Anxiety Therapist in New Jersey (Short Hills): How Gina Totino, LCSW Helps Clients Find Calm and Clarity
Anxiety rarely announces itself clearly. It can show up as a mind that won’t stop planning for the worst, a tight chest before a meeting, trouble falling asleep, or a constant feeling of being “on” even when nothing is wrong. Many people live with it for years, assuming it is simply part of who they are.
If you have been searching for an “anxiety therapist near me,” a “therapist for panic attacks in NJ,” or “how to stop overthinking,” you are taking an important first step. Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health concerns, and with the right therapist, people regularly move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling grounded, capable, and calm.
At Light Street Psychotherapy in Short Hills, New Jersey, Gina Totino, LCSW, helps adults, couples, and families understand their anxiety and build lasting tools to manage it, in person at our Short Hills office and by telehealth throughout New Jersey and Florida.
Meet Your Anxiety Therapist in Short Hills, NJ: Gina Totino, LCSW
Gina Totino is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Partner at Light Street Psychotherapy. Her work is grounded in mindfulness and emotional intelligence, and she takes an integrative, evidence-based approach tailored to each client’s unique experiences and inner world.
- License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), licensed in New Jersey and Florida
- Education: BA, Washington University in St. Louis; Master of Social Work with Honors, Rutgers University
- Role: Partner, Light Street Psychotherapy
- Training: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), EMDR, Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping), Interpersonal Process Therapy, solution-focused short-term therapy, and IFS-informed approaches
- Areas of focus: Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, stress, trauma, guilt and shame, and emotional clarity
- Who she works with: Individuals, couples, and families
- Office: Light Street Psychotherapy, Short Hills, NJ (in-person + telehealth across New Jersey and Florida)
- Full profile: lightstreetpsychotherapy.com/team/gina-totino-lcsw
Gina believes that behavior is our first language. Rather than simply trying to silence anxious feelings, she works with clients to understand what those feelings are communicating, helping them shift from reaction to response and from judgment to curiosity.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the body’s natural alarm system. In small doses, it is useful: it sharpens focus before an exam or helps you respond quickly to real danger. It becomes a concern when that alarm sounds too often, too loudly, or in situations that do not call for it, and when it begins to shape decisions, relationships, and daily life.
Anxiety affects both the mind and the body. That is why effective anxiety therapy addresses thoughts, emotions, and physical responses together, rather than focusing on just one.
Common Forms of Anxiety
Anxiety can take several forms, and many people experience more than one:
- Generalized anxiety: Persistent, hard-to-control worry about everyday matters such as work, health, family, or finances.
- Social anxiety: Intense self-consciousness or fear of judgment in social, professional, or performance settings.
- Panic attacks: Sudden waves of intense fear with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or a sense of losing control.
- Stress-related anxiety: Ongoing tension tied to life demands, transitions, or pressure at work or home.
- Anxiety linked to past experiences: Worry or hypervigilance rooted in earlier events, such as a car accident, a medical experience, or difficult childhood relationships.
Signs You May Benefit From an Anxiety Therapist
People searching “why do I feel anxious for no reason” or “is my anxiety normal” often describe experiences like these:
- Racing or repetitive thoughts that are hard to switch off
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Muscle tension, headaches, stomach discomfort, or a tight chest
- Avoiding situations, conversations, or places because of worry
- Constantly seeking reassurance from others
- Irritability, restlessness, or feeling on edge
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Feeling exhausted from managing worry all day
If several of these feel familiar, working with a licensed anxiety therapist in New Jersey can help you understand the patterns and change them.
How Gina Approaches Anxiety Therapy
Gina draws on several evidence-based approaches and tailors the combination to each client.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT offers practical, skills-based tools for managing intense emotions. For anxiety, this includes mindfulness to stay grounded in the present, distress tolerance skills for difficult moments, and emotion regulation strategies that reduce how often anxiety takes over. Clients leave sessions with concrete techniques they can use the same day.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
When anxiety is connected to a specific past experience, EMDR can help the brain process that memory so it no longer triggers the same alarm in the present. Clients do not need to describe the event in detail for EMDR to be effective.
Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping)
Tapping combines gentle tapping on specific points of the body with focused attention on a feeling or worry. Many clients find it a helpful, portable tool for calming the body’s stress response during anxious moments.
Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence
At the center of Gina’s work is helping clients notice their inner experience with curiosity rather than criticism. Understanding what anxiety is signaling, whether a need, a boundary, or an old pattern, often reduces its intensity and creates room for clearer choices.
Interpersonal and Relational Work
Anxiety often shows up in relationships, through people-pleasing, fear of conflict, or worry about how others see us. Because Gina also works with couples and families, she can help clients understand and improve the relational patterns that keep anxiety going.
What Anxiety Therapy With Gina Can Help You Achieve
Working with Gina at Light Street Psychotherapy, clients are supported to:
- Understand the root causes and triggers of their anxiety
- Calm the body’s stress response with practical, reliable tools
- Interrupt cycles of overthinking and worst-case thinking
- Reduce avoidance and reengage with meaningful activities
- Respond to challenges thoughtfully instead of reactively
- Replace self-judgment with self-understanding
- Strengthen communication and confidence in relationships
- Build lasting resilience, balance, and a deeper sense of peace
What to Ask When Comparing Anxiety Therapists in New Jersey
When choosing an anxiety therapist, it is worth asking:
- Are you licensed in New Jersey? Look for credentials such as LCSW, LPC, or a licensed psychologist.
- What evidence-based approaches do you use? Methods such as DBT, EMDR, and mindfulness-based therapy are well supported for anxiety.
- Will I learn practical skills, or will sessions be mostly conversation?
- How do you address the physical side of anxiety, such as panic, tension, or sleep issues?
- Do you offer telehealth? Online sessions can make consistent therapy much easier to maintain.
When to Reach Out
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. It is worth reaching out to a therapist when worry is frequent, intense, or long-lasting; when it affects sleep, work, or relationships; or when you find yourself avoiding things you would like to do. You do not need to wait until anxiety feels unmanageable. Early support often leads to faster, more lasting progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an anxiety therapist in Short Hills, NJ? Yes. Gina Totino, LCSW, at Light Street Psychotherapy in Short Hills, New Jersey, works with individuals, couples, and families experiencing anxiety, panic, and stress, using DBT, EMDR, mindfulness, and other evidence-based approaches.
Can therapy really help with anxiety? Yes. Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health concerns. Evidence-based therapy helps people understand their triggers, calm their nervous system, and develop skills that last.
How long does anxiety therapy take? It varies by person and goals. Many clients notice meaningful improvement within the first few months, especially when they practice skills between sessions.
Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy for anxiety? No. You can begin therapy simply because worry or stress is affecting your life. Your therapist will help clarify what you are experiencing and what approach fits best.
Is online anxiety therapy available in New Jersey? Yes. In addition to in-person sessions at the Short Hills office, Gina offers telehealth sessions throughout New Jersey and Florida.
Visit Our Short Hills, NJ Office or Connect by Telehealth
Gina Totino, LCSW, sees clients at Light Street Psychotherapy in Short Hills, New Jersey, with telehealth available throughout the state, including Millburn, Springfield, Maplewood, South Orange, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Livingston, Florham Park, Westfield, Cranford, Whippany, Berkeley Heights, Union, Scotch Plains, Morristown, New Providence, and Mountainside, as well as in Florida.
Contact: (973) 544-8617 | Book a free consultation with Gina