San Diego Therapist for Active Duty Military, Veterans & First Responders

Confidential and Effective Therapy for Trauma and Anxiety

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Anxiety Therapy in San Diego for Trauma, Military, and First Responders

Alexa Hall is an Anxiety Therapist San Diego and is shown seated, wearing black pants, a dotted black and white shirt, she has curly hair and is smiling at the camera to welcome clients to her Anxiety and Trauma Therapy practice

Alexa Hall LCSW Active Duty Military, Veteran & First Responder Therapist

You wake up dreading the day

Already wishing it was over so you could finally rest. But even rest feels out of reach. Sleep doesn’t come easily, and when it does, nightmares and panic steal whatever peace you try to find. Mornings start with exhaustion, and your body already feels like it’s carrying the weight of the day before your feet even hit the floor.

Everyday tasks feel impossible, like wading through molasses. You keep showing up because people depend on you, but you’re running on fumes. The people you care about seem far away, even when they’re right next to you. You share a home but feel like strangers passing in the night.

You move through the day detached, on edge, anxious.

The things that once brought you joy barely register. You find yourself snapping at loved ones and wondering where your patience went. Memories resurface without warning, bringing guilt and shame that make your body tighten and your breath shallow.

You put on a brave face, trying to hold it together.

But inside, you’re exhausted and lonely. The strain of deployments, the pressure of the job, or the weight of old trauma has built up in your body until it feels like too much. Your shoulders ache, your head throbs, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to breathe deeply enough. You want to stop surviving and finally feel like yourself again.


Healing That Lasts

Rewiring the Brain and Body for Safety

I’m a trauma therapist offering anxiety therapy in San Diego for adults, military members, veterans, and first responders who feel stuck in survival mode. My clients often come to me saying they’ve tried to “push through” for years until their body and mind finally said no more.

An image of a man hiking in the mountains. He is wearing a blue sweatshirt, black shorts and a hiking backpack, symbolizing the long journey he has been on and walking towards a new way of life with Trauma Therapy in San Diego

In our work together, we focus on helping your nervous system learn what safety feels like again. Using EMDR and somatic techniques, we gently process what your body and brain have been holding on to.

You don’t have to retell or relive your trauma.

Instead, we work directly with how it shows up, in your thoughts, your breath, your muscles, your sense of alertness, to create deep, lasting change.

This process helps your brain and body rewire for calm and resilience, not just relief. The shifts are real and sustainable because they come from within your nervous system, not just your thoughts. Over time, you start to notice more ease in your body, deeper sleep, clearer thinking, and a sense of calm that feels solid instead of fleeting.

My clients often describe it like this:

“The memories are still there, but they feel distant, like an old film reel. They no longer take over my body or my life.”

That’s what lasting, sustainable healing feels like your mind and body finally working together again instead of fighting to survive.

Structured, Private, and Compassionate Therapy

Healing happens when you feel safe, seen, and in control of your own process.

I offer a structured and clear path forward that strikes a balance between compassion and direction. You’ll always know where we are in the process and what we’re working toward.

My approach is private and discreet.

It’s not surprising that military and first responders would prefer therapy that is NOT connected to their chain of command, workplace, or insurance through employment. This space is fully yours. No judgment, no pressure, just a chance to breathe and find stability again.

Every person’s story is unique, so your therapy will be, too. Together, we’ll use your body’s wisdom and your brain’s capacity for healing to guide lasting change.

What Transformation Can Look Like

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting what happened.

It means remembering without reliving. It’s the moment you realize you can breathe fully again, that your body no longer braces for impact. It’s waking up without the constant dread, reconnecting with the people you love, and feeling moments of peace you thought were gone for good.

Image of a trail sloping downward, wooden steps leading into a dense tree area with fog, representing the path towards healing with trauma therapy in San Diego

Clients begin to move through the world with confidence and ease.

They rediscover the version of themselves who can rest, laugh, and trust that safety isn’t temporary.

As one client put it: “You helped me realize I had everything I needed all along. I just didn’t know how to access it.” That’s the heart of this work. Reconnecting with the strength that’s always been within you

Take the First Step

If you’re ready to stop living in survival mode & you want real, lasting change.

Let’s begin the process of helping your body and mind finally rest, reconnect, and heal.

Your Free Consult

FAQs: Anxiety and Trauma Therapy in San Diego

  • The first session is about getting to know you and your goals. You’ll have space to share what feels important without pressure to dive into painful memories. We’ll start gently, focusing on safety and pacing.

  • No. Using EMDR and somatic approaches, we work with how your trauma shows up in your body and mind, not just the story of what happened. You don’t need to relive it for healing to occur.

  •   Trauma changes how your nervous system operates. Through therapy, we help your brain and body learn to shift out of survival mode and back into safety, promoting lasting and sustainable change.

  •   Everyone’s process is different. Some clients feel relief within weeks; others need more time to build trust and create lasting change. We’ll monitor progress together each step of the way.

  •   Yes. Everything shared is private and not connected to your workplace or chain of command. Your privacy is fully protected.

  •   Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps your brain process stuck trauma memories so they no longer trigger intense emotional or physical reactions.

  •   Somatic approaches focus on the body’s role in healing. These exercises help you notice and release tension, regulate breathing, and restore a sense of safety in your body.

  •   If you’ve tried to “think your way” out of anxiety or trauma but still feel stuck, this work may be exactly what you need. It’s gentle, structured, and deeply effective for people ready for long-term healing.

  •   Yes. Online therapy is available for clients throughout California who prefer to meet from the privacy of their own space.

    EMDR is effective in the virtual setting as well.

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