Anxiety can show up in many different ways. For some people, it looks like constant worry or racing thoughts. For others, it’s physical tension, panic, restlessness, or a sense of dread that makes everyday tasks feel harder than they should.

 

You may notice anxiety affecting your sleep, focus, relationships, or decision-making. You might feel on edge much of the time, or find yourself avoiding situations that once felt manageable.

 

Anxiety counselling offers a space to understand how anxiety operates in your life and to develop ways of responding that feel steadier and more compassionate.

Sessions are available in person in Saanich and online across British Columbia.

 

How Anxiety Often Shows Up

 

People seek anxiety counselling for experiences such as:

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• Constant or intrusive worry

• Racing thoughts or mental overactivity

• Panic attacks or physical anxiety symptoms

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Feeling frozen, stuck, or avoidant

• Perfectionism or fear of getting things wrong

• Ongoing tension or restlessness
   

Anxiety doesn’t always make sense, and it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. Counselling helps bring clarity to what’s happening beneath the surface.

 

A Grounded, Supportive Approach

 

In anxiety counselling, we work collaboratively to build awareness of how anxiety shows up in your thoughts, emotions, and body. Together, we explore patterns that may be maintaining anxiety and experiment with ways of responding differently.

 

Depending on your needs, our work may include:

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• Grounding and calming strategies for the nervous system

• Building tolerance for difficult sensations and emotions

• Exploring unhelpful thought patterns with care

• Developing self-compassion and psychological flexibility

• Learning skills to respond rather than react
   

The goal is not to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to reduce its grip on your life so you can move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

 

What to Expect in Sessions

 

Early sessions often focus on understanding what anxiety looks like for you and what feels most difficult right now. Some sessions may focus on practical tools you can use immediately. Others may involve slowing down and looking at longer-term patterns or experiences that continue to influence your anxiety.

 

You’ll never be pushed to “think positively” or ignore how you’re feeling. Counselling respects the reality of anxiety while helping you build a different relationship with it over time.

 

Therapeutic Approaches

 

I draw from evidence-based approaches including person-centred therapy, mindfulness-based practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

The approach is adapted to you, rather than asking you to fit a specific model.

 

Next Steps

 

If anxiety has been taking up more space than you’d like, you’re welcome to reach out. A complimentary consultation can help you decide whether anxiety counselling feels like a good fit.