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Anxiety therapy in Burlington and Oakville
Anxiety does not have to set the terms. Balancy Counselling & Psychotherapy is a local group practice offering psychotherapy and counselling in person in Burlington and Oakville, and online. Every therapist starts with a free 15-minute consultation, so you can find the right fit before committing to anything.
See the licensed psychotherapists who offer anxiety therapy, with fees, languages and availability on each profile.
See anxiety therapistsWhat anxiety therapy actually involves
Good anxiety therapy is practical, not just supportive conversation. It works on the loop that keeps anxiety going: the thoughts your mind treats as warnings, the situations you quietly start avoiding, and the body alarm that fires before anything has actually gone wrong. The therapists at Balancy draw on three main approaches, and the free consultation is where you find out which one fits you:
CBT, changing the thought patterns
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the most widely researched approach for anxiety, and most therapists here practise it. You learn to spot catastrophic thinking, test it against evidence, and re-enter avoided situations in steps small enough to actually take.
DBT skills, calming the body first
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy contributes concrete skills for the moments anxiety spikes: grounding, paced breathing, and ways to ride out intense emotion without escalating it. If your anxiety shows up as overwhelm or panic, this skills-based layer can make the difference early on.
Gestalt, awareness and presence
A Gestalt-trained approach slows things down: noticing what happens in your body and in the present moment, and treating anxiety as information rather than an enemy. Clients who have found purely technique-based work too mechanical often prefer this depth-oriented style.
In short, the approaches differ in where they start:
- CBT starts with thoughts and habits, and suits people who like practical tools and homework between sessions.
- DBT skills start with the body, and suit people whose anxiety arrives as overwhelm, panic or shutdown.
- Gestalt starts with awareness, and suits people who want to understand their patterns, not just manage symptoms.
Prefer to read first?
Our guide to anxiety therapy, its approaches, costs, and how to start walks through each approach in more depth, including what a first session is actually like.
In person in Burlington and Oakville, and online
In person: anxiety therapy is available face-to-face in Burlington (3425 Harvester Road) and in Oakville, with an additional in-person option in Toronto. Clients come from across both cities, from Aldershot, Roseland and Headon Forest in Burlington to Glen Abbey, River Oaks and Joshua Creek in Oakville.
Online: every therapist at Balancy also works by secure video, so you can meet from home, on a lunch break, or in the evening. Online sessions are open to clients located in Ontario. Research finds online therapy comparably effective for most anxiety concerns, so the honest advice is to choose the format you will actually stick with.
What it costs
| Format | Where | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online, individuals | Secure video | From $50 | Sliding scale available; evenings and weekends |
| In person | Burlington, 3425 Harvester Road | $140 | Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) |
| In person | Oakville | $160 to $190 | Gestalt-trained Registered Psychotherapist |
| Online | Secure video | $150 to $165 | Includes therapists with up to 18+ years of experience |
- Every first step is a free 15-minute consultation, with no obligation to continue.
- Many extended health plans cover Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers. Each therapist issues receipts you can submit.
- No referral is needed. You can book directly.
- Fees are confirmed in the free consultation, before you pay anything.
Anxiety therapy, common questions
How much does anxiety therapy cost?
At Balancy, session fees run from $50 to $190. Online sessions start at $50 for individuals, with a sliding scale, and in-person fees are $140 in Burlington and $160 to $190 in Oakville, reflecting experience that ranges up to 18+ years. Many extended health plans cover Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers, and every therapist offers a free 15-minute consultation first, so you can confirm the fee and your coverage before paying anything.
Is online therapy effective for anxiety?
For most common anxiety concerns, research finds online therapy produces outcomes comparable to in-person therapy, including for CBT-based treatment. What matters most is the fit with your therapist and the approach. Online sessions run by secure video, so many clients meet from home, on lunch breaks, or in the evening.
Can I see an anxiety therapist in person?
Yes. A Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) offers in-person sessions in Burlington at 3425 Harvester Road, and a Gestalt-trained Registered Psychotherapist sees clients in person in Oakville. There is also an in-person option in Toronto with a Registered Psychotherapist who practises there alongside her online work. Everywhere else, sessions are online by secure video.
Do I need a referral to start anxiety therapy?
No. Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers in Ontario accept self-referrals, so you do not need a doctor's note or a diagnosis to begin. You describe what you are dealing with in the free consultation, and the therapist confirms whether their approach fits what you need.
What happens in the free 15-minute consultation?
It is a short introductory call or video meeting. You describe in general terms what you are dealing with, hear how the therapist works with anxiety, and ask about fees, scheduling and approach. There is no charge and no obligation to book a full session afterwards.
How soon can I start?
Every therapist at Balancy is currently accepting new clients. After you submit the consultation request, you receive a reply with a direct booking link for the matched therapist, and you choose a consultation time that suits you.
Start with a free 15 minutes
Tell us you are looking for anxiety therapy, and we will match you with the therapist who fits, in person or online. No cost, no commitment.
Request your free consultationIn crisis? Call or text 988 (Suicide Crisis Helpline, 24/7) or call 911 in an emergency. This page is educational and not a substitute for professional advice.