Combining Therapies for Holistic Anxiety Care

By Dr. Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.
Marriage and Family Therapist

Anxiety has become the defining mental health challenge of our time—especially among people under 30. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety levels have surged worldwide. Social isolation, disrupted education, economic uncertainty, and constant digital stimulation have left millions feeling overwhelmed, dysregulated, and unsure where to turn.

While traditional approaches like talk therapy and medication remain valuable, there’s growing recognition that combining multiple, science-backed strategies offers the best chance at long-term relief. In this article, we explore a holistic anxiety care model—one that integrates body-based tools, nervous system regulation, cognitive retraining, and wellness practices into a cohesive, personalized plan.

Anxiety in a Post-COVID World: A New Epidemic

According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC, global anxiety levels rose by over 25% in the first year of the pandemic. In the United States, the CDC reports that nearly 1 in 3 adults under 30 now struggles with significant anxiety symptoms. Among teens and college students, rates are even higher—approaching 40% in some studies.

Factors driving this increase include:

• – Social media overstimulation and comparison
• – Pandemic-related trauma and unpredictability
• – Economic pressure and job insecurity
• – Disrupted routines, poor sleep, and isolation

This surge in stress demands new approaches—ones that empower individuals to regulate their bodies and minds, reconnect with others, and build lasting emotional resilience.

Why One Tool Isn’t Enough: The Case for Combining Therapies

Anxiety is not just a thought problem—it’s a full-body experience. It impacts your brain, hormones, nervous system, digestion, and immune function. That’s why a single intervention, such as medication or talk therapy, often provides only partial relief.

Combining therapies addresses anxiety from multiple angles: calming the body, rewiring the brain, releasing trauma, restoring sleep, and strengthening daily routines.

This is sometimes called the “whole brain-body approach” to healing.

The Six Pillars of Holistic Anxiety Relief

1. Nervous System Regulation

Calming the autonomic nervous system is the first step in reducing chronic anxiety. Tools like CES (Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation), breathwork, and vagus nerve activation via phototherapy patches (Aeon, Alavida) help return the body to a parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ state.

Body-to-Brain Strategies

These include tapping (EFT), cold exposure (cold plunges), grounding exercises, and movement—all of which send safety signals to the amygdala and reduce cortisol. These are also called “body up” strategies.

3. Cognitive Tools

Once the body is calm, cognitive tools like CBT, journaling, gratitude practice, and reframing can help rewrite anxious thought patterns and strengthen emotional control.

4. Nutritional & Cellular Support

Anxiety is worsened by inflammation, blood sugar swings, and nutrient deficiencies. Integrating anti-inflammatory foods, omega-3s, magnesium, and hydration provides critical brain support. Phototherapy patches like X39, Glutathione, and Carnosine offer non-invasive cellular optimization.

5. Sleep & Circadian Balance

Disrupted sleep is both a symptom and cause of anxiety. Tools like Alavida patches, calming tea, light therapy, and digital sunset routines can restore the body’s natural sleep rhythm.

6. Faith, Connection, and Purpose

Spiritual grounding, community, and service help reduce feelings of isolation and fear. Practices like prayer, scripture reading, and helping others reduce amygdala overactivation and reinforce a sense of meaning. We suggest to our clients that Psalm 23 is a great please to start, and it makes a real difference. Read it outloud five times each day for 30 days. Try it.

How to Combine Tools in Real Life: Sample Daily Routine

• Morning: X39 + Aeon patches, breathwork (4-4-6), gratitude journaling
• Midday: 10-minute walk, CES CalmBox session, light meal, EFT tapping round
• Evening: Carnosine + Alavida patch, warm tea or magnesium, scripture, guided imagery. CES CalmBox session.

Why Combining Therapies Works Better Than Going Solo

Each therapy addresses a different piece of the anxiety puzzle. When used together, they reinforce each other. Breathwork calms the vagus nerve. Phototherapy reduces inflammation. CES balances brainwave activity. Tapping discharges emotional charge. Journaling rewires mental patterns.

Together, they create a neuroplastic environment for healing—the perfect conditions for long-term emotional regulation.

What the Research Supports

– Studies show that multi-modal treatment of anxiety (therapy + lifestyle + mind-body tools) outperforms medication alone.
– CES has been shown in over 100 studies to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve sleep.
– Phototherapy patches have demonstrated reductions in cortisol, increased HRV, and improved clarity.
– Breathing techniques, gratitude, and EFT have all shown measurable improvements in cortisol, immune markers, and HRV.

Final Thoughts: Customizing the Path to Calm

Anxiety is real. But it is also treatable. And for many people—especially those under 30—the solution won’t come from just one pill or one session. It comes from stacking small daily habits, body-based tools, cognitive rewiring, and relational connection.

By combining these therapies, you give your brain and body the best chance to heal. You move beyond survival—and into peace, clarity, and purpose.

*This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological care. Please consult your healthcare provider to build a plan that’s right for you.