San Diego is known for its gorgeous surroundings, amazing weather, and laid-back lifestyle. People worldwide come to enjoy its natural beaches, vibrant downtown, and SoCal vibes. They choose to spend their precious vacation days here to escape the stress of their everyday lives. And yet, for San Diegans experiencing generalized anxiety or social anxiety, home can feel like anything but paradise.
It may seem ironic to feel anxious in a place as sought-after as San Diego, and those battling with their mental health may feel especially isolated and out-of-place in their struggles. The truth is, though, that anxiety affects us all at some time or another. Anxiety is endogenous to the human experience as a natural response to life's uncertainties. Living in San Diego is not an antidote or a cure for what is an intrinsic human emotion.
Although the place we live dramatically impacts our state of being, it cannot eliminate the challenges and uncertainties of our world today. The instinctual pull to self-actualize does not allow us to exist in a perpetual state of comfort. As we confront personal challenges, global crises, and the existential threats of our time, anxiety is a natural response.
Sitting here today, I am a recent transplant to San Diego from the Northeast, and I know firsthand how significant a role the place we call home has on our well-being. When I first arrived in San Diego, I felt invigorated by the sun and warmth I was sorely missing in the Northeast. As much as the first few months of living in San Diego felt like a vacation, I also experienced in real-time the reality that our local environment does not change the fundamentals of who we are or the complicated time in which we live. Regardless of where we go, we cannot escape these things, even in one of the prettiest places in the world. If you're reading this as a resident of San Diego, I'm sure you know what I mean.
Learning about oneself, developing insight into one's position in the world, and values and attitudes toward life bring emotional assets beyond quick and fleeting fixes. We can live more authentically and respond differently to fear, uncertainty, and discomfort with a deeper understanding of ourselves. A sort of peace comes with self-knowing and living in alignment with our goals and values that no coping skill can offer. Life asks us to find a sense of peace, which must be found in, rather than given by, our lovely city of San Diego.
Because of my own experiences and all that I've learned from my clients over 10 years as a therapist, I approach anxiety and social anxiety with my clients from a philosophically informed lens, along with evidence-based methods known to effectively treat anxiety problems, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). While these psychologically oriented therapies have been developed following a medical model to help reduce anxiety and social anxiety symptoms, philosophically oriented therapies help us go deeper into better understanding the causes of our anxiety and explore our relationship with it, which can provide long-term benefits.
Philosophically informed therapy offers a unique approach by exploring your anxiety rather than focusing solely on managing its symptoms. Philosophically informed therapy and counseling presents important questions often overlooked, such as:
By examining these questions, philosophically oriented therapy helps you connect with your authentic self. It moves beyond immediate triggers and symptoms to uncover what truly matters to you. From a philosophical lens, anxiety can be seen not as a dysfunction but as a signal guiding you toward greater self-discovery and different ways of dealing with fear, uncertainty, and social discomfort.
Whether you are a native San Diegian, a recent transplant, or somewhere in the middle, life has its difficulties in paradise. You are not alone in your quest for inner peace, and your challenges in obtaining it are entirely understandable. Noticing the difference between your inner and outer worlds may even motivate you to find a different approach to anxiety and social anxiety. If you’ve ever found yourself searching for an “Anxiety Therapist” in San Diego who takes a different approach that goes deeper than symptom amelioration, I encourage you to reach out to my practice, PACT. I find meaning and joy in helping people like you find a sense of harmony with themselves and the world around us. Based in San Diego, we provide philosophically oriented therapy to individuals throughout all of California. Explore new ways of thinking about your life, anxiety, concerns, and more by scheduling a consultation today.
Founder-Owner and Licensed Therapist
Julia Baum specializes in helping adults navigate emotional challenges through personalized therapy and counseling. With a unique blend of cognitive and philosophical approaches, Julia draws on her training in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and studies in Stoicism and Existentialism to foster personal growth and self-understanding.
We are dedicated to serving as a guiding light for our clients, leading you past the obstacles that have obscured your path to self-realization. We support you in cultivating a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you, finding meaning in life, and developing resilience to navigate life's challenges with clarity and purpose.
