What services does Navesink Psychological Services offer?

Navesink Psychological Services offers individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults, psychological evaluations for ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and anxiety, sport and performance psychology, CBIT for tics and Tourette syndrome, SPACE for childhood anxiety, executive coaching, and esports behavioral health services. The practice is located in Red Bank, NJ.

Does Navesink Psychological Services accept insurance?

Navesink Psychological Services is a private-pay, out-of-network practice. Superbills are provided upon request so clients can seek reimbursement from their insurance provider directly.

Where is Navesink Psychological Services located?

Navesink Psychological Services is located at 55 Highway 35, Suite 6, Red Bank, NJ 07701, with an additional location in Oceanport, NJ. Telepsychology services are available across PSYPACT participating states.

How do I schedule an appointment at Navesink Psychological Services?

You can reach out to Navesink Psychological Services through the contact form at navesinkpsych.com/contact or by emailing mstrobel@navesinkpsych.com. Free consultations are available.

Managing Anxiety in College: A Student's Guide to Coping Strategies

Anxiety College Life Coping Skills

Anxiety disorders are the most common diagnosis among college students. Here's what actually helps, from someone living it.

Amber Kurland

Psychology & Journalism, Rutgers University · NPS Undergraduate Intern

navesinkpsych.com ↗

Anxiety disorders are the most common diagnoses in college students, according to The Mental Health Coalition.

Each year, millions of students pack their bags for college, left to navigate the world on their own. For students managing an anxiety disorder, this transition is not just about harder classes. It is a complete overhaul of their neurological comfort zone. As a college student with a Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) diagnosis myself, I know firsthand these struggles. College introduces totally new stressors that often trigger anxiety.

Anxiety thrives on moving away from what feels scary. It's a constant feedback loop. However, the goal of navigating college isn't to wait until your anxiety completely disappears before you go to class or try a new club or make friends. It's instead learning how to drop the struggle, make room for discomfort, and chase your goals in spite of anxiety.

The psychological reality: why college feeds anxiety

Under the stress of exams, projects, papers, social pressure, club activities, poor sleep schedules, and general life stress, a student's cognitive bandwidth naturally narrows. Coping mechanisms that may have worked fine in a home environment become harder to use.

When overwhelmed and isolated, developing brains are vulnerable to falling into short-term relief strategies that actually end up causing long-term harm. These can include:

Social withdrawal
Toxic overworking
Using substances

Clinical and behavioral strategies: building your campus scaffolding

To survive college life, students need simple, rehearsed systems that cut through the cognitive overload. From a student perspective, these guardrails can make all the difference:

1

Control the controllables (the process focus)

You cannot control the curve on an exam, the mood of a roommate, or a project due weeks away that hasn't even been introduced yet. I know I often get stuck thinking about exams and projects due at the end of the semester that I couldn't reasonably do much about yet. It can be overwhelming thinking about what needs to be done. It helps to break down your week into small, actionable units: "I will study for 30 minutes" rather than "I have to get an A in this class."
2

Use simple visual prompts over working memory

When anxiety spikes, working memory erodes. Avoid the mental weight of trying to remember everything. It only makes the noise in your head louder (trust me, I know). Use low-tech visual scaffolding like a whiteboard on your dorm fridge or Post-its on your mirror to lay out morning routines and assignment to-do lists.
3

Practice the "OK" response to stress

When a grade doesn't go your way or a social interaction feels awkward, your initial reaction might be to panic or catastrophize. Take a breath and respond with a simple acknowledgement: "OK, that happened. What next?" I know it's easier said than done, but this protects your internal peace without feeding the fire.
4

Make like a goldfish

Relatedly, I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotes from the show Ted Lasso. Ted famously tells one of his players to be a goldfish, since goldfish are the happiest animal on earth thanks to their ten-second memory. It's a steadfast reminder that we should let go of past mistakes quickly and move forward without dwelling on failure. If something goes wrong, it's easy to ruminate, but the best thing to do is make like a goldfish: forget and move on.
5

Build a team with intention

There's a famous idea from entrepreneur and author Jim Rohn that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Personally, I'm a firm believer in this. Who you spend time with shapes what you believe is possible. Evaluate college friendships not by social currency or popularity, but by whether those relationships bring out your best or leave you feeling drained and insecure.

The goal isn't to wait until anxiety disappears before you start living your college experience. It's learning to drop the struggle, make room for discomfort, and chase your goals anyway.

You aren't alone

Struggling with an anxiety disorder can feel isolating. But I can promise you, you aren't alone.

If everyday anxiety becomes overwhelming or you fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms, you don't have to navigate it alone. Schedule an appointment with your campus counseling center or another therapist. It's never a bad thing to ask for help.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal for anxiety to get worse in college even if I managed it fine in high school? ⌄

Yes, this is extremely common. College introduces a completely new set of stressors: living independently, managing your own schedule, navigating new social dynamics, and often losing the built-in support systems you had at home. Coping strategies that worked in a familiar environment sometimes need to be rebuilt or adapted for this new context, which doesn't mean anything is wrong with you.

What's the difference between normal college stress and an anxiety disorder? ⌄

Stress tends to be tied to a specific situation and improves once that situation resolves, like feeling anxious before an exam and then relaxing afterward. An anxiety disorder involves persistent, excessive worry that continues even without a clear trigger, often interfering with daily functioning, sleep, relationships, or academic performance over an extended period. If anxiety feels constant or disproportionate to what's actually happening, it may be worth talking to a professional.

How do I find mental health support on campus? ⌄

Most colleges have a counseling center that offers free or low-cost sessions to enrolled students, often with same-week availability for urgent concerns. Your student health portal, a resident advisor, or a quick search of your school's website is usually the fastest way to find contact information and get started.

What if campus counseling isn't enough? ⌄

Campus counseling centers often have session limits or long waitlists, especially during high-stress periods like midterms and finals. If you need more consistent or specialized support, an outside therapist can offer ongoing care, including options like telehealth that fit around a college schedule.

If anxiety is making college feel harder than it should, our team at Navesink Psychological Services is here to help, including telehealth options that work around a student's schedule.

Get in touch