Anxiety and Stress Counselling
Understanding Anxiety and Stress
When we experience periods of high stress or anxiety, it can feel all encompassing. Like there is no way out, no pause, and no space to breathe. During these times, we can become isolated within our own minds, spinning in spirals of overthinking, self doubt, or worry. Even when life appears “fine” on the outside, it can feel chaotic, heavy, or unmanageable internally.
Counselling for anxiety and stress offers a space to vocalise and make sense of these feelings in a safe, supportive environment. Through person centred counselling, we work together to slow everything down, understand the noise, and explore what you are carrying in a way that feels manageable for you.
I offer COSCA accredited counselling online, removing the added stress or anxiety that travelling to an appointment can often bring. This allows you to attend sessions from a setting where you feel grounded, safe, and comfortable.
How Anxiety and Stress Can Show Up
Anxiety and stress look and feel different for everyone. They might appear in ways you expect, such as ruminating thoughts, overthinking, or a constantly busy mind, but they can also affect you in ways you might not immediately recognise.
Stress and anxiety impact both the mind and the body. These effects often fall into emotional, psychological, and physical categories.
Physical impacts may include:
• changes in heart rate • difficulty sleeping • digestive issues
• shortness of breath • headaches • chronic tension or pain
Emotional impacts may include:
• irritability or feeling “on edge” • isolation or withdrawal
• avoidance of people, tasks, or conversations • restlessness
• feeling threatened or unsafe without a clear reason
Psychological impacts may include:
• difficulty concentrating • changes in memory • challenges with decision making
• reduced motivation • feeling overwhelmed by even small tasks
These lists are not exhaustive. Your experience may look different, and that is completely valid.
Sometimes the people around us notice these changes before we do. They may see shifts in our mood, behaviour, or energy long before we’re able to name them ourselves. At other times, it might feel like you are doing everything possible to hide your internal world, giving the outside world a “performance”, while inside you feel drained, anxious, and far from yourself. Hiding how you feel can take even more energy, pulling you further away from rest or healing.
How Counselling Can Help
Counselling offers a space where you no longer need to hold everything together or pretend to be okay. It helps you understand what is happening beneath the surface, gently exploring the patterns, triggers, and protective responses that contribute to stress or anxiety.
Together, we find a structure that supports you, not a rigid or prescribed method, but an approach tailored to your pace and your needs. Counselling can help you:
• regulate emotions
• build self awareness
• understand your stress responses
• explore root causes
• develop healthier coping strategies
• feel more grounded and in control
Stress and anxiety counselling is a collaborative process we navigate together. You remain in charge of the pace, and the focus is always on what feels supportive and sustainable for you.
My Approach to Anxiety and Stress Counselling
As a person centred counsellor with training in psychodynamic counselling, my approach is grounded in meeting you where you are, rather than fitting you into a rigid framework. I work integratively to find ways of working that honour what feels manageable for you on a week by week basis.
Safety, consent, and collaboration are at the heart of the therapeutic process. You are always in control of the pace we move.
Person centred therapy emphasises empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard. The therapeutic relationship becomes a foundation for understanding yourself without judgement.
Psychodynamic exploration allows us to look at how past experiences, relationships, and patterns influence the way you feel, react, and navigate the world today.
The central focus is always maintaining safety and emotional security as we explore your internal landscape. My aim is to support you in reconnecting with yourself, understanding what is happening beneath the surface, and finding ways to move forward that feel aligned and sustainable.
Who Anxiety and Stress Counselling Can Support
This work can support you if you’re experiencing distress in your body or mind, whether you understand where it’s coming from or not. Some reasons people seek anxiety or stress counselling include:
• constant worry or overthinking
• overwhelm or burnout
• emotional dysregulation
• difficulty slowing down or switching off
• anxiety around identity, transitions, or performance
• stress linked to work, relationships, or sport
• internal pressure, perfectionism, or self criticism
• athletes navigating performance anxiety or burnout
• neurodivergent clients, especially autistic women and adults with ADHD
You do not need to have a clear explanation for how you feel. Counselling can help you find that understanding.
Training and background
Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred and Psychodynamic Counselling (University of Edinburgh, COSCA-accredited)
BA (Hons) Psychology with Sociology (Edinburgh Napier University).
Clinical placements at Health in Mind, ESMS Schools, and the West End Therapy Centre, working with a diverse range of clients and presenting issues.
My ethos
Counselling with me is compassionate, collaborative, and grounded in respect. I aim to create a calm, supportive space where you can slow down, feel heard, and explore what’s happening for you at a pace that feels safe.
My approach is to meet you where you are, not to push change, but to support understanding and steadiness. Presence, empathy, and our therapeutic relationship sit at the heart of the work we do together.
Fees
My fee is £70 per 50-minute counselling session.
Get Started
Sessions are held online for accessibility and comfort. You can book a free 15-minute consultation to explore whether counselling feels right for you.
Anxiety and Stress Counselling FAQs
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If worry, tension, overwhelm, or feeling constantly “on edge” is affecting your sleep, relationships, work, or sense of wellbeing, counselling may help. You do not need to be in crisis to seek support. If something does not feel right for you, that is reason enough to reach out.
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Stress is often linked to external pressures such as work, relationships, or life demands, while anxiety can feel more persistent and may not always have a clear cause. In reality, they often overlap, and counselling can help you understand how they show up for you.
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No. Many people come to counselling unsure why they feel the way they do. Together, we can gently explore what might be contributing, at a pace that feels manageable for you.
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We may explore grounding, pacing, or ways to help you feel steadier if that feels supportive, but the focus is not on quick fixes. The work is about understanding your experience, your patterns, and what helps you feel more in control over time.
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No. You are always in control of what you bring to sessions. There is never any pressure to disclose more than feels safe.
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There is no set number. Some people come for short-term support, while others work longer-term. This is something we can explore together, with regular check-ins to ensure the therapy continues to meet your needs.
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You can book a free 15-minute consultation or enquire directly via the contact form. Reaching out is the first step, and you are welcome to take it at your own pace.