Online Anxiety Treatment in Missouri
Evidence-Based Virtual Therapy from Specialists Who Focus Exclusively on Anxiety & Trauma
Online anxiety treatment is evidence-based therapy delivered through secure video sessions with a licensed therapist who specializes in anxiety disorders. At Aspire Counseling, anxiety and trauma treatment is all we do—every clinician on our team is trained in proven, research-backed approaches that target anxiety at its root. Our clients with moderate-to-severe anxiety see clinically significant improvement, with an average effect size of 1.16—well above the threshold for "large" clinical impact. Whether you're in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Springfield, or anywhere else in Missouri, you can access specialized anxiety treatment from the comfort of your own home.
If anxiety has been running your life—keeping you up at night, making you dread work or school, or holding you back from becoming the person you want to be—you're in the right place. We offer a free 30-minute consultation so you can make sure we're the right fit before committing to anything.
When Anxiety Starts Running Your Life
You know the feeling. The racing thoughts that won't shut off, especially at 2 AM when you're supposed to be sleeping. The tight chest and churning stomach before a meeting, a presentation, or even just a normal day at work. The constant sense that something bad is about to happen, even when you can't pinpoint what it is.
Maybe you've started avoiding things. Skipping social events because the thought of small talk feels exhausting. Putting off that email because opening your inbox makes your heart race. Saying no to opportunities—promotions, travel, new relationships—because the anxiety of "what if" feels like too much to bear.
For college students at Mizzou, UMKC, Truman State, or any of Missouri's universities, anxiety can make it nearly impossible to focus on studying, show up to class, or participate in the experiences that are supposed to define these years. For working professionals in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, or Springfield, anxiety can silently erode your performance, your relationships, and your sense of who you are outside of the worry.
And the exhausting part? Most people around you have no idea. You've gotten good at looking like you have it together, even when you're white-knuckling your way through every day.
Here's what anxiety is really costing you: missed opportunities you talked yourself out of, relationships that suffer because you're too depleted to show up fully, promotions you didn't go for, experiences you avoided. There's a gap between who you are right now and who you could be if anxiety wasn't calling the shots.
You're not weak. You're not "too much." You're not broken. Anxiety is a real, diagnosable condition that affects millions of people—and it responds remarkably well to the right treatment.
You've Tried to Fix This on Your Own
If you're reading this page, chances are you've already put in significant effort to manage your anxiety. You've probably tried telling yourself it's not a big deal, that you should just push through, that other people have it worse. You've white-knuckled your way through situations that terrified you, hoping it would get easier. It didn't.
Maybe you downloaded Calm or Headspace and tried meditation for a while. It helped a little—you felt calmer in the moment—but it didn't touch the underlying anxiety that shows up at work, in relationships, or in the middle of the night. You might have tried yoga, exercise, cutting out caffeine, or taking supplements. All good things. But not enough.
Perhaps you even tried therapy before. You found a counselor who was nice and easy to talk to, but after months of sessions, you didn't feel much different. You talked about your childhood, you vented about your week, and you left feeling a little lighter—until the anxiety came roaring back. That's what happens with general "talk therapy" that doesn't specifically target the mechanisms that keep anxiety going.
Here's the truth: these aren't bad strategies. Meditation apps, exercise, and supportive conversations can all be part of a healthy life. But for clinical anxiety—the kind that's actually interfering with your ability to function—they're not enough. Anxiety is a pattern in your brain that requires targeted, evidence-based intervention to change.
You need someone who specializes in anxiety and knows exactly how to treat it. That's where we come in.
Why Online Anxiety Therapy Is Surprisingly Effective
"Will online therapy really work?" It's the most common question we get, and it's a fair one. If you've never done therapy through a screen, it's natural to wonder whether you can really connect with a therapist or make meaningful progress.
Here's what the research shows: telehealth therapy is as effective as in-person therapy for anxiety disorders. Multiple studies have found equivalent outcomes for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered online versus face-to-face. Some research even suggests that online therapy has lower dropout rates, likely because it's easier to attend consistently when you don't have to commute.
But for anxiety treatment specifically, online therapy has some real advantages we've seen firsthand with our clients across Missouri.
Exposures happen in your actual environment. Exposure therapy is the gold standard for treating anxiety—it's the most effective intervention we have. The principle is simple: anxiety gets better when we gradually face what we fear, not when we avoid it. In traditional in-office therapy, we'd practice exposures in a clinical setting and hope the skills transfer to real life. In online therapy, we can do exposures where you actually experience anxiety.
Here's what that looks like in practice: If you have a fear of bugs that keeps you from enjoying your backyard in the Ozarks, we can do a session where you actually go outside while I'm right there supporting you through the screen. If opening your work email makes your heart race, you can pull up your inbox during our session—without showing me your screen—and read that dreaded message while I guide you through the anxiety in real time. This is exposure in your real life, not role-playing in an office.
No added anxiety just getting to your appointment. For someone already dealing with anxiety, the stress of driving somewhere unfamiliar, finding parking, sitting in a waiting room wondering if you'll run into someone you know—that's a lot before therapy even starts. Online sessions remove those barriers entirely. You can be in your safe space—your home office, your bedroom, even your parked car—while doing the hard work of treatment.
It fits into your actual life. No commute time means sessions fit more easily into a packed schedule. This is especially important because consistency is key for anxiety treatment. If you're a busy professional in downtown Kansas City or a student juggling classes at Missouri State, being able to log on from wherever you are makes it much more likely you'll show up every week. And showing up every week is what gets results.
You can still come in person if you want. We have physical offices in Columbia and Lee's Summit. If you ever want or need an in-person session—or prefer a hybrid approach with mostly online sessions and occasional face-to-face meetings—that option is available.
Our telehealth platform is Zoom for Healthcare, which includes a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) ensuring your sessions are HIPAA-compliant and fully secure. All you need is a private space and a device with a camera.
How Our Therapists Actually Treat Anxiety
The core of our approach is exposure-based treatment—the gold standard for anxiety that's backed by decades of research. The principle behind exposure therapy is counterintuitive but powerful: anxiety gets better when we gradually face what we fear, not when we avoid it.
Every time you avoid something that makes you anxious, you get temporary relief. But that avoidance actually makes the anxiety stronger over time. Your brain learns that the avoided situation must be truly dangerous—why else would you keep running from it? Exposure therapy breaks this cycle by helping you approach feared situations in a gradual, controlled way, teaching your brain that you can handle the discomfort and that the feared outcomes usually don't happen.
This doesn't mean we throw you into the deep end. Exposure is systematic and paced according to what you can handle. We build skills first, then work up a hierarchy from less anxiety-provoking situations to more challenging ones. You're always in control.
Depending on your specific needs, we draw from several evidence-based approaches to anxiety treatment:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most researched treatment for anxiety disorders. CBT helps you identify the thought patterns that fuel your anxiety and teaches you practical tools to respond differently. It's not about "thinking positive"—it's about thinking more accurately and responding more effectively. The skills you learn in CBT are yours to keep long after therapy ends.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you change your relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings. Instead of fighting against anxiety or trying to make it go away, ACT teaches you to make room for discomfort while still moving toward what matters to you. This approach is particularly helpful if you've been battling your anxiety for years and feel exhausted by the fight.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard specifically for OCD. If your anxiety involves intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, or rituals you feel driven to perform, ERP systematically exposes you to triggers while helping you resist the compulsive response. It's challenging work, but it's remarkably effective.
DBT-Informed Skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy can help with emotion regulation and distress tolerance—particularly useful when anxiety comes with intense emotions that feel overwhelming or when you need concrete strategies for getting through difficult moments.
What does treatment actually look like week to week?
Typically, we start with weekly sessions for about 8 weeks. This consistency is important—anxiety treatment works best when you're building on skills session after session without long gaps in between. After those initial 8 weeks, the frequency depends on your needs. Some clients continue weekly, some move to biweekly or monthly sessions as they practice independently, and some are ready to wrap up treatment entirely. For clients with really overwhelming anxiety, we can even do two sessions per week for a short period to build momentum faster.
Between sessions, you'll have homework. This isn't busywork—it's where a lot of the growth happens. The exposures you practice on your own, the thought records you complete, the skills you apply in real situations—that's what creates lasting change.
Online Anxiety Therapy Throughout Missouri (and Beyond)
Every therapist at Aspire Counseling is licensed in Missouri, which means we can see clients anywhere in the state through telehealth. Whether you're in a major metro like Kansas City or St. Louis, a mid-size city like Springfield, Joplin, or Columbia, or a rural community without local mental health specialists, you can access the same high-quality, evidence-based anxiety treatment.
We regularly work with clients from all corners of Missouri:
College students at Mizzou, UMKC, Missouri State, Truman State, and universities throughout the state
Professionals in the Kansas City metro, including Overland Park, Olathe, and the Northland
Families in the St. Louis area, from Clayton to St. Charles
Residents of mid-Missouri including Columbia, Jefferson City, and Sedalia
Clients in Southwest Missouri including Springfield, Branson, and Joplin
People in smaller communities and rural areas who don't have specialized anxiety treatment available locally
We also have physical offices in Columbia and Lee's Summit if you prefer occasional or regular in-person sessions. Many clients choose 100% online treatment; others prefer a hybrid approach. We'll work with whatever makes sense for your situation and location.
Beyond Missouri, we have clinicians licensed in Illinois, Kansas, and North Carolina. If you're located in one of those states, reach out and we can discuss whether we can work together.
Begin Online Anxiety Treatment in Missouri
You’re tired of living with the anxiety. Battling anxiety symptoms is exhausting. Luckily, we can help. Through online anxiety counseling, we can work with anyone in the state of Missouri. We do everything we can to make the process of starting counseling as easy as possible. When you’re ready to begin your journey with anxiety counseling, follow these steps:
1.
Reach out to Aspire Counseling
First, you’ll speak to a member of our Client Care team. They will ask you a few question about who you are and what you’re looking for. And, will take the time to match you with a therapist we think will be a great fit.
2.
Meet with one of our Anxiety Therapists
We know how important it is to find someone you feel comfortable with. So, all of our therapists offer a free 30-minute consultation. This gives you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you’d like.
3.
Begin Overcoming Your Anxiety
You & your therapist will come up with a plan for facing, coping with and reducing your anxiety. This will be based on your needs, you’re therapist’s experience & what we know works best to treat anxiety.
You Don't Have to Keep Living Like This
Anxiety doesn't have to run your life. It doesn't have to steal your sleep, limit your career, strain your relationships, or keep you small when you're capable of so much more.
Imagine going to work without that knot in your stomach. Sleeping through the night without racing thoughts. Saying yes to opportunities instead of letting fear make decisions for you. Being present with the people you love instead of trapped in your own head.
This isn't wishful thinking. It's what happens when anxiety is treated properly, by specialists, using methods that actually work.
You've tried doing this on your own. You've pushed through, white-knuckled it, downloaded the apps, maybe even tried therapy that didn't quite fit. It's time to get real help from people who specialize in exactly what you're going through.
One conversation. That's all we're asking. A free 30-minute consultation to see if we're the right fit—no pressure, no commitment.
Call 573-328-2288 to schedule your free consultation, or fill out the contact form on this page and we'll reach out to you.
You deserve to feel like yourself again. Let's get started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Anxiety Treatment through Counseling at Aspire Counseling in Missouri
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Let's talk about the investment, because we know it's on your mind.
Our session rates range from $100 to $175 per 45-50 minute session, depending on the therapist. We are an out-of-network practice, which means we don't bill insurance companies directly.
There's a reason for this. Being out-of-network allows us to focus entirely on providing the highest quality care without insurance companies dictating how many sessions you're "allowed" or what kind of treatment you can receive. You get the treatment that actually works for anxiety, for as long as you need it—not whatever fits into arbitrary insurance limits.
But here's the good news: many of our clients get significant reimbursement through their out-of-network benefits. We work with a service called Thrizer that makes this process easy. Most of our clients with out-of-network coverage get 50-70% of their session costs reimbursed after meeting their deductible. Some clients get as much as 90% back; others get somewhat less depending on their specific plan. We can help you figure out what your benefits might cover before you start.
When considering the cost, also consider what anxiety is already costing you. The promotions you haven't gone for, the relationships that have suffered, the experiences you've avoided, the hours lost to worry. Eight to twelve weeks of treatment that actually works—treatment from specialists using proven methods—versus years of continuing to struggle on your own. Many of our clients tell us it's the best investment they've ever made in themselves.
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Yes. Multiple research studies show equivalent outcomes for anxiety treatment delivered via telehealth versus face-to-face. For anxiety specifically, online therapy has some advantages—most notably, the ability to practice exposures in your actual environment rather than a therapist's office. Our outcome data from clients across Missouri reflects the effectiveness of this approach.
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You meet with your therapist via secure video (Zoom for Healthcare) for 45-50 minute sessions. In sessions, you'll learn about how anxiety works, practice skills for managing anxious thoughts and physical symptoms, and gradually work through exposures to situations you've been avoiding. Between sessions, you'll have homework to practice what you're learning in real life.
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Most clients begin to see meaningful improvement within 8-12 sessions of consistent weekly attendance and completing homework between sessions. For some clients, 8-12 sessions is all they need. Others continue longer depending on the complexity of their situation, their goals, and how deeply anxiety has been affecting their life. We track your progress throughout so we know when you're ready to reduce frequency or wrap up.
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For most of our therapists, yes—they're licensed in Missouri and can see clients anywhere in the state via telehealth. However, we also have clinicians licensed in Illinois, Kansas, and North Carolina. Contact us to find out if we can work with you based on your location.
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This is actually pretty common, and it doesn't mean therapy can't help you—it often means you weren't matched with the right approach or therapist. Many people have experienced therapy that was mostly talking about their problems without learning concrete skills or making real changes. Our therapists use specific, evidence-based techniques for anxiety that are quite different from general talk therapy. We focus on giving you practical tools and helping you gradually face your fears rather than just discussing them. If you've had disappointing experiences with therapy before, we'd love to talk about what didn't work and how our approach might be different.
Also, once you are assigned a therapist make sure to talk to them about your previous experience. We know not everyone is a fit for every therapist. Share with your new therapist at Aspire Counseling what you didn’t like about your previous therapist or perhaps what they did that wasn’t very helpful. If there WAS anything in your previous experience that was even a little bit useful, share that too. This will help your new therapist really hone in on what is most likely to help your anxiety in your unique situation.
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That's exactly why we offer a free 30-minute consultation before you commit to anything. You can get a feel for the therapist and ask questions before deciding to move forward. If you start treatment and realize it's not the right fit, we can discuss transferring you to another therapist on our team. The therapeutic relationship matters, and we want you working with someone who feels right.
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We're an out-of-network practice, meaning we don't bill insurance companies directly. However, many clients get 50-70% of their session costs reimbursed through out-of-network benefits. Some get even more. We use Thrizer to make the reimbursement process easy, and we can help you understand what your specific plan might cover before you start treatment.
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Our therapists don't prescribe medication—we're licensed mental health counselors, not psychiatrists. However, we can work collaboratively with your doctor or psychiatrist if you're considering or already taking medication for anxiety. We’re always happy to hop on a call with your prescriber if they’re available. Many people find therapy alone is effective for anxiety, while others benefit from a combination of therapy and medication. We can help you think through these decisions and coordinate care with your medical providers. If you're interested in exploring medication options, we can also provide referrals to trusted psychiatrists in the Columbia, Jefferson City, Lee's Summit and//or Kansas City area.
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A generalist therapist sees many different issues—depression, relationship problems, life transitions, anxiety, grief, and more—and may use a variety of approaches. We specialize exclusively in anxiety and trauma, using evidence-based treatments that are specifically designed and proven to work for these conditions. Our therapists have extensive specialized training, and our outcome data reflects this focused expertise.
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Yes. You just need a private space for your session. This could be a bedroom with the door closed, a home office, a parked car, or even a closet with headphones. Some clients schedule sessions during times when others are out of the house. We can problem-solve this together if privacy is a concern.
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A device with a camera (smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer), a reliable internet connection, and a private space. That's it. We use Zoom for Healthcare, which is HIPAA-compliant and secure. If you can do a video call, you can do online therapy.
Other Mental Health Services at Aspire Counseling
Anxiety treatment isn’t the only service we can offer through online counseling. We know life is complicated and you may be struggling with more than one issue. Our therapist at Aspire Counseling have a variety of specialties. So, we’re able to offer a wide range of mental health services. We can do so in our office in Columbia or online anywhere in Missouri. Some of our specialties include depression counseling, trauma therapy/PTSD treatment, OCD treatment, EMDR, IFS therapy, teen counseling, grief counseling support during chronic illness/pain and more! We’re here to help.