Finding a therapist for anxiety in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama

If you need help now

Call or text 988 any time. Our state help lines page lists each state’s crisis line, help line and public clinics.

1. Know who treats anxiety

For therapy: psychologists, licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists. NIMH and SAMHSA both list these professionals, and the International OCD Foundation points out that no one license is better than another for this kind of work. What matters more is training in the methods below.

For medication: psychiatrists and psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioners can prescribe. SAMHSA notes that primary care doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants can also prescribe for anxiety. Most psychiatrists focus on medication and don’t usually provide therapy themselves, according to the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

A first step can be your primary care provider, who can do an initial screening and refer you.

2. Know which approaches to ask about

These are the methods NIMH names for anxiety disorders, in its own terms:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): NIMH calls it a research-supported type of psychotherapy that’s commonly used for generalized anxiety, panic and social anxiety.
• Exposure therapy: a CBT method that focuses on gradually facing the fears underneath an anxiety problem.
• Interoceptive exposure: a CBT technique NIMH describes for panic, which involves exposure to the body sensations that come with panic attacks.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): NIMH names it as another option for generalized and social anxiety.

ABCT points out that CBT isn’t tied to one degree. A counselor, social worker or psychologist can all be trained in it.

3. Find therapists with that training

None of these organizations vouches for the individual therapists. NIMH says plainly that it doesn’t evaluate the people listed on these directories. ABCT says it doesn’t license or certify providers but requires listed members to be licensed in their state. Check the license yourself on your state board’s website; our guide to finding a good fit explains how.

4. Search LunahUP and your city

As of November 5, 2026, these LunahUP profiles list anxiety as a focus:

Most profiles come from public records and don’t list specialties yet, so many more therapists treat anxiety than these numbers show. Search your city as well, and ask.

5. Choose telehealth or in person

NIMH says psychotherapy for anxiety can be effective in person or by telehealth. Its telehealth checklist suggests asking about insurance coverage, privacy and the provider’s experience with your concern, and whether there’s a free first session.

Telehealth widens your choices across your state. The therapist has to be licensed in the state where you are during the session.

6. Work out how you’ll pay

ABCT notes that many therapists who practice evidence-based therapy don’t take insurance. If that’s true of the therapist you want, ask whether they give superbills for out-of-network reimbursement or offer a sliding scale. Our insurance guide and EAP guide cover the other ways to pay.

7. Ask these questions

Along with the general first-call questions in our fit guide, ask:

• “Which methods do you use for anxiety? Do you use exposure, and what would that look like?”
• “How much of your practice is anxiety?”
• “Which treatment manuals or protocols do you follow?” ABCT suggests this question to tell a trained CBT therapist from someone who uses the term loosely.
• “How will we measure whether it’s working?”
• “Can you prescribe, or will you work with someone who can if I want to consider medication?”

The short version

• Psychologists, counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists all treat anxiety. Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe.
• NIMH names CBT, including exposure therapy, and ACT.
• ADAA and ABCT directories let you filter for these methods. Check the license yourself.
• Ask which methods a therapist uses and how much of their practice is anxiety.
• Telehealth therapy for anxiety can work as well as in person.