Therapy for Anxiety in Leeds and Online

Support with anxiety, overthinking and feeling overwhelmed

Are you struggling with anxiety? Do you find yourself worrying about things that might happen, going over conversations in your head, or finding it difficult to switch off? Perhaps you feel constantly on edge, doubt yourself, or find that anxiety is stopping you from doing things you would like to do.

Anxiety can affect many areas of life, including your relationships, work, confidence and general sense of wellbeing. You might understand that your worries are out of proportion to a situation, yet still find it difficult to stop them. Or you may have a sense that something isn't right without fully understanding why.

If anxiety is affecting your life, you do not have to work through it alone.

I offer in-person therapy for anxiety in Leeds city centre, as well as online and telephone therapy. Through therapy, I can help you explore what you're experiencing, develop a greater understanding of yourself and find ways of relating to your thoughts and feelings that work better for you.

What does anxiety feel like?

Anxiety can affect everyone differently. For some people, it involves persistent worry and racing thoughts. For others, it is more physical, showing up as tension, restlessness or a sense of dread that is difficult to explain.

You might recognise some of the following experiences:

Overthinking and excessive worry: Going over situations repeatedly, imagining worst-case scenarios or struggling to make decisions.
Feeling constantly on edge: Finding it difficult to relax, switch off or feel comfortable, even when nothing obviously wrong is happening.
Physical symptoms: Experiencing a racing heart, sweating, muscle tension, restlessness or a churning feeling in your stomach.
Social anxiety and fear of judgement: Worrying about what other people think of you, feeling self-conscious or avoiding situations where you might feel exposed.
Panic and fear: Experiencing sudden waves of intense anxiety or feeling frightened by your own physical sensations.
Low confidence and self-doubt: Questioning your decisions, seeking reassurance or feeling that you aren't good enough.
Avoidance: Putting off difficult conversations, situations or activities because of the anxiety they might bring.
Difficulty switching off: Finding it hard to rest because your mind keeps returning to problems, responsibilities or things that could go wrong.

You do not need to experience all of these things to seek therapy. Sometimes anxiety is obvious and intense; at other times, it becomes a familiar background feeling that you have learned to live with. Whatever anxiety looks like for you, it is worth taking seriously if it is affecting your quality of life.

Why am I feeling anxious?

Sometimes anxiety has an identifiable cause. You might be dealing with pressure at work, difficulties in a relationship, a bereavement or a significant change in your life. At other times, it can be difficult to understand why you feel anxious, particularly if things appear to be going well from the outside.

Anxiety can also be connected to experiences from earlier in life. Perhaps you learned to be alert to other people's moods, felt that you had to meet high expectations, or grew up in circumstances where it wasn't easy to feel safe or understood.

Experiences like these can influence how you respond to uncertainty, relationships and challenges as an adult. You might find yourself trying to keep everyone happy, worrying about making mistakes, expecting something to go wrong or feeling responsible for things that aren't entirely within your control. These responses may once have helped you manage difficult situations, even if they are now making life harder.

Understanding how your anxiety developed can help you make sense of what you are experiencing. It isn't about blaming yourself or necessarily attributing everything to the past. It is about becoming more aware of your experiences, the patterns you have developed and what you might want to change.

How can therapy help with anxiety?

When you are experiencing anxiety, it can be tempting to focus entirely on making the uncomfortable feelings go away. While finding ways to manage anxiety can be helpful, therapy can also provide an opportunity to explore what lies beneath it.

As an integrative therapist, I draw on different therapeutic approaches according to your individual needs, preferences and circumstances. There is no one way of working that suits everyone, so we can explore what feels most useful for you.

Understanding your thoughts and feelings

Anxiety can make it difficult to distinguish between what you know, what you fear and what you imagine might happen.

Therapy can give you space to slow things down and explore these experiences. We can look at the thoughts and feelings that arise in particular situations, how you respond to them and whether there are other ways of understanding what is happening.

Exploring underlying patterns

Sometimes anxiety is connected to recurring patterns in how you relate to yourself and other people.

You might notice that you regularly seek reassurance, struggle to express your needs, fear disappointing others or feel uncomfortable when you do not have control over a situation.

Together, we can explore where these patterns may have come from and how they affect your life now. Greater awareness can create opportunities to respond differently, rather than automatically falling into familiar ways of thinking or behaving.

Developing ways to cope

Understanding anxiety is important, but you may also want practical ways to deal with it in everyday life.

Depending on your needs, we might explore coping strategies, look at how you respond to anxious thoughts, or consider how you could approach situations you currently find difficult.

My approach incorporates cognitive behavioural and solution-focused ideas where appropriate, alongside other ways of working. The aim is to find an approach that feels relevant to you, rather than follow a fixed formula.

Building confidence and self-understanding

Anxiety can gradually undermine your confidence. You might begin to doubt your judgement, question your worth or become increasingly reliant on other people's approval. Therapy can help you explore your relationship with yourself, understand the expectations you place on yourself and develop a more accepting view of who you are. This may also involve exploring difficult feelings, past experiences or relationships that have shaped how you see yourself.

Making changes at your own pace

You do not need to arrive at therapy knowing exactly what is wrong or what you want to change. We can begin with what is happening in your life now and gradually develop a clearer understanding of your difficulties. You can decide what you want to explore and how quickly you feel comfortable doing so.

The aim is not to become a person who never feels anxious. Anxiety is a normal human emotion. Rather, it is about understanding it better and finding ways to stop it from having such a strong influence over your life.

Anxiety and relationships

Anxiety does not always feel like anxiety. Sometimes it shows up in the way we relate to other people. You might worry that someone is upset with you, overanalyse messages, find it difficult to trust that a relationship is secure or fear that expressing your needs will lead to rejection. You may find yourself avoiding conflict, putting other people's needs before your own or repeatedly seeking reassurance that everything is okay. These patterns can be exhausting, particularly when you do not fully understand why they keep happening.

Therapy offers a space to explore your experiences of relationships, how you respond when you feel uncertain or vulnerable, and what you need to feel more secure in yourself and with others. If your anxiety is connected to relationship difficulties, past experiences or low self-esteem, we can explore these areas together.

Anxiety, work and everyday pressures

Work and other responsibilities can be significant sources of anxiety. You might feel under pressure to perform, worry about making mistakes, struggle with uncertainty or find it difficult to stop thinking about work when you get home. Perhaps you appear to be coping well to other people, but internally you feel overwhelmed or constantly concerned about whether you are doing enough.

Therapy can help you explore the pressures you are experiencing, the expectations you place on yourself and the impact these have on your wellbeing. It can also provide an opportunity to think about boundaries, priorities and how you might approach difficult situations differently. You do not need to wait until you reach breaking point before seeking support.

My approach to anxiety therapy in Leeds

I am an integrative therapist, which means I draw on several therapeutic approaches rather than working exclusively in one way. These include person-centred, psychodynamic, existential, solution-focused and cognitive behavioural approaches.

In practice, this means our sessions might involve talking through what is troubling you, exploring your feelings and past experiences, identifying patterns in your life, or considering practical ways to respond to current difficulties.

Sometimes it can be helpful to have space simply to talk and feel heard. At other times, you might want to examine something more closely, ask questions about your experiences or think about what you could do differently.

My role is to work alongside you, offering a supportive space in which you can explore what is happening and develop your own understanding of it. I do not assume that I know what is best for you. We can work out the best way forward together.

What happens in the first therapy session?

Starting therapy can feel daunting, especially if you're already experiencing anxiety. You might be unsure what to say, worry about being judged or feel that you should be able to manage things on your own. You do not need to prepare anything in advance or know exactly how to explain what you are experiencing.

I offer an introductory session for £30. This gives you an opportunity to get a feel for what it is like to speak with me, discuss what has brought you to therapy and consider what you would like to get from our sessions. You can ask questions, talk about any concerns you have and decide whether you feel comfortable working with me.

There is no expectation that you will have everything figured out during this first meeting.

In-person, online and telephone anxiety therapy

I offer in-person therapy for adults in Leeds city centre, at Evolve Counselling and Therapy Centre, 31 Park Square West, Leeds, LS1 2PF.

If you would prefer not to travel, or find it easier to speak from home, I also offer online therapy via Zoom and telephone sessions. Sessions are available on weekday afternoons and evenings.

Frequently asked questions about therapy for anxiety

Do I need to know why I'm anxious before starting therapy?

No. You might have a clear idea of what is causing your anxiety, or you might simply know that something does not feel right. We can start with whatever you are experiencing and explore it together.

Can therapy help if I overthink everything?

Therapy can help you understand the patterns behind overthinking and explore different ways of responding to your thoughts. Depending on your needs, we can also consider practical strategies for managing worry and approaching situations that feel difficult.

Can I have therapy if my anxiety is connected to past experiences?

Yes. If you feel that earlier experiences are affecting how you respond to situations now, we can explore this at a pace that feels manageable for you. You do not have to discuss anything before you feel ready.

How many therapy sessions will I need?

There is no fixed number of sessions that suits everyone. This depends on your circumstances, what you want to explore and the kind of support you are looking for. We can discuss your hopes for therapy and review how things are progressing as we work together.

How much does therapy cost?

The introductory session costs £30. Subsequent individual sessions cost £55, and each session lasts 50 minutes.

Take the first step towards understanding your anxiety

If anxiety is making everyday life more difficult, you do not have to keep trying to work everything out on your own. Therapy can offer you time and space to explore what you are experiencing, understand yourself more fully and consider what might help you move forward.

You do not need to be at a crisis point to seek support, and you do not need to know exactly what you want to say before getting in touch.

If you would like to explore whether therapy with me might be helpful, I welcome you to contact me with any questions or arrange an introductory session.