Lou had been a high-flying lawyer, jetting between Palm Beach and New York, handling the estates of wealthy and powerful people. With an eye-popping Palm Beach estate of his own, including a private jet and several homes in iconic locations, Lou had lived a life that for many of us is only a fantasy. A well-known donor to many local charities, Lou prided himself on showing up in person to award substantial checks supporting local schools, hospitals, and other causes. When he came to my practice seeking therapy for anxiety and depression, he proudly showed me pictures of himself posing with the rich and famous, including singers, actresses, and two presidents.

Lou had recently retired and was having a difficult time of it. His hands shook when we talked. A light sheen of perspiration covered his forehead. Tiny, broken blood vessels around his face portrayed the weary struggles of a recovering alcoholic. Now and then, I meet folks like Lou in my Delray Beach anxiety therapy practice. Wealthy beyond dreams. Unhappy and unsteady heading into his autumn years.

In this blog, I’ll first share some of the difficulties experienced by Lou at the onset of late middle age. I’ll then describe some of his early childhood history and explore the relationship between the traumatic experiences he endured and the lifelong depression and anxiety that followed, including a battle with alcohol and outpatient treatment. I’m sharing this vignette from my counseling practice only to illustrate what I call “teachable moments.” It’s important to know that the names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy. Of course, some details have been omitted or embellished to make a point. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or situations, past or present, is purely coincidental.

The Risk of Substance Use For Treating Anxiety and Depression

“I don’t want you to be concerned about it, but I’m taking Xanax, and I have for years,” he said when we consulted on the phone. “It’s not a problem,” he went on, “and my psychiatrist prescribed it years ago. It helps me sleep.” I almost felt that he was confessing this to me to ask for help. I knew by his tone and presentation that he harbored mixed feelings about the drug he was taking. Xanax isn’t bad in every situation, but it has real downsides and a risk for dependency. Xanax works very fast and powerfully on the brain’s calming system (GABA). That quick relief can feel like a lifesaver during intense anxiety or panic. However, it also trains the brain to rely on the drug instead of developing its own regulation skills.

His use of Xanax was initiated to help him in a very difficult recovery from alcohol abuse. Prescribed by a friend, also a psychiatrist, the drug had been his “little helper” along the way. Long after a stint in rehab had enabled him to stop drinking. It would take Lou some time to eventually give up this long-lived bad habit.

Cause and Effect: How Trauma Can Lead to Anxiety and Depression

Lou had been the only child of an alcoholic father and a mother who suffered chronic depression. She was hospitalized several times during Lou’s childhood. Yet, her absences were never explained to him. “She just went away,” he said. “She always came back, but I never knew when to expect her.” During these spells of absence, Lou was placed with his grandmother while his father travelled. Coming home only on infrequent weekends, his father was constantly drunk. If they were out of sight and hearing of his grandmother, his father would rage, complain, and sometimes beat Lou with a belt. He lived in fear of his father’s outbursts, while constantly worrying over the health of his mother.

When Lou was 10, his mother had recently returned from a long hospital stay. It was late in the afternoon when he got home from school to discover his mother sprawled in the bathtub with blood everywhere. She’d tried to take her own life by slashing at her forearms and lay unconscious on top of the bloody shower curtain. Lou was alert enough to call his grandmother, who responded quickly and called 911. They were able to save his mother’s life that time. But she died less than a year later of an aneurysm.

Left to survive between his abusive father and his grandmother, Lou soldiered on. He would start drinking in middle school “to feel normal,” and by late high school, he was smoking cannabis constantly. He was never offered an opportunity to see a therapist for his unhealed trauma. His relatives kept the dramatic details of his life away from prying school counselors.

Can Childhood Trauma Result in Complex PTSD?

“It seemed as if no one cared, and I was completely alone,” he said. Through tears, as the memories flooded in, he cried, “It wasn’t my fault!” Often, children who survive such disastrous moments are left with lingering doubt and a nagging sense of guilt. These feelings can remain below the surface of consciousness beyond awareness.

Lou’s central nervous system had taken giant blows and remained confused long into his later years. It had never been adequately regulated because of the long-term fear he had lived with under the punishment of his father. We call this “complex PTSD”. The brain and body are still developing in childhood and are strongly affected by stressors like neglect or other abuse. C-PTSD often occurs before a child’s cognitive abilities and sense of self have fully developed. It affects how the brain and communication systems will eventually develop.

When children have C-PTSD, their brain learns to constantly assume and respond to minor signs of a possible threat. Adrenaline and cortisol continuously flood the body as a result. We also know that C-PTSD can weaken the central nervous system’s response to future trauma. Upon witnessing the suicide attempt of his mother, Lou’s anxiety and depression got much, much worse, but he hid it. Children often disguise their discomfort because there’s no one there to validate it.

Do Anxiety and Depression Cause Relationship Problems?

Lou’s persistence helped him survive. He moved in permanently with his grandmother during college and finished his law degree near the top of his class. He had a keen eye for the details of complex legal entanglements, especially business and estate law. Eventually, he was hired by one of the premier law firms in New York. Lou put his head down and prospered through determination and hard work. Still, his personal and family life were more challenging. Dating and companionship were always tumultuous for him, and he drank heavily through it all. Lou had developed an “anxious attachment style” because of the traumatic experiences he’d endured.

What is an Anxious Attachment Style?

An anxious attachment style is an insecurity that’s characterized by a strong desire for meaningful relationships, a fear of abandonment and rejection, and a high need for reassurance and support. It’s also known as “preoccupied attachment” or “anxious-ambivalent attachment.” This is because of the combined elements of anxiety, low self-esteem, and an intense need for love and affection. It made Lou a difficult person to love. The feelings of “always afraid of being left behind” became part of his subconscious experience and informed every relationship.

After two divorces, he became a lonely “work-a-holic” until a car crash and an expensive DUI forced his hand. He would leave behind his marquis legal job and spend six months in treatment for alcohol and cannabis addiction.

Retirement was kind to Lou. He settled comfortably into a gentle routine that allowed him to be close to his wife. He’d also seek refuge for himself at a private island getaway when he needed it. Children of traumatic experience will often quarrel within themselves about privacy versus connection. He still experienced periods of depression and anxiety, but found them more manageable with regular check-ins in anxiety therapy.

What is the Overlap of Anxiety and Depression?

Depression and anxiety are closely related and often occur together, even though they’re different experiences. They share similar brain chemistry, especially involving serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When these systems are under strain, symptoms of both anxiety and depression can show up at the same time. And they often did for Lou. Chronic stress is a big connector. Anxiety keeps the nervous system in a constant state of alert. Over time, that can become exhausting, and the result is often depression—low energy, emotional numbness, and a sense of hopelessness. As retirement removed many of the stressors Lou had grown used to, his anxiety and episodic depressions decreased. He was able to re-evaluate his relationship with Xanax and finally discontinued using it.

The thinking patterns of depression and anxiety overlap but point in slightly different directions. Anxiety is usually about future threat and uncertainty, a lot of “what if” thinking. Depression is more about loss, failure, or meaninglessness, thoughts like “what’s the point.” When someone is anxious for a long time, they may burn out and become depressed. When someone is depressed, the lack of motivation and confidence can increase worry and fear, feeding anxiety.

How Can Therapy Help With Anxiety and Depression?

Lou came to enjoy our sessions and used them to explore and disengage from some of the distorted, self-limiting beliefs he’d formed early in his life that were persistent. Occasional sessions of hypnosis gave him skills to self-soothe and regulate his moods, bringing them into more of a harmonious balance as he enjoyed his retirement. Lou especially liked sessions that included “empty chair” exercises in which he was able to communicate his thoughts and feelings “virtually” to those in his past who raised him.

The empty chair technique is a therapeutic tool used to explore emotions & perspectives by having clients speak to an imagined person or part of themselves. This technique helps individuals process unresolved feelings, gain insight & achieve emotional closure. Role-playing different perspectives using the empty chair can improve self-awareness, empathy & decision-making in personal & relational contexts. Empty chair, adapted from Gestalt Therapy, is only one of many tools available I use as an anxiety therapist in Delray Beach.

You Can Move Forward: Final Thoughts From an Anxiety Therapist in Delray Beach

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and/or anxiety, it can be empowering to ask for help. Especially if intrusive thoughts, difficult dreams, or panic are involved. Anxiety therapy that addresses trauma and depression can create new paths to satisfying adult health and bring fresh success to difficult relationships. It’s a wise investment and may take time, but the payoff can be priceless. I would love to help. Call or text me at 561-213-8030 or email me at jdlmhc@gmail.com for a consultation.

Anxiety and Depression Don’t Have to Shape Your World—Overcome Through Anxiety Therapy in Delray Beach, FL

When anxiety and depression occur together, they often create a cycle of overthinking, emotional heaviness, and constant self-doubt. Many people seeking anxiety therapy feel stuck between racing thoughts and a sense of emotional shutdown, unsure how to regain balance or relief. Left unaddressed, this combination can drain your energy, cloud decision-making, and make even small daily tasks feel overwhelming.

Anxiety therapy offers a supportive, structured space to understand how these two experiences interact in your nervous system and thought patterns. In our work together, we focus on reducing anxiety-driven reactions while gently addressing the emotional fatigue and hopelessness that often accompany depression. At my counseling practice in Delray Beach, FL, I help clients develop practical tools for calming the body, challenging unhelpful thought cycles, and rebuilding emotional clarity—so anxiety and depression no longer define how you move through your life.

Here’s how you can begin finding relief through anxiety therapy:

• 1. Gain insight into how anxiety and depression are reinforcing each other in a safe, judgment-free therapeutic space. Schedule a consultation to get started.
• 2. Learn evidence-based strategies to manage anxious thoughts, regulate emotions, and restore a sense of stability with an experienced anxiety therapist in Delray Beach, FL.
• 3. Rebuild confidence, motivation, and emotional balance—so you can feel more grounded and present, even when anxiety shows up.

Other Services with John Davis Counseling in Delray Beach, Florida

Anxiety therapy can help you slow the constant mental noise, calm your nervous system, and feel steadier in your day-to-day life. With the right therapeutic support, many people begin to experience greater clarity, emotional balance, and a renewed sense of control, even when anxiety and depression occur together.

While anxiety is often the primary concern, it rarely exists on its own. Ongoing worry frequently overlaps with unresolved trauma, depression, or significant life changes. That’s why I offer a broad range of counseling services to support your overall mental and emotional health. In addition to anxiety therapy, my Delray Beach practice provides trauma-informed therapy, relationship therapy, couples counseling, grief support, addiction treatment, and care for individuals navigating ADHD/ADD, impulse-control challenges, spiritual concerns, and narcissistic personality dynamics.

Each client receives a personalized treatment plan tailored to their unique experiences, goals, and nervous system needs. My integrative approach may include CBT, EMDR, Gestalt therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, psychodrama, or clinical hypnosis—chosen thoughtfully to address both anxiety and co-occurring depression in a balanced, effective way. My goal is to help you develop lasting emotional resilience, strengthen healthy coping skills, and feel more grounded and secure in your daily life. I invite you to explore the blog for additional insights and reach out to my office when you’re ready to begin therapy.

About the Author

John Davis, LMHC, is an experienced anxiety therapist in Delray Beach, FL, who helps individuals, couples, and families regain a sense of calm when anxiety begins to feel overwhelming. His clinical background in child and family therapy gives him a deep understanding of how anxiety can take shape early in life and continue to affect emotional regulation, self-confidence, relationships, and daily functioning well into adulthood. John takes a trauma-informed, integrative approach to anxiety therapy, tailoring treatment to each client’s unique nervous system and life experiences.

His work incorporates evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, CBT, Gestalt therapy, mindfulness practices, psychodrama, and clinical hypnosis to help clients address the underlying drivers of anxiety, shift entrenched patterns of fear or avoidance, and develop practical tools for lasting emotional stability. In addition to his clinical work, John serves as Executive Director of the Mental Health Counselors’ Association of Palm Beach and has been recognized with the Outstanding Community Service Award for his leadership in the mental health field. He is also featured as an expert therapist on StayMarriedFlorida.com. Through his practice, John remains committed to helping clients build steadier, more grounded lives—one insight, one skill, and one session at a time.