Anxiety is one of the most discussed mental health issues. The term has entered our daily language and is often used to describe an agitated state, whether related to a particular incident or not. However, whilst anxiety is part of the human condition in that we all feel it at some point, overwhelming anxiety can feel terrifying, is debilitating and is not normal. That’s where we can help.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Brighton and Lewes
Suffering from anxiety can make it difficult to access a state of calm. A nervous feeling may wash over you and you may have a sense of dread. It can cause you to feel like the world is speeding up or slowing down and can cause you to worry that you’re losing touch with reality.
Symptoms of anxiety may be long term, occur only in certain situations, or come and go. Anxiety could be mild or severe and may even have a serious impact on your ability to work and function in day-to-day life.
Anxiety affects different people in different ways. Many have different psychological and physical side effects that may interfere with their life such as difficulty controlling worry, sleep problems, heart palpitations, and headaches.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common form of anxiety that we address at Brighton & Hove Psychotherapy, but we can also help with a range of other anxiety disorders including:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety
If anxiety is affecting your day-to-day life, you may benefit from anxiety therapy. Get in touch with us today to discuss your situation with one of our psychotherapists.
Do I have an anxiety disorder?
Every person feels anxiety differently. You may experience a range of physical and mental effects that can impact different areas of your life. Anxiety effects can include:
- Feeling light-headed
- Feeling sick
- Fast breathing
- Panic attacks
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Feeling restless
- Changes in sex drive
When someone suffers from anxiety, it can be difficult to relax. A nervous feeling may wash over you and you may have a sense of dread. It can cause you to feel like the world is speeding up or slowing down and can cause you to worry that you’re losing touch with reality.
Symptoms of anxiety may be long-term, occur in certain situations, or may come and go. Anxiety could be mild or severe and may even have serious impacts on your ability to work. Many men and women experience anxiety when going through big life changes, or have finally decided it’s time to seek help after living with anxiety for a long time. If any of this sounds like you, we’re here to help.
Treatment Methods for Anxiety
CBT
A widely recommended treatment for anxiety, CBT helps individuals to identify and challenge their unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that contribute to anxiety.
Open-ended Analytical Psychotherapy
Open-ended analytical psychotherapy is a form of long term, in-depth psychological therapy rooted in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic traditions, suiting individuals who wish to explore the deeper, often unconscious roots of emotional distress.
Anxiety counselling for men Brighton and Lewes
Research shows that men tend to put off getting any kind of mental health support because they feel they need to be ‘tough’ and able to take care of situations themselves. But this simply isn’t true. Many men suffer quietly during home and work life, so it’s important to speak up and seek help.
We can help men dealing with a range of anxiety symptoms that may be interfering with their ability to manage and enjoy life. Anxiety can be difficult to work through alone and may cause a negative effect on the immune system and mood. If you’re a man who is experiencing anxiety, our dedicated psychotherapists can help you navigate through it.
Anxiety in young people
Anxiety can affect someone no matter their age. Just like adults, children and teenagers have worries and anxieties that can affect their overall health and wellbeing. If you’re a parent looking for support for your child, we’re here to help.
Growing up can be tough, and for some young people, stressors and anxiety can lead to depression. If there are family members who suffer from anxiety and depression, it’s important to look out for signs early in their life.
The history of humans and anxiety
From an evolutionary perspective, it is the most anxious amongst us who have survived – our ancestors who were ‘on-guard’ (anxious) about a sabre-toothed tiger attack, were the ones who survived. The same goes for war situations. Anxiety enables soldiers to anticipate danger and remain vigilant. In our relatively safe Western societies, anxiety can help get us to do something with our lives: without anxiety, we would all be couch potatoes! However, there is a point when the anxiety feels too much for us to handle and may take over our lives, and that is when we should seek help.
How can counselling for anxiety in Brighton help?
Anxiety affects people in different ways. Many have different psychological and physical side effects that may interfere with their life such as difficulty controlling worry, sleep problems, heart palpitations, headaches and more.
Once you have a sense of some control over your anxiety, we will gently start to help you explore what may be causing the anxiety which is often the result of deeper feelings that have not been acknowledged or processed, such as sadness, grief or other uncomfortable feelings.
The Benefits of Psychotherapy for Anxiety
At Brighton & Hove Psychotherapy, we work closely with you to determine the best course of action to support you in managing your anxiety and understanding the reasons behind these feelings.
Treatment for anxiety offers a great number of meaningful and lasting physical and emotional benefits. From reducing the restlessness and fatigue anxiety can cause to easing its emotional burden, therapy helps clients to recognise and challenge their own unhelpful thinking patterns and encourages self-awareness and emotional resilience, helping clients to rebuild a level of trust in their own ability to handle life’s challenges.
The link between depression and anxiety
Many people experience both depression and anxiety at the same time, which is rarely surprising considering the two conditions are so closely linked and regularly go hand in hand. The low mood and hopelessness of depression mixed with the persistent worry and tension of anxiety feed into each other, creating a cycle that feels hard to break.
Therapy offers a supportive, confidential space to explore both depression and anxiety, understand their connection and respective root causes, and begin to develop healthier ways of coping and managing both.
Our Psychotherapists Brighton and Lewes
Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy is home to a talented team of counsellors and psychotherapists with decades of experience. Take a look at Our Practitioners to learn more and find a practitioner who is right for you.
What to expect from therapy for anxiety
The first session with one of our practitioners is an opportunity for you both to work out whether you feel able to work together. Your psychotherapist or psychologist will likely ask you various questions relating to what has brought you and explain the process of therapy to you. You have the opportunity to ask questions and decide whether you feel ‘safe enough’ working with your therapist.
We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to help you manage your anxiety and understand why you are experiencing these feelings. Although it may be challenging, here is how to get the most out of your anxiety therapy sessions in our Brighton, Hove and Lewes practices:
- Ask many questions
- Don’t pretend that you’re okay
- Tell your therapist anything and everything – there is no judgement here
- Continue to work outside of your sessions
- Focus on your goals
Take the first step
Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy have practices in Lewes and Hove with our client base spanning across Sussex, London and even further afield. We are fully qualified to work with all types of anxiety, so get in touch with us today to see how we can help you. We will find a date and time that works best for you and ensure you feel as comfortable and safe as possible throughout the whole process.
Areas we cover
At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, we have two physical practices, one in Hove and one in Lewes, where we offer a full range of psychological therapies.
Alternatively, if you are considering online therapy, we also offer online therapy services.
Why choose Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy?
Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy provides high quality psychotherapy and consultancy services in Brighton and Hove, Lewes, and online. With over a decade of experience and a talented team of skilled associates, we have built a solid reputation for excellence.
Unlike so many directory sites that purport to be clinics, or large operations comprising of a high number of clinicians, we have purposefully kept our team small enough to ensure we can all work together on a personal basis, whilst being large enough to cater to the diverse needs of our client base.
To find out more about how Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy can help you through relationship therapy, get in touch with us today and arrange your initial consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion, but unlike other emotions, we often don’t understand why we are feeling anxious. It can be uncomfortable and make us feel restless and unable to concentrate, calm down or switch off. Everyone feels anxious at some point in life and anxiety can help us to feel motivated. However, if our anxiety levels are too high then anxiety can become debilitating and lead to panic attacks. Anxiety is linked to depression and many people who suffer from one will also suffer from the other.
How do I know if I am suffering with anxiety?
Anxiety affects our bodies as well as our minds. If you are suffering from too much anxiety, you will likely find that your mind struggles to concentrate on tasks as well as ‘switch off’. And your body may feel agitated with you noticing an increased heart rate, tension and possible panic attacks. If your symptoms are ongoing or frequent then it is likely that you are struggling to cope with your anxiety levels.
What happens in a first session?
The first session with one of our practitioners is an opportunity for you both to work out whether you feel able to work together. Your psychotherapist or psychologist will likely ask you various questions relating to what has brought you, and explain the process of therapy to you. The first session is a two-way process where you have the opportunity to ask questions and to decide whether you feel ‘safe enough’ working with your therapist.
How do I find a psychotherapist or psychologist I want to work with?
At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, we have two physical practices, one in Hove and one in Lewes, where we offer a full range of psychological therapies. On our website you can view each profile of our associates and contact them directly using the form on their profile page. You can also use our handy search function to find the right practitioner for your needs.
How long will it take for me to see a psychologist or psychotherapist?
We aim to respond to all enquiries within twenty-four hours. You may either contact one of our practitioners directly via their profile page, or you can contact us directly and we will assist you in finding the right person to see as soon as possible. If the practitioner you wish to see has space then an appointment can usually be arranged within a week and sometimes much sooner.
Do you offer couples or group sessions?
We offer counselling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families and groups. To find out about the types of session we can offer, get in touch with us today. We will find a date and time that works best for everyone involved and we will make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
How can I get in touch with you?
You can contact our practitioners directly via the contact forms on their profile pages. They will then reply to you directly.
What age groups of clients do you work with?
We have psychotherapists and psychologists trained to work with most age groups from children through to adults.
Do you offer evening and/or weekend sessions?
We offer sessions every day of the week including on Saturdays and sessions are available into the evening.
What are your fees?
Our fees are set by each practitioner depending on the type of therapy. For individual psychotherapy or clinical psychology our fees range from £75 – £100 per session. For couple therapy our fees range from £85 – £100 per session.
All the content on this page has been reviewed and vetted by Mark Vahrmeyer UKCP Registered Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Co-Founder of Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy. For any questions or more information about the subjects discussed on this page please contact us.