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Therapy for Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people start therapy in the UK. The therapists listed below all work regularly with anxious clients, whether the anxiety shows up as constant worry, panic attacks, health anxiety, social anxiety or something harder to name.
Most people who come to therapy for anxiety say two things in their first session: they feel like their mind will not switch off, and they feel like something bad is about to happen even when nothing is wrong. That can be exhausting. The good news is that anxiety is one of the conditions therapy is most effective for, and many people see a meaningful change within six to twelve sessions.
What helps depends on the kind of anxiety you have. CBT is well evidenced for generalised anxiety, panic and social anxiety, and tends to be quite practical and structured. If your anxiety has roots in earlier experiences, a more relational approach such as psychodynamic, schema or integrative therapy may suit you better. You do not need to know which approach is right before you start. A good therapist will help you work that out together.
If you are unsure where to begin, look for therapists who describe anxiety as one of their main specialisms in their profile. Most offer a short, low-cost or free introductory call so you can see whether they feel like the right fit.
Approaches that tend to help
- CBT
- ACT
- Integrative
- Psychodynamic
- Person-centred
- EMDR (where trauma is involved)
This is a guide, not a prescription. The right approach for you depends on your situation and on the relationship you build with your therapist.