Online Counselling
for Anxiety & Perfectionism
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural part of the human emotional experience. It is our body's way of telling us it perceives us to be in some kind of danger; either physically or emotionally.
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Even though anxiety is normal, it can often be very unpleasant and ongoing, and persistent anxiety can begin to impact your ability to live your day-to-day life.
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When anxiety has become a problem, normally more and more effort and time begins going into trying to not feel anxious. We might begin opting out of certain anxiety-provoking activities, using coping strategies that are unhelpful in the long run or get stuck in our thoughts.
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During therapy, I work closely with you to help you live a meaningful and productive life despite anxiety because anxiety should not be making the choices about how you live your life.
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How does anxiety tie into perfectionism?
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Perfectionism and anxiety are strongly interlinked. Often the high standards and striving for 'perfection' are rooted in fears around failure, vulnerability, and how you and others perceive you.
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These fears can begin to manifest as anxiety; anticipation and worry about not being able to be perfect and the perceived consequences of this.
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How can online therapy help with anxiety & perfectionism?
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Online therapy for anxiety provides a space to develop new coping strategies for managing your anxiety. It is a non-judgemental and supportive space for re-establishing some balance in your life and changing your relationship to anxiety.
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We will also unpick the critical voice tied to your perfectionism and explore ways you can keep the positive parts of that part of your personality while letting go of those that are not serving you anymore.
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In my practice, I use an integrative approach that draws from a range of different ways of working so that we can put together a therapeutic plan that makes sense to you and is in line with your unique goals for therapy.
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Online therapy also has the advantage of being increasingly flexible and accessible so that you can fit therapy around your day-to-day life and commitments.
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What to expect from online therapy?
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All of my online therapy sessions take place over Zoom, a secure video platform that allows us to see and talk to each other.
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Our first session together is a 50-minute consultation during which we will discuss what has brought you to therapy in a bit more detail. This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and for you to decide if you would like to work with me.
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Ongoing sessions will take place at a frequency that suits your needs. During each subsequent 50-minute session we will work towards your unique therapy goals in a one-to-one manner.
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Are you ready to get started?
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If you have never experienced anxiety before, it can be difficult to recognise if that is what you are experiencing.
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How anxiety presents will be unique and different for each person but some common symptoms of anxiety are listed below.
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Panic attacks
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Feeling weird and detached from surroundings
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Pounding heart
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Unexplained fear
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Fear of another panic attack or of anxiety
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Repetitive thoughts
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Not wanting to go out
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Tiredness
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Inability to relax
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Common Anxiety Disorders
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Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - Individuals struggling with GAD worry almost constantly about everyday things and what will happen in the future.
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Social Anxiety Disorder - If you struggle with social anxiety, you will feel anxious or worry about social interactions. This may be triggered by specific social interactions or by any situation. You may also experience a high level of anticipation and avoidance of social situations.
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Health Anxiety - If you experience health anxiety, your anxiety will be focused on a fear of getting ill or worrying you are ill.
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Perinatal Anxiety - Many individuals experience anxiety during their pregnancy or after giving birth. Perinatal anxiety often exists together with depression.
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Perfectionism - Anxiety and perfectionism are closely tied together. The high expectations of perfectionism can cause increases in anxiety.
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Situational Anxiety - Life transitions such as beginning university, moving, and divorce can all have impacts on your experience of anxiety.
Private Counselling & Psychotherapy
for Anxiety Online
Anxiety and stress over change is a normal reaction to change and uncertainty. Entering counselling with a therapist can provide a space to reflect and find ways of coping with those normal reactions so they no longer seem as overwhelming and paralyzing.
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Therapy is a process and the decision to begin seeing a private counsellor is not made lightly. Finding a therapist who understands what you are hoping to achieve from counselling can be daunting. If you have any questions about my experience or if I am the right counsellor for you, please get in touch or make an initial appointment to speak in more depth about how counselling might be a good fit for you.