Understanding anxiety, not just managing symptoms 

Anxiety affects both mind and body. You might notice persistent worry, physical tension, difficulty switching off, or a constant sense of being on edge. For others, anxiety shows up more quietly — through self-criticism, perfectionism, intrusive thinking, or a strong need to stay in control.

Rather than seeing anxiety as something to eliminate, therapy offers space to understand how it has developed and what it may be responding to. Anxiety often makes sense in the context of a person’s life, relationships, and ways of coping, even when it has become overwhelming.

I offer anxiety therapy online or in person in Edinburgh, working at a pace that feels safe and manageable.

How anxiety can show up

Anxiety looks different for everyone. It may include:

• persistent worry or rumination

• physical tension, restlessness, or fatigue

• low self-esteem and harsh self-judgement

• perfectionism or fear of getting things wrong

• intrusive or repetitive thoughts

• avoidance, control, or difficulty tolerating uncertainty

Some people also experience panic attacks or periods where anxiety begins to limit where they feel able to go or what they can do. These experiences are frightening, but they reflect a nervous system under sustained strain rather than something being “wrong” with you.

When anxiety starts to limit life

Over time, anxiety can narrow what feels possible. Avoidance often develops as a way of staying safe, but it can gradually increase fear and restriction. Therapy focuses on understanding how fear, safety, and avoidance have become organised, and on gently supporting a return to greater flexibility, choice, and confidence.

Anxiety, low mood, and exhaustion

Living with ongoing anxiety can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Constant alertness and self-monitoring take a toll, and some people begin to notice low mood, withdrawal, or a loss of motivation. Therapy offers space to understand how anxiety and low mood are connected, rather than treating them as separate problems.

How therapy can help

Anxiety therapy is not about forcing calm or applying quick fixes. It is about developing a different relationship with anxiety and with the patterns that maintain it.

Our work may include:

• understanding triggers and recurring patterns

• exploring emotional and relational contexts

• noticing anxiety as it shows up in the present moment

• finding ways that work for you to calm the nervous system

• gently addressing panic responses and avoidance

Change tends to happen gradually, supported by understanding, safety, and trust in the therapeutic relationship.

Practicalities

• Individual anxiety therapy

• Online therapy

• In-person sessions in Edinburgh available

• Initial 15-minute introductory call offered

If you’re unsure whether anxiety therapy is right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch to talk it through.

Anxiety in relation to eating and relationships

Anxiety often connects with other areas of life. For some people, control around food, eating, or body image becomes a way of managing anxious feelings. These patterns can be explored further in disordered eating therapy, where the focus is on understanding rather than forcing change.

Anxiety can also shape how people relate to others — contributing to withdrawal, conflict, or difficulty expressing needs. When anxiety is affecting a relationship, this can be explored in individual or couples therapy, with attention to how stress and fear play out between people.