Counselling for Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion that all of us feel at times. For most people it is healthy and helpful, telling them when there is something to be cautious of. However, for others it can become problematic, causing disproportionate nervousness, fear, worry and apprehension.

Anxiety can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating – having a serious impact on daily life. Men, women and even children can suffer from anxiety problems.

Most people experience anxiety at some points in their lives. We often experience a general state of worry or fear before confronting something challenging such as a test, examination or interview. These feelings are easily justified and considered a normal reaction to stress.

Anxiety becomes a problem when symptoms interfere with a person’s quality of life and ability to establish a state of relaxation or equilibrium. Our counselling services for anxiety can help with alleviating some of these symptoms.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety can affect anyone at any time. Anxiety can occur in people from all backgrounds, any occupation and at any time of life. It is a commonly diagnosed mental health problem. Recent research has suggested that anxiety may be overtaking depression as the most common reason people approach counselling and psychotherapy services in the UK.

Anxiety is usually described as an unpleasant feeling typically associated with uneasiness, fear, worry and dread.

Anxiety can affect individuals in different ways. Some people experience anxiety mainly through psychological and emotional symptoms, while others experience a wide range of physical effects. Anxiety often has a self-perpetuating quality, because the physical symptoms of anxiety can be so distressing that they can make people even more psychologically anxious.

How can anxiety counselling help?

Yes. There are a number of counselling approaches that are used to treat anxiety. Some approaches deal with the symptoms of anxiety while others look to understand and resolve the underlying causes.  Our anxiety counsellors, based at our locations in central London, have helped many individuals deal with, and move on from, debilitating anxiety problems.

Although treatment of anxiety is primarily done through counselling and psychotherapy, medication may also be used in some cases. Anti-depressant medication can be helpful in bringing the symptoms of anxiety under control. Anxiety counselling offers an alternative, or in some cases complementary, approach to the treatment of anxiety.

Symptoms of anxiety

The psychological effects of anxiety include:

  • fearful anticipation of future events
  • an inability to concentrate
  • irritability
  • constant worrying / a sense of dread
  • heightened alertness / difficulty feeling calm
  • fatigue
  • sleep disturbances
  • depression
  • panic attacks
  • paranoia or distrust in others
The physical effects of anxiety include:
  • tightness in the chest
  • chest pains
  • nausea
  • rapid, shallow breathing
  • loss of appetite
  • headaches and dizziness
  • pounding heart
  • faintness
  • sweating
  • frequent urination
  • decreased libido

As with depression, anxiety symptoms may be mild, moderate or severe. There is evidence that some people are genetically pre-disposed to anxiety. And people who live very stressful lives are also more likely to develop anxiety problems. Long-term use of certain medications may lead to increased levels of anxiety.

Women have a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders than men. In Britain, approximately 16 percent of women and 9 percent of men experience some anxiety disorder in the course of a year.

What do I talk about in counselling?

One of the most common worries I hear expressed by people starting counselling is that they won’t know what to talk about. Some people think their problems aren’t significant enough. Others fear they have too much to say, that they might overwhelm the therapist…

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How does therapy help?

Over the years that I’ve worked as a therapist, I’ve been asked numerous times by prospective clients, “How does counselling help?”  And I’ve yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. Not because I’m in any doubt that it helps, but because the ‘how’ bit is so hard to articulate concisely…

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Our therapists in London

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Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Client Reviews

One Therapy London

Therapist Toulla Nicolaides
Toulla Nicolaides

Toulla is an integrative relational therapist using a combination of therapeutic approaches to help her clients She provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals to explore their difficulties in life, relationships and childhood and to share and resolve confusing and overwhelming feelings Toulla believes that, though challenging, therapy can help clients...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Ameet Magan
Ameet Magan

Ameet is from London and holds an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy He has more than a decade’s experience of working in a one-to-one capacity with clients He has also trained in groupwork and has worked since 2016 as a group psychotherapist and clinical practitioner with the NHS in East London Ameet is a warm, grounded and reflective person He works with compassion...

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Therapist Evan Bates
Evan Bates

Evan is a psychodynamic therapist, offering both long and short term therapy He creates a non-judgemental and reflective space to help clients explore their difficulties and concerns Working together to understand the connections between past and current relationships, Evan supports clients in developing a deeper awareness of their recurring emotional patterns and further...

Soho

Fitzrovia

Therapist Marta Pisarri
Marta Pisarri

Consultant Integrative Psychotherapist Visiting lecturer at Regent's University Diploma in Somatic Trauma Therapy Advance Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy MSc in Clinical Psychology Marta is a psychologist and an integrative psychotherapist: she has been working in the field of mental health for over 12 years in both private...

Soho

Therapist Nicola Reeves
Nicola Reeves

Consultant Therapist MA Psychodynamic Psychotherapy  EMDR Practitioner Qualified Clinical Supervisor Nicola is a psychodynamic psychotherapist and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapist Nicola believes in giving clients time and space to approach therapy in the way they need to approach it She finds this is the best way to develop a...

Soho

Therapist Giselle van Rheede
Giselle van Rheede

Consultant Therapist Dip Psychodynamic Counselling  BA (Hon) Psychology MA Education Giselle is an experienced Psychodynamic Counsellor who has worked with a diverse range of people from a multitude of backgrounds, cultures and faiths Her focus in therapy is to help you to open avenues for growth and to facilitate change through exploring the way you relate to your...

Oxford Circus

Fitzrovia

Therapist Silvi Naskinova
Silvi Naskinova

Consultant Therapist MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy HE in Humanistic and Psychodynamic Counselling Silvi is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist offering long and short-term therapy to adult individuals She aims to provide a safe, non-judgmental and confidential space for clients to explore their thoughts and feelings Her work supports individuals in...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Michelle Taylor
Michelle Taylor

Consultant Therapist Diploma & Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling Michelle is a qualified psychodynamic therapist providing a calm and confidential space to allow her clients to unravel their deepest anxieties whilst feeling understood Michelle has particular experience working with adults experiencing bereavement and loss, anxiety, and depression...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Yussef Ferguson
Yussef Ferguson

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy BA (Hons) Social Work Yussef is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist who offers both long and short term personal therapy to individuals He has experience of working with a diverse range of clients and can provide a warm, confidential space to explore and gain insight into any past or...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Ava Kinsey
Ava Kinsey

Ava is a qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist and counsellor She works with the NHS both as an adult psychotherapist at a complex trauma unit, and as a perinatal psychotherapist working with mothers and their infants and toddlers Before that, she worked as a psychotherapist in secondary care at the NHS, treating clients who experienced early relational/sexual trauma or...

Bloomsbury