David Pender

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.

I work flexible hours within reason to accommodate the lives of my clients - for example, evening appointments are no problem up until 9 PM. Please get in touch with me for availability. 

Areas of Focus

• Managing Anxiety
• Targeting intrusive thoughts with CBT tools, tailored coping strategies, and grounding techniques to reduce anxious symptoms.
• Building Self-Esteem
• Cultivating self-acceptance, dismantling critical self-talk, and celebrating progress instead of perfection.
• Overcoming Perfectionism
• Resetting unrealistic standards and exploring the costs of “never enough” thinking.
• Addressing Procrastination
• Tackling avoidance patterns with structured, compassionate tools to boost motivation and follow-through.
• Quieting Catastrophic Thoughts
• Encouraging a presence over ‘what ifs' and nurturing emotional resilience in the face of uncertainty.
• Rediscovering Purpose
• Exploring your core values and desires, reconnecting with what energises and fulfils you.
• Relationship tensions, often intensified by anxiety, are another area where many seek support. Overthinking, misinterpretations, and fear-based assumptions can create friction.
• Therapy offers a space to untangle those patterns and build stronger emotional insight.
• Living to please others often begins as an attempt to secure safety, belonging, or approval, yet over time it becomes a fragile way to navigate your world. 

The disillusionment that follows isn’t just disappointment; it’s the painful recognition that our worth was tied to forces we couldn’t control. That kind of external validation is always precarious because it depends on others' moods, limitations, and blind spots. When those we trusted fall short, the anxiety that emerges is less about the present moment and more about the collapse of a long‑held belief system:

Shifting from external to internal validation is not a simple mindset change; it’s a reclamation. It means recognising that your value cannot be outsourced to the approval of others, nor entrusted to systems that were never designed to hold your full humanity. 

Please visit my website for more information on my service.

How Anxiety Shows Up in the Mind and Body

As a counsellor, I often meet people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety yet struggle to understand why it affects them. Anxiety can present in a vast array of guises, but at its core, it is an overactivation of the mind and body paired with a deep need to feel calm, safe, and in control. 

Understanding your predominant form of anxiety is an essential first step in beginning effective therapeutic work. 

Where Anxiety Begins:

Early Conditioning and Life Experiences

When clients come to me for anxiety therapy, I begin by understanding their history. Anxiety rarely appears out of nowhere. It often develops from:

• Childhood conditioning
• The nature of early attachment and care
• Conditional love or inconsistent emotional safety
• Expectations placed upon us as we grow
• Setbacks, losses, or overwhelming life events

 Why the Mind Speeds Up: The Body’s Role in Anxiety

Learning to calm both the mind and body has been a significant part of my own well-being journey, and it is central to the work I do with clients. The amygdala and central nervous system play a huge role in how we think, feel, and behave. 

• Overthinking
• Hypervigilance
• Catastrophising
• Feeling disconnected from the body

How Does Anxiety Show Up for You?

1. Emotional Anxiety

Emotional anxiety often feels like agitation or overwhelm. You may find yourself juggling multiple worries at once, struggling to feel safe, or trying to regain a sense of control.

2. Physical Anxiety

Physical anxiety shows up in the body as tension, tightness, restlessness, or a sense of internal pressure. This is the body holding activated energy that needs to be released.

3. Mental Anxiety

Mental anxiety involves racing thoughts, replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or worrying about the future. 

What Type of Anxiety Do You Relate To?

You may recognise yourself in one or more of the following:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety
• Stress-related anxiety
• Panic responses
• Phobias

Your first session isn’t about deep therapy; it’s about establishing comfort. It’s about beginning a professional relationship. Think of it as opening the door rather than walking the whole path in one go.

I greet my clients with genuine warmth and an invitation for them to take time to feel comfortable and dispel their fears of engagement in what, for many, is as yet the unknown

There’s no pressure to dive straight into anything intense.

Before exploring your story, I will outline:

• How sessions work
• Confidentiality and its limits
• My approach or modality
• Practicalities like timing, fees, cancellations

This part is about safety and clarity of the frame that holds the work.

I will invite you when you feel ready to talk about:

• What prompted you to seek counselling
• What’s been difficult
• What you hope might change

You don’t need a polished narrative. You can start anywhere. Many people say, “I’m not sure where to begin,” and that’s completely normal.

A good first session feels like:

• Curiosity without pressure
• Questions that help you reflect
• A pace that matches your comfort

You’re not expected to reveal everything at once. You set the tempo.