Understanding Health Anxiety

Health Anxiety Therapy Treatment in Atlanta, Georgia for folks with and without medical diagnoses

Living with health anxiety can feel like being trapped in a cycle of worry, hypervigilance, and fear. Every body sensation becomes magnified, every medical headline triggers alarm, and the constant seeking of reassurance never quite satisfies the deep concern that something serious might be wrong.

We take you seriously.

Health anxiety (officially termed Illness Anxiety Disorder in clinical settings) goes beyond normal health concerns. It involves persistent worry about having or developing a serious illness even when there are minimal physical symptoms present. This anxiety often persists despite medical reassurance, creating a cycle that can significantly impact your daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.

What makes health anxiety particularly challenging is that the physical sensations of anxiety (racing heart, dizziness, fatigue) can mimic or exacerbate the very symptoms you're worried about, creating a feedback loop that's difficult to break without support.

Hi! Im Destiny…

I became a health anxiety specialist through my own journey with chronic illness. I've sat on both sides of the equation - I've been the patient frantically Googling symptoms at 3am, convinced something terrible was happening when it wasn’t, but ALSO when it was.

What drives my work is understanding that health concerns are real, and so is the anxiety that often develops alongside them. This isn't an either/or situation—both can exist simultaneously, and both deserve compassionate attention.

Some of my clients come to me after years of medical appointments with no answers. Others have clear diagnoses but find themselves unable to stop worrying that something worse is happening. Many have had the devastating experience of not being believed by medical providers.

My approach is about helping you develop a relationship with your body where you can trust your instincts, advocate effectively when needed, and also recognize when anxiety is amplifying your suffering.

Whether you're dealing with unexplained symptoms, a recent diagnosis, or recovery from a medical trauma, I'm here to help you find solid ground again. The work we do together won't just change how you feel about your health - it will transform how you experience life itself.

Your Common Questions:

  • As someone with both personal and professional experience navigating chronic health conditions, Destiny brings a unique perspective to her work with health anxiety. She understands both the medical system and the very real experience of living with bodily discomfort and uncertainty.

    Using a blend of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Somatic Experiencing, Destiny helps you:

    • Recognize anxiety patterns in your body and thought processes

    • Develop a healthier relationship with bodily sensations and uncertainty

    • Learn techniques to regulate your nervous system when health concerns arise

    • Navigate the healthcare system more effectively without over-reliance or avoidance

    • Reclaim parts of life that health anxiety has diminished or taken away

    • Build confidence in distinguishing between anxiety symptoms and medical concerns

  • Therapy for health anxiety is not about dismissing your concerns or telling you "it's all in your head." Rather, it's about developing a new relationship with uncertainty, physical sensations, and the natural anxieties we all experience about our health.

    Our work together might include:

    • Exploring your unique history with health and healthcare experiences

    • Learning body-based techniques to recognize and respond to anxiety in its early stages

    • Developing personalized strategies for handling triggering situations (like medical appointments, news about illness, or new physical sensations)

    • Building a toolkit for responding to health worries without falling into patterns of excessive checking or avoidance

  • Many people come to therapy after difficult experiences with the healthcare system. Perhaps you've had symptoms dismissed, tests delayed, or concerns minimized by medical professionals. These experiences are unfortunately common, especially for women and members of marginalized communities.

    At The Chronic Illness Therapist, we recognize an important truth: sometimes persistent self-advocacy and research are necessary to get proper medical care. The goal of health anxiety treatment is never to discourage appropriate medical investigation or self-advocacy.

    Instead, we aim to help you:

    • Distinguish between intuitive concern about genuine medical issues and anxiety-driven patterns

    • Advocate effectively for yourself in medical settings without exhausting your resources

    • Make mindful decisions about when to seek additional opinions or tests

    • Preserve your energy for what matters most to you, rather than spending it all on health worries

    • Develop confidence in your ability to navigate both the healthcare system and your internal experience

  • Absolutely not. At The Chronic Illness Therapist, we recognize that physical and mental health are deeply interconnected. Anxiety can exacerbate physical symptoms, while unaddressed physical concerns can worsen anxiety.

    I take a collaborative approach that:

    • Respects the importance of appropriate medical care while helping you manage the stress of diagnostic journeys

    • Supports you in communicating effectively with your healthcare providers about both physical symptoms and emotional concerns

    • Helps you distinguish between symptoms that warrant medical attention and those that may be amplified by anxiety

    • Teaches nervous system regulation techniques that can reduce symptom intensity and support your body's natural healing processes

    • Works alongside your medical treatment rather than replacing it

    Our goal is to help you develop a balanced approach where you can pursue necessary medical care without becoming overwhelmed by the process. Through this work, many clients find that as their nervous system regulation improves, certain physical symptoms may become less intense or disruptive, creating space for more effective medical treatment of underlying conditions.

  • Yes, I can communicate with your medical providers when it's helpful for your care, but always with your knowledge and consent. This collaborative approach often benefits clients in several ways:

    • Providing a holistic view of your experience that validates both physical symptoms and emotional impacts

    • Offering additional context to your healthcare providers about how symptoms affect your daily life

    • Supporting you in preparing for medical appointments so you can advocate effectively for yourself

    • Helping translate complex medical information in a way that reduces unnecessary anxiety

    • Ensuring that your physical and mental healthcare are aligned rather than working at cross-purposes

    Before any communication happens, you and I will discuss exactly what information will be shared and received. You remain in control of your care coordination, and I see my role as supporting you in building productive relationships with your medical team while ensuring your concerns are taken seriously.

The Freedom That Comes With Treatment

The clients I work with describe a sense of liberation that comes from addressing health anxiety:

  • You know that feeling when you're with friends but you're not really there because you're stuck in your head worrying about that new symptom? Imagine being fully present again - laughing, connecting, enjoying the moment without the constant background worry. That's what becomes possible.

  • Your body becomes a safe home again, not a source of constant threat signals. You start to notice sensations, like that weird feeling in your stomach, but it doesn't send you spiraling. This shift alone can reduce many physical symptoms that are amplified by a constantly activated stress response.

  • Think about how much RENT-FREE space health worries currently occupy in your mind. Now imagine redirecting all that brainpower toward things you actually care about: your relationships, passions, goals. This mental clarity is often one of the first benefits people notice.

  • No more dreading doctor appointments or leaving in tears. You'll learn to communicate more effectively with providers and feel confident in your ability to distinguish between anxiety and intuition about your health.

  • Real health issues do arise sometimes. The skills you learn will help you face legitimate health challenges with more emotional stability and less catastrophic thinking. Many clients tell me these tools become invaluable when navigating actual medical situations.

Getting Started

Destiny offers a free 15-minute consultation to explore whether her approach might be a good fit for your specific experience with health anxiety. You can schedule this initial conversation by clicking here. Information about fees can be found here.

Working through health anxiety doesn't mean you'll never worry about your health again – some vigilance about health is normal and adaptive. Instead, our goal is to help you hold health concerns in balance, where they inform your choices without controlling your life.