Traditional methods often focus on managing symptoms—teaching clients to outthink or soothe their anxiety. But too often, this work stays on the surface. We may reduce the frequency of panic attacks or help someone get through their day, but we rarely reach the true source of what’s causing their distress.

Even structured models like CBT or somatic therapy can fall short when the underlying emotional drivers of anxiety remain unexamined. Clients may continue looping through the same patterns, despite years of effort—and that can leave both therapist and client feeling stuck.

So what’s missing?

According to psychologist and author Dr. Todd Pressman, anxiety isn’t the problem—it’s the signal.

A signal pointing to something deeper: a core fear that lives beneath the surface and unconsciously shapes a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and defenses.

These fears—such as abandonment, loss of identity, or loss of meaning—are universal. And in our attempts to avoid them, we develop defense strategies that, while protective, actually reinforce the anxiety over time.