ANXIETY noun “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.”

That is the dictionary definition of anxiety, but the dictionary can’t define you, that is why I acknowledge that every chair is different. Through counselling we will look at your experiences of anxiety, what it feels like for you, both physically and emotionally. Together, we will look at the impact that this is having on your life, work and relationships.

You may or may not be pleased to learn that anxiety is a natural built-in response to ‘perceived’ threats that allows us to do what is necessary to protect ourselves whenever we encounter danger. This means everyone has this built-in protection, but for some, like yourself, it is heightened to a greater level that can make every day things seem impossible or indeed a threat.

The built-in response is known as ‘fight or flight’ and this dates back to when tigers were our main cause for concern, however over years, other areas in our environment have caused us to feel anxious and threatened.

When your ‘fight or flight’ system is activated, it bypasses your rational mind and moves you into ‘attack’ mode – whereby you have a feeling of unease worry and fear. The fear becomes exaggerated and your thinking is distorted. It may feel that fear becomes the lens through which you see the world.

Anxiety can affect all areas of your life and within a variety of situations. You may for example find it too hard to sleep, eat or concentrate. By talking this through in our counselling sessions, we can begin to understand the triggers for your anxiety and work towards a more comfortable way of how you want to be and live. This will all be done from my private and confidential consultation room in Storrington near Arundel, West Sussex.