Working with anxiety

Anxiety—anticipatory worry, ranging from acute episodes of panic to generalised, background tension—is something that we all experience to some extent. It’s a normal and important part of being alive. However, for many, there are times when anxiety can get out of balance and limit their ability to fully participate in and enjoy life. In these cases, therapy can be of help.

There are many different ways of thinking about anxiety, and many different ways of working with it. In cognitive-behavioural terms, understanding the relationship between our thoughts, bodily sensations, and behaviours is central to enabling us to move beyond patterns of rigidity and fear. This understanding, when combined with practical interventions to learn and develop as part of a relaxation practice, allows many people to break the cycle of anxiety and get on with life.

In terms of my approach, I combine aspects of this more solution-oriented way of working with a psychodynamic view that seeks to understand the meaning underneath the symptom—the meaning of the anxiety. I believe that it can sometimes be useful to think of anxiety as an invitation to engage with our emotional worlds and unmet needs. Often, when we are able to safely express unexpressed feelings, and symbolise that which we have not put words to, our anxiety lessens. In this way, it can become something meaningful and herald deeper change when worked with holistically.

However, as is the case with all aspects of therapeutic work, there is no set recipe when it comes to working through anxiety. Everyone is different. And so finding a way that works for you is something to be discussed in the therapy.