session and connect with Abigail from wherever you have a private space and reliable internet. Sessions feel much like in-person therapy — the format is the same, the relationship is the same, and the treatment approaches are fully adapted for the online format.

Sessions are conducted through a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform called Simple Practice. Please contact us directly at [email protected] for the most up-to-date information on which platform we use.

Yes. Research consistently shows that telehealth delivery of ERP, CBT, and related approaches is equally effective as in-person treatment for OCD and anxiety disorders. In some cases, virtual therapy has added advantages — for example, it allows you to practice exposures in your actual home environment, which can accelerate progress for OCD related to household routines or contamination.

Yes. All telehealth sessions at Limitless Counseling Center are conducted through a HIPAA-compliant platform that encrypts your session. As a licensed clinician, Abigail is bound by the same confidentiality and privacy standards as in in-person therapy. Your session is not recorded without your explicit consent.

Abigail is currently licensed to provide therapy virtually in Illinois and Wisconsin. If you are located in another state and are interested in services, please reach out — licensure situations can evolve and we are happy to discuss your specific circumstances.

All you need is a private space where you will not be overheard, a device with a camera and microphone (a smartphone, tablet, or laptop all work), and a reliable internet connection. Headphones can be helpful for added privacy. If you are a new parent, sessions can be done from home with your baby present if needed.

Yes, as long as you are physically located in a state where Abigail is licensed to practice (currently Illinois or Wisconsin) and you have a private, quiet space for the session. Some clients do sessions from their car, a private office, or another location outside the home. The key requirement is privacy and a reliable connection.

ERP is the gold-standard treatment for OCD and is also used for panic disorder, phobias, and other anxiety conditions. It involves systematically and gradually facing the situations, thoughts, or sensations that trigger your anxiety, while refraining from the compulsive or avoidant behaviors you would normally use to reduce distress. Over time, this teaches your brain that the distress will naturally decrease and that you can tolerate discomfort without resorting to compulsions.

ACT is an approach that focuses on changing your relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings rather than trying to eliminate them. Instead of fighting anxiety or distressing thoughts, ACT helps you observe them with more distance and flexibility, and make choices based on your values rather than your fears. It is especially useful for building psychological flexibility and lasting resilience.

Prolonged Exposure is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms. It involves revisiting traumatic memories in a structured, supported way and gradually approaching situations you have been avoiding because they remind you of the trauma. PE helps the brain process traumatic memories so they lose their grip on your daily life. This approach is used when PTSD is part of the clinical picture.

The choice of approach begins with your intake assessment, which includes validated questionnaires and a detailed clinical interview. Based on what emerges from those assessments and our first conversations, Abigail will recommend the approaches most likely to be effective for your specific concerns. Treatment is always collaborative — you will understand why each approach is being used and how it connects to your goals.

Treatment at Limitless is structured but human. Sessions follow a consistent format — check-in, review of the previous week, skill or exposure work, and goal setting for the following week. At the same time, sessions are not rigid. If something important has come up in your life, there is always space to address it. The structure is there to keep treatment moving forward, not to get in the way of what you need.

Limitless Counseling Center primarily uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) for trauma. These are all evidence-based approaches with strong research support. The specific combination of approaches used in your treatment is tailored to your diagnoses, goals, and what is most likely to create meaningful, lasting change for you.

CBT is an evidence-based approach that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In therapy, we identify thinking patterns that are distorted, unhelpful, or keeping you stuck, and work to develop more accurate and balanced ways of responding to situations. CBT is practical and skills-based, and the tools you learn in sessions are designed to be used in your everyday life.

Abigail Lynch holds a Master of Science from Marquette University and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois. She also holds the Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) credential, which reflects specialized training in perinatal and postpartum mental health. She has been working in the mental health field since 2010 and has specialized training in evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety disorders.

LCPC stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. It is a mental health license issued by the state of Illinois that authorizes the holder to provide independent clinical counseling services, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. To hold an LCPC, a clinician must complete a master’s degree in counseling, accrue supervised clinical hours, and pass a licensing examination.

PMH-C stands for Perinatal Mental Health Certified, a credential issued by Postpartum Support International. It recognizes clinicians who have completed specialized training in the assessment and treatment of perinatal and postpartum mental health conditions, including postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, and related mood disorders. It signifies a higher level of expertise in this area than a general mental health license alone.

Abigail began her work in the mental health field in 2010 as a volunteer support group facilitator and community advocate. She has been practicing as a licensed clinician in a private practice setting for over a decade, with experience in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and private practice environments.

Abigail received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and her Master of Science from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her specialized training in OCD and anxiety treatment draws from evidence-based frameworks including ERP, CBT, and ACT.

Abigail’s passion for this area of clinical work developed through her early career experiences and the significant impact that evidence-based anxiety treatment has on people’s lives. Her first job after completing her graduate degree was at a facility that provided intensive services for individuals struggling with OCD and Anxiety disorders. That shaped Abby’s career and ignited her interest in continuing to expand her clinical work with those diagnoses. OCD and anxiety disorders are among the most treatable conditions in mental health, and yet many people go years without receiving the right kind of care. That gap between what is possible and what people actually receive is what drives the mission at Limitless Counseling Center.

At this time, Limitless Counseling Center works with adults and young adults who are 18 years of age or older. If you are looking for support for a child or teenager, please reach out and we will do our best to connect you with a trusted referral.

Limitless Counseling Center is a self-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. However, we are happy to provide a monthly superbill — an itemized receipt of services — that you can submit to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement. It is always worth checking your out-of-network benefits, as many clients receive partial reimbursement.

A superbill is an itemized statement of the services you have received, including diagnosis codes and procedure codes, that your insurance company needs to process an out-of-network claim. We provide superbills on a monthly basis upon request. You submit this document directly to your insurance company along with any required claim form. The amount reimbursed depends on your specific out-of-network benefits.

The standard session fee is $150 for a 50-minute therapy session. The initial intake appointment is $180 and includes a set of validated assessment tools that help us understand your concerns in depth before treatment begins. All fees are discussed and agreed upon before your first appointment.

The intake appointment is 50 minutes and is priced at $180. Before this session, you will be sent a link to complete a series of validated clinical assessments. Abigail reviews these prior to your first meeting. During the intake, you will discuss your primary concerns, your treatment goals, and any questions you have about the process. This session sets the foundation for the treatment plan going forward.

Accepted payment methods are credit card and HSA/FSA cards. During the intake process, it is a requirement to enter payment informatio into Simple Practice for billing. If you are using Thrizer to pay for sessions, payments are made electronically through that system as well.

Therapy sessions with a licensed clinician are typically an eligible expense for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). We recommend confirming with your plan administrator that mental health services qualify under your specific account.

We ask for at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice may be charged a partial session fee. If you fail to appear for a session with no written or verbal warning, then there is a full session fee charged. We understand that unexpected things happen — if you are dealing with a genuine emergency, please reach out as soon as possible and we will work with you. Abby is passionate about making treatment feel accessible and sustainable so if freqent cancellations are occurring or no shows, it is a priority for Abby to work together to try to shift things so that it’s easier to come to sessions.

We recommend meeting weekly at the start of treatment. Consistent weekly sessions build momentum and lead to faster, more durable progress. As your symptoms improve, we gradually reduce frequency — moving to bi-weekly, then monthly, and eventually to sessions on an as-needed basis. The pace of tapering is always determined together based on how you are doing.

Then you cope with it, the same way you would have coped with it if you had spent the preceding months worrying about it. Accepting uncertainty does not make bad outcomes more likely; it changes how much of your life the possibility gets to occupy beforehand. In therapy, this is worked through by walking the feared scenario all the way to the coping response rather than stopping at the fear.

Rarely, and at a very high price. Chronic worry is not the same as preparation. Genuine problems usually announce themselves clearly, and most people recognize a true emergency when it arrives without having scanned for it continuously. Practicing trust in that recognition is often more useful than practicing vigilance.

Yes, and it is common enough to expect. As avoidance and reassurance-seeking decrease, anxiety often reorganizes into a more sophisticated objection, frequently some version of “but what if letting go is the mistake?” This is typically a sign of progress reaching a core belief, not a sign of regression.

Most commonly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and cognitive behavioral approaches. ACT focuses on making room for uncomfortable thoughts and feelings while moving toward what you value; ERP focuses on reducing the compulsions and reassurance-seeking that keep doubt in place.

Tolerating uncertainty is a treatment goal rather than a single intervention, and it is usually revisited throughout treatment including the maintenance phase. Individual sessions can still produce meaningful, usable shifts.

Yes. Limitless Counseling Center is located in Downers Grove, IL and offers virtual therapy across Illinois and Wisconsin. Please note the practice is not currently accepting new clients; a waitlist is available.