Panic Attacks & Panic Disorder
A panic attack can feel like your body is turning against you. Your heart races, your chest tightens, and your mind floods with fear — sometimes without any clear trigger at all. In the moment, it can be hard to believe that what you're experiencing will pass, or that lasting relief is possible.
It will, and it is.
Panic disorder is a recognized anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry about when the next one might occur. Many people begin to organize their lives around avoiding situations where panic might strike — which only deepens its hold over time.
What a Panic Attack Feels Like
Panic attacks typically peak within minutes and can include:
Racing or pounding heartbeat
Chest tightness or pain
Shortness of breath or the feeling of being unable to breathe
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint
Tingling or numbness in hands or face
A sense of unreality or detachment
Intense fear of losing control, or of dying
These sensations are real and they are frightening. They are also your nervous system responding to a perceived threat — and the nervous system can be calmed, re-regulated, and taught a different response.
How I Work with Panic
My approach to panic disorder draws on mindfulness-based therapy, somatic awareness, and cognitive behavioral techniques. Rather than simply managing symptoms, we work to understand what the body is responding to and gradually build your capacity to meet those sensations without being overwhelmed by them.
Somatic approaches help you recognize the early physical signs of rising anxiety before panic takes hold. Mindfulness practices train attention and reduce the reactivity that fuels the cycle. Over time, most people find that panic attacks become less frequent, less intense, and far less frightening.
Who I Work With
I offer therapy for panic disorder and panic attacks to adults throughout Oregon. Appointments are available via secure video telehealth, so you can work with me from anywhere in the state.
If panic is limiting your daily life — keeping you from driving, traveling, being in crowds, or simply feeling at ease in your own body — therapy can help. I would be glad to talk with you about what that might look like.