Anxiety & Panic Medication Management in Boulder
Holistic, evidence-based support from a Boulder licensed medical provider
Anxiety is not just “worry” — it’s a nervous-system state that affects your body, thoughts, emotions, sleep, and sense of safety. While therapy helps address patterns, beliefs, and relational roots of anxiety, many people also benefit from medication support that helps calm an overactivated nervous system.
Our Boulder-based practice offers anxiety medication management for individuals seeking a thoughtful, collaborative approach to exploring whether medication could support greater stability and ease.
What’s Happening Chemically in Anxiety?
Anxiety often involves heightened nervous-system activation and dysregulation of key brain systems involved in threat detection and stress response, including:
Serotonin: emotional regulation, mood stability, and resilience
GABA: calming signals that slow nervous-system activation
Norepinephrine: alertness and arousal
Dopamine: motivation and reward processing
When these systems become overactive or imbalanced — due to genetics, chronic stress, trauma, nervous-system sensitization, inflammation, or life transitions — the brain may stay stuck in a state of hypervigilance.
This can lead to:
Excessive worry or rumination
Racing thoughts
Muscle tension or restlessness
Sleep difficulties
Irritability
Panic symptoms
Difficulty relaxing or feeling safe
Avoidance behaviors
A constant sense of being “on edge”
Medication works by helping regulate these systems so your nervous system can shift out of survival mode and return to a more balanced baseline.
How Medication Helps Anxiety
Medication doesn’t eliminate anxiety entirely — and it’s not meant to. Instead, it helps reduce intensity and frequency so you can function more fully and engage more deeply in therapy and daily life. It can:
Reduce baseline anxiety and hyperarousal
Decrease frequency and severity of panic symptoms
Calm racing thoughts
Improve sleep quality
Increase tolerance for uncertainty and stress
Support nervous-system regulation
Make therapeutic work more accessible
Meet Our Compassionate, professional, collaborative provider
Laura Cannon
PMHNP-BC, LPC, MSN, MA — Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
I bring a grounded, heart-centered presence to my work as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. With roots in both nursing and somatic counseling psychology, I take a collaborative, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to mental health care and medication management.
I support clients as they navigate the complexity of human experience with integrative and complementary recommendations, which may include nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle modification, as well as psychiatric medication management. My goal is to empower clients with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to cultivate resilience and well-being from the inside out.
How We Decide If Medication Is Right for You
We use a collaborative decision-making process that considers:
Severity and duration of anxiety symptoms
Impact on daily functioning (work, relationships, sleep)
Presence of panic, trauma, or somatic symptoms
Patterns of avoidance or nervous-system overwhelm
Sleep disruption or chronic tension
Sensitivity to medications or past experiences
Your goals, concerns, and preferences
Whether therapy alone has plateaued
Medication is never a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Anxiety Medication Options
SSRIs
(Sertraline, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine, Citalopram)
Increase serotonin to support emotional regulation and reduce anxiety.
Pros: first-line for many anxiety disorders, well-studied.
Considerations: may take 4–8 weeks to reach full effect; initial activation possible.
SNRIs
(Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine)
Support serotonin and norepinephrine regulation.
Pros: helpful when anxiety co-occurs with depression or chronic pain.
Considerations: require gradual tapering; may increase alertness initially.
Other Anxiety-Supportive Medications
Buspirone: non-sedating, helpful for generalized anxiety
Hydroxyzine: short-term relief for acute anxiety or sleep support
Beta blockers (e.g., propranolol): reduce physical anxiety symptoms
Low-dose antidepressants: tailored for sensitive nervous systems
These options allow us to match treatment to your symptom pattern, sensitivity level, and lifestyle.
What Anxiety Improvement Feels Like
Progress is often gradual and subtle:
Feeling calmer without feeling numb
Fewer spiraling thoughts
Improved sleep and relaxation
Less physical tension
Increased sense of safety in your body
Greater capacity to face stressors
More flexibility instead of avoidance
As anxiety softens, therapy often becomes more effective and sustainable.
Common Misconceptions About Anxiety Medication
“Medication will make me numb or change who I am.”
Medication aims to restore regulation, not erase emotion. Most people feel more like themselves, not less.
“I’ll become dependent on it.”
Anxiety medications are not addictive when used appropriately. Some require gradual tapering to minimize discomfort.
“If I start meds, I’ve failed therapy.”
Medication can support therapy — not replace it — by calming the nervous system enough to do deeper work.
“If one medication doesn’t work, nothing will.”
Responses vary. There are multiple options, and pharmacogenomic testing can help guide choices.
What You Can Do Alongside Medication for Anxiety
Anxiety-focused psychotherapy
Somatic and nervous-system regulation practices
Breathwork and mindful movement
Time in nature
Consistent sleep rhythms
Nutrition support
Limiting stimulants
Journaling or expressive processing
Social connection and co-regulation
Light exposure and circadian rhythm support
Medication works best as part of an integrated approach.
Why People Choose Evolve In Nature
Highly skilled, attuned prescriber with mental health expertise
Trauma-informed, somatic, and integrative approach
Slow, conservative dosing for sensitive nervous systems
Compassionate, unrushed care
Collaboration with your therapist
Care that respects your pace, autonomy, and whole-person experience
Schedule Your Anxiety Medication Consultation
If anxiety has been limiting your life and you’re wondering whether medication could help, we’re here to offer clarity, compassion, and individualized care.
Schedule a consultation today and explore a balanced, personalized approach to anxiety relief.