Anxiety

While everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, some people experience chronic and persistent anxiety that pervades all areas of their life, and often leads to depression. Other than generalised anxiety, other types of anxiety include social anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias.

Symptoms of anxiety are pervasive with more severe and persistent worry accompanied by strong physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, dizziness, shortness of breath, and upset stomach. Anxiety can limit your life in many ways if left untreated as you tend to avoid situations related to anxious feelings.

Following assessment to determine the cause of anxiety, treatment will follow a CBT approach. This therapy examines the relationship between your situation, thoughts, emotions, behaviour, and physical reactions. You will learn how to automatically question whether your thoughts are facts, which slows down your reaction and helps you feel more emotionally settled. An evidence-based treatment, CBT for anxiety works towards solutions with clear goals and practical techniques.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can be caused by relationship problems at home or at work, unmanageable demands at work, financial problems, or the cumulative effect of daily stressors such as a long commute to work or living in a noisy environment. Left untreated, chronic stress leads to a constant state of physiological arousal.

Health problems associated with chronic stress and constant physiological arousal include gastrointestinal complaints, overweight, cardiovascular problems, and fertility health problems. As a mind-body problem, treating chronic stress involves addressing unhelpful thought patterns, and body-based interventions to promote autonomic nervous system regulation.

Trauma

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a disorder of non-recovery following exposure to a traumatic event, or multiple traumatic events, such as serious injury in a motor vehicle accident, death, or sexual violence. Exposure to traumatic events can lead to chronic symptoms such as feelings of anxiety and anger, depressed mood, insomnia, and feeling disconnected from loved ones. Trauma treatment involves learning about symptoms of trauma and understanding how trauma has impacted your psychological health and relationships. Evidence-based treatments for trauma help you to minimise the impact of trauma exposure and regain emotional and physical health.