Professional Anxiety Counselors and Therapists serving the Palmer - Wasilla Area.

Believe it or not, many people struggle with anxiety. It is actually a completely normal emotion. In fact, there are times when it can serve us well. A little bit of anxiety can be motivating and can ensure we are well prepared to attend to the task at hand. For example, feeling anxious about an upcoming presentation will typically motivate someone to prepare well, so that they perform well. We don’t love anxiety. It doesn’t feel great. But a little bit of it can serve us. Too much anxiety, on the other hand, can feel paralyzing, and can make it incredibly difficult to do everyday things, like attend social events or concentrate at work.

Our Mat-Su Mental Health providers serving the Wasilla area know how terrible anxiety can feel, and how limiting it can be. We know that the experience of anxiety is an embodied one. One where hearts pound, palms sweat, heads swirl and breathing becomes difficult. We know how awful it can feel, and we’re here to help! Many of the symptoms we often see people struggle with when they’re wrestling with anxiety include: excessive worry, feelings of agitation, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, trouble falling or staying asleep, panic attacks, avoidance of social situations, and irrational fears.

Meet the team of professional anxiety counselors.

  • Wasilla Anxiety Counseling Abigail

    Dr. Abigail Millard - PsyD

    Abegail has been serving clients in the mental health field since 2017, and has experience working with people across the lifespan. She enjoys carrying a diverse caseload, and has worked with an array of clients across a variety of settings. As a 10-year Veteran of the United States Coast Guard, she is especially passionate about providing psychological support to Veterans, and Active Duty personnel. She is thrilled to call Alaska home, while taking advantage of every opportunity for adventure. When not at work, you will find Abegail practicing yoga, paddle boarding, ice fishing, or entertaining friends and family.

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  • Sarah Bannister Wasilla Anxiety Counseling

    Sarah Bannister - LPC

    Sarah is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 22 years of experience working within the mental health field. Though she has served clients in a variety of settings, the last 8 years have been dedicated to offering counseling support to individuals, groups and families in the private practice setting. When not working, Sarah can most often be found outside; hiking in Alaska’s stunning mountains, training for her next long distance run, adventuring with her daughters, or enjoying the quiet of an outdoor space with a cup of coffee and a good book.

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  • Wasilla Anxiety Counselor Mary Kuepper

    Mary Kuepper - LPC-S

    Mary has over a decade of experience working in community based mental health. Though she has worked with people across the lifespan, she specializes in work with kids, teens and families, as well as in maternal mental health. Mary is passionate about giving people the tools they need to not only function well, but to thrive in their everyday life. Though not native to Alaska, she has fallen in love with the abundant resources of this beautiful place. When not working with clients, Mary can be found adventuring, hiking and exploring. She loves to fly fish our local creeks, dig in the dirt of her backyard garden, and get in quality time with her friends, and beautiful family.

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What you can expect from anxiety counseling.

At Mat-Su Mental Health, you can expect a comprehensive approach to treat the anxiety you’re dealing with. You and your provider will work together to understand, not just how to manage the symptoms, but to address them at their root cause. Effectively and comprehensively addressing anxiety with Mat-Su Mental Health providers may include, but is not limited to:

  • Psycho-education and brain based science to help you understand what’s happening with anxiety on a physiological level.

  • Coping skills to support you in managing your symptoms of anxiety when they arise.

  • Ongoing discussion and evaluation of lifestyle choices that may be contributing to or exacerbating your symptoms. Areas of exploration may include:

    • Sleep

    • Diet/ nutrition

    • Supplementation

    • Exercise/ movement

    • Connectedness (time with family, friends)

    • Play

    • Time in nature

  • Self care

  • Exploration and treatment of life events or unresolved traumas that may be at the root of the anxiety you experience.

  • A practical and effective self-care plan to support you in staying ahead of anxiety and effectively managing your symptoms prior to them becoming overwhelming and unmanageable.

Can specialized counseling for anxiety really help?

If the challenges identified above sound like you, or anyone you know, and are keeping you or yours from experiencing life fully, and with a sense of calm and connection, counseling may be helpful. At Mat-Su Mental Health, our providers in Wasilla are going to work with and for you to understand and treat not only the symptoms you’re experiencing, but what might be underlying them. Unresolved trauma, negative core beliefs, and unhelpful automatic thoughts are just a few of the culprits that are often at the root of anxiety. Exacerbating factors, such as being chronically under-slept, poor diet, inefficient supplementation, lack of movement, and too much technology use, usually make things worse. Any of that sound familiar? If so, please reach out. We’re here to help, and we would be honored to to come alongside and support you on your journey to emotional health and wellness.

Wasilla Anxiety Counseling

How long does professional counseling typically last?

The length of time an individual is in counseling is situation specific and can vary. However, we at Mat-Su Mental Health are passionate about giving our clients the tools and skills they need to thrive and function well. We will cast a wide net at the onset, looking for all the variables that may be contributing to your anxiety. We will build skills for managing symptoms and explore root causes that may be underlying your distress. We will take as little or as much time as you need, but we will do our very best to get you back about the business of living your life.

How to schedule an anxiety counseling session in Wasilla.

Ready to get started? Call or email us today. Our contact info is at the bottom of this page.

Once you reach out, our on-boarding admin will contact you to gather information regarding your specific situation. They will explore with you what provider will likely best meet your needs, and support you in getting set up in our electronic health record.

Mat-Su Mental Health uses Simple Practice, a medical record and portal system that will allow for confidential and HIPAA compliant messaging that ensures your privacy. You will be sent a portal link that directs you to online documentation to be completed prior to your initial session.

This is a great time to ask any questions you might have. After all, where you go for support is your choice, and we want you to feel empowered to assess whether or not we are the right fit for you! Here at Mat-Su Mental Health, our providers believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is essential in the process of creating change. These initial conversations are important in assessing fit, as therapy is not “one size fits all.”

Our MSMH office is conveniently located in Wasilla. Feel free to arrive a few minutes prior to your scheduled session to grab a cup of tea and relax before session begins. We look forward to meeting you, and are honored you have chosen us to do this work alongside you.

 FAQ’s

  • Yes, we bill insurance on behalf of our clients. We also accept self pay clients.

  • We do not offer a sliding scale fee for services. Many community based mental health agencies in our area, such as Denali Family Services and Matsu Health Services, do. We would encourage you to reach out to one of them if you are in need of/ looking for services offered on a sliding scale.

  • We are in network with Premera, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, UMR, TriCare, TriWest and Moda. We bill most other insurances as a courtesy; many of which offer out of network benefits. If you are not insured with one of the above contracted payers, we would encourage you to reach out to your insurance company and find out the specifics regarding your out of network benefits for mental health services in an office setting. More often than not, our clients find out that services are covered, most often after having met their deductible.

  • MSMH has a 24 hour cancellation policy. Though our providers certainly realize that “life happens” and late cancellations are sometimes unavoidable, we do ask that you do your best to notify your provider of a cancellation 24 hours prior to your scheduled session. Doing so allows us to fulfill other clients scheduling needs, and best serve our community.

    This policy is in place out of respect for our providers, AND our clients. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are difficult to fill. By giving last minute notice, or no notice at all, someone else is prevented from scheduling into that cancelled slot, and a 60 minute hole is left in your providers schedule.

    Please be aware that clients who no call/ no show or cancel last minute will be responsible for the full billable cost of their missed session.

    In an effort to avoid such circumstances, MSMH does offer a courtesy contact, either by text or voicemail, 24 hours prior to your scheduled session. Should you receive this notice and realize you are unable to attend the following days appointment, please communicate that directly with your provider through a phone call, text or email.

  • At MSMH, we do not have a psychiatrist or prescribing physician on staff. Unfortunately, we do not offer any medication management services at our practice. If you think you may benefit from medication, please reach out to your Primary Care Physician, and or a community based mental health agency, as they do have med management providers in house. We are happy to offer therapeutic supports to pair alongside med management services, but we do not do the prescribing.

  • We do not offer court mandated evaluations. If you have been ordered by the court to receive an evaluation, you can likely get this completed at one of the community based mental health agencies in our area.

  • Inform us as soon as possible about any insurance changes. Please bring your new insurance card to your next appointment and any related documents.

  • We offer individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, group therapy, and specialized counseling for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

  • Each counseling session typically lasts 50 minutes. We also offer extended sessions upon request.

  • Yes, we provide online counseling through a secure telehealth platform. You can book these sessions just like in-person appointments.

  • Confidentiality is paramount in our sessions. Information is only shared with your consent, except in cases of harm to self or others, as required by law.

  • In emergencies, call 911 or your local emergency number. You can also contact crisis hotlines for immediate assistance.

  • Bring any relevant documents, a list of questions or concerns, and be ready to discuss your goals for therapy. Think about what you want to achieve through counseling.

  • Yes, you can choose your therapist based on their specialties and your preferences. We can also help match you with a therapist who fits your needs.