Therapy for Anxiety: What Works and What to Expect

If you’re searching for a therapist in Copenhagen who specializes in anxiety, you’re probably tired of feeling tense, overwhelmed, or stuck in your head.

Unfortunately, anxiety doesn’t get better because you “try to relax.”
It gets better because when you learn how to respond differently to your nervous system.

What Anxiety Looks Like

Signs & Symptoms of anxiety:

• constant mental noise

• irritability

• trouble relaxing

• tension in your chest or stomach

• overthinking

• difficulty making decisions

• needing reassurance

• dread for no clear reason

• tired but wired

• feeling “off” or disconnected

The formal diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder are (paraphrased): 

• Excessive anxiety or worry experienced most days over at least six months and which involve a several different concerns.

• Inability to manage worry.

• At least three of the following occur:

  • Restlessness

  • Fatigue easily

  • Problems concentrating

  • Irritability

  • Muscle tension

  • Difficulty with sleep

• Note that in children, only one of the above items is required.

• You experience significant distress in functioning (e.g., work, school, social life).

• Symptoms are not due to a substance use disorder, prescription medication, or other medical condition(s).

• Symptoms do not fit better with another psychiatric condition such as panic disorder.

If this is your norm, anxiety is running too much of the show.

What Can Help

Effective anxiety therapy usually involves:

• CBT to change anxious thinking patterns

• ERP (in the case of OCD, panic, or phobia) to break avoidance cycles

• nervous system work for physical symptoms

• lifestyle adjustments that don’t feel like punishment

• practical coping tools you’ll actually use

• behavioral activation to rebuild routine and confidence

Together, these reduce symptoms fast and sustainably.

Why Internationals Experience More Anxiety

Living abroad creates hidden stressors:

• fewer support systems

• cultural mismatch

• language fatigue

• parenting without family

• perfectionistic pressure

• chronic overstimulation

• seasonal darkness

• identity shifts

Therapy helps you untangle these layers so anxiety stops feeling like your personality.

How Anxiety Therapy Works at Village Therapy

First, we ensure you have the grounding tools to stay calm when you encounter anxiety triggers. Then, we make a plan for how to confront what you’re anxious about, in a very paced, gradual way.
You’ll get clarity, structure, and tools that work in real life, not just in theory.

If your anxiety is getting in the way of your life, you can book a free 15-minute intro call.