Anxiety is a common mental health issue characterised by persistent feelings of worry, fear, stress, and unease. While it’s natural to feel anxious in certain situations, anxiety becomes a concern when it starts to interfere with our daily life and functioning.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural human response to potentially threatening or stressful situations, and is designed to help protect us from harm. While it is therefore perfectly healthy to occasionally experience anxiety in our everyday lives, sometimes this anxiety can go beyond normal everyday worries and can significantly impact our mental health. For people experiencing more severe anxiety, symptoms could include:

• Excessive worrying about everyday situations or hypotheticals.
• Restlessness or feeling on edge.
• Fatigue.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Irritability.
• Muscle tension, like tense shoulders.
• Sleep disturbances, like insomnia.
• Panic attacks (sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort).

Unlike brief periods of anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves excessive worry and tension that can persist for a long time, often with no apparent trigger.

How can therapy help?

Therapy offers effective strategies for managing and overcoming anxiety. As a clinical psychologist, I specialize in evidence-based talking therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques, which have been shown to be effective treatments for anxiety disorders.

CBT, for instance, helps identify and challenge negative thinking patterns contributing to anxiety, replacing them with healthier beliefs and coping strategies. This can often compliment exposure therapy, which aims to gradually expose you to your anxieties in a structured way and has been found to be an effective way of overcoming anxiety. A further approach mentioned above, Mindfulness, promotes relaxation and present-moment awareness, which has been found to reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Why Choose Me?

As a qualified clinical psychologist, I provide personalized care and expertise in treating anxiety disorders. With a compassionate approach and a range of evidence-based techniques, I can guide you towards managing your anxiety and reclaiming control of your life.

Don’t let anxiety hold you back any longer. Take the first step in your recovery journey by scheduling a free consultation today.